Posted by Angela McCain on December 29, 2010 at 7:57 AM
If you have a Nikkor 500/4 and add a 1.7 tc. How fast will it be?
What if you add a 2.0 tc? Does it become a 1000/8?
Posted by Luke Ormand on December 29, 2010 at 9:08 AM
f/6.7 is the maximum aperture when adding a 1.7X to an f/4 lens. Adding a 2X will be f/8 and will likely result in losing AF capabilities on all but the top end cameras.
Posted by Angela McCain on December 29, 2010 at 9:56 AM
I have a D3. Do you happen to know if it will still be AF? I know that even the focusing slows down with the tc added.
Posted by Luke Ormand on December 29, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Nikons website (under the D3) should list what it's compatable with. Same goes for the 500 f/4.
The 500 f/4 + 1.4X TC combo is used frequently by many photographers. If you have looking for more reach, you may want to consider the 600 (good luck finding one), or the 400 f/2.8 which would offer good performance with the 2X TC (which, as per Brad Hill is an excellent TC) that would result in focal length of ~ 800mm vs. the 700 you would get with the 500 + 1.7
Posted by Angela McCain on December 29, 2010 at 2:25 PM
Here was my thought. I already have the new 2x tc and the 1.7. If I got the 400mm that's only 100mm more than the 300/2.8 I already own. The 600mm is so heavy. I'm already 53 and small and I don't know how many years I could carry the entire rig around: camera, tripod, lens etc. I could probably only use it from a car. But that's ok too-I get a lot of good shots from there. I borrowed my friend's 600mm for a day and I have to admit it was really fine.
Posted by Nate Chappell on December 29, 2010 at 3:07 PM
Hi Angela,
Having shot with you, your thinking on this was pretty much the same as mine. In addition with the 1.7 at 500 you are at 850, not at 700 as Luke suggested. I am pretty sure the 500 will AF with the D3 and the 2.0, you can call Nikon support and get a quick confirmation of that. The 500 is lighter, easier to travel with and handle than either the 400 2.8 or the 600. Yes, with the 2.0 on the D3 you will have a 1000mm F8.
I am pretty new here, but I would like to chime in about Angela question. This is my experience: I currently use a 500 f4 with a TC20III on D700 and D300 bodies. The autofocus works at a slower pace, but it is usable for relatively slow moving subjects (D300, I find the D700 more responsive). I found myself sticking to the central AF point for accuracy, as there is frequent AF "hunting" on the esternal (non cross) ones.
Hope this helps.
Oh, I forgot: with a TC20III you have a 1000 f8 on FX bodies and a 1500 f8 on DX bodies.
Posted by Michael Lotito on December 29, 2010 at 5:38 PM
I can't speak to Nikon but my Canon 1D Mark 4 does auto focus with a 2x tc. It is much slower and probably not for flight shots. The max f-stop is 8.0. I would expect Nikon to be similar. Here is an example of the results I have gotten.
Posted by Lon Sharp on December 29, 2010 at 11:52 PM
Nikon say AF will not work. Here is the link to the chart:
http://www.nikonusa.com/en_INC/IMG/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/en_US_Comp_chart.html
A very conservative approach from Nikon, indeed.
I can attest, based on my own experience, it does works slowly, but it works (D300, D700, Nikkor 500 f4 VR, TC20III), expecially if you select the central AF point. The real awkward point is f8: you will need a lot of light or to raise ISO in a lot of situations.
Kind regards
The Nikon teleconverters do AF with all new DSLR Nikon bodies. The speed depends on how you have you auto focus set up in the menu of the camera. Read your manual to see what you need to do to get the camera to perform the way you need it to perform. I use the 2X, 1.7 and 1.4 for work and for my bird photography and the system if used properly will track moving objects. Yes the 2X is a little slower then the others but I have used it to track flying birds with great success.
Heres a photo I made with the Nikon 400mm 2.8 with the Nikon 2X converter attached.
Posted by Nate Chappell on January 2, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Thanks Douglas and Maurizio. I think that chart doesn't apply to newer Nikon digital bodies (If it's the same chart I saw on Nikon's website). Nice bluebird Douglas. I think your AF performance with the 2.0 on the D3 will be better than the performance with the D700 or D300 based on what I've heard.
Ive not used the D300 but I own a D700 and it performs as well as the D3. It is a D3 as far as "guts" its the body that is not as good. The D3 has a metal body and better seals to keep water and dust out. The AF however is the same. It preforms as well as the D3 just does not have the frame rate or the metal body and beefy seals.
Discussion
14 repliesWhat if you add a 2.0 tc? Does it become a 1000/8?
The 500 f/4 + 1.4X TC combo is used frequently by many photographers. If you have looking for more reach, you may want to consider the 600 (good luck finding one), or the 400 f/2.8 which would offer good performance with the 2X TC (which, as per Brad Hill is an excellent TC) that would result in focal length of ~ 800mm vs. the 700 you would get with the 500 + 1.7
Having shot with you, your thinking on this was pretty much the same as mine. In addition with the 1.7 at 500 you are at 850, not at 700 as Luke suggested. I am pretty sure the 500 will AF with the D3 and the 2.0, you can call Nikon support and get a quick confirmation of that. The 500 is lighter, easier to travel with and handle than either the 400 2.8 or the 600. Yes, with the 2.0 on the D3 you will have a 1000mm F8.
I am pretty new here, but I would like to chime in about Angela question. This is my experience: I currently use a 500 f4 with a TC20III on D700 and D300 bodies. The autofocus works at a slower pace, but it is usable for relatively slow moving subjects (D300, I find the D700 more responsive). I found myself sticking to the central AF point for accuracy, as there is frequent AF "hunting" on the esternal (non cross) ones.
Hope this helps.
http://www.nikonusa.com/en_INC/IMG/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/en_US_Comp_chart.html
I can attest, based on my own experience, it does works slowly, but it works (D300, D700, Nikkor 500 f4 VR, TC20III), expecially if you select the central AF point. The real awkward point is f8: you will need a lot of light or to raise ISO in a lot of situations.
Kind regards