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07/17/2007 05:44:39 AM · #1 |
I need some help and some opinions pleaseee!
I have decided to purchage canon's 70-200mm f4 lens and now I am wondering if investing on Canon Extender TeleConverter 2.0X MK II is a good idea? =/ If i did get it, it would only be to double the focal lenght of the lens but I'm not entirely sure if that would be a wise move or not?!
Any opinions more than welcome!! |
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07/17/2007 06:13:18 AM · #2 |
Ah, a popular question. :) The consensus seems to be not to bother. Some people get some use of the 1.4x, but the agreement on the 2x is that it makes the image annoyingly soft. If you need the 400mm, you are much better off getting a longer lens, such as the very excellent and very expensive Canon 100-400L. Check this thread, and also check the link from there to dwterry's post showing some sample images.
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07/17/2007 06:15:06 AM · #3 |
Hi,
I have the 2.0X converter that I use with the 70-200 2.8 IS lens. It does make the image slightly softer but i have used it to great effect. With the 1.6 crop on the 400D you get a full 640mm.
Other people will say the 1.4X is a better choice as it is sharper, as they are the same price I would suggest taking you lens and body into Jessops and take some test pictures with both convertors.
Have fun,
Bob |
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07/17/2007 06:16:27 AM · #4 |
I'm not sure you'll get the quality you need using the TC.
I mean you use 50/1.8 and 100/2.8 and now you get a 70-200/4, all giving good contrast and details. A TC like this will soften up your images. The quality would be acceptable for someone who changes from 75-300/4-5.6 to 70-200/4 plus TC but it will surely be somewhat disappointing for your eyes.
Another issue is the loss of speed and AF. Using the TC your "wide open" aparture will be f/8 which is, well, rather slow. And, of course, you won't be able to use autofocus, which - knowing the size and lightness of the viewfinder of 400D - is a big drawback.
Try a 1.4x TC if you have the possibility. It gives you 280/5.6 practically without losing quality (compared to 200/4 without TC) so you can still crop your shots and you still have AF. |
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07/17/2007 07:04:29 AM · #5 |
Alright... thanks alot everyone, maybe I won't bother then with the TC at all =p
And surfdabler i would love to get the 100-400mm but it goes slightly over my budget! I did think about getting the 300mm f4 IS but I will leave that for the time being...
When i get paid again i'll have to go through this all over again lol *roll eyes* |
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07/17/2007 07:13:04 AM · #6 |
Just to emphasize and explain  gazdi's point:
You will lose the auto-focus ability of your camera the moment you put on a lens (or lens combo) which has a maximum aperture beyond f/5.6.
Putting a 1.4x extender on the 70-200 f/4 lens will give you f/5.6 as your maximum aperture. So that combo will still allow you to auto focus.
Similarly, you could put either the 1.4x or the 2x extenders on the 70-200 f/2.8 lens, because the maximum apertures then become f/4 and f/5.6, respectively.
But in the example you've cited, putting a 2x extender on an f/4 lens will make the maximum aperture f/8 and the camera simply will not be able to focus on its own. You can, of course, still manually focus. But even, it will be hard to see due to the small amount of light coming in.
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07/17/2007 07:13:47 AM · #7 |
Just a quick note with the 70-200f4 and a 2X teleconverter I'm pretty sure that with your 400D body you lose autofocus anyway. I think that if you look at the list of compatible lens for the 2X you would be F8 wide open and your body wont AF with that. Besides it would be pretty useless except in bright sunlight.
Extender EF 2X II Compatibility Chart
Lens Attachment Focal Length
(mm) f-stop
(f) Max. Magnification
(x) AF
EF 135mm f/2L USM 270 4 ~ 64 0.38 O
EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM 360 6.7*1 ~ 64 2.0 X
EF 200mm f/1.8L USM 400 3.5 ~ 45 0.18 O
EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM 400 5.6 ~ 64 0.32 O
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM 600 5.6 ~ 64 0.28 O
EF 300mm f/4L IS USM 600 8 ~ 64 0.47 O*4*5
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM 800 5.6 ~ 64 0.31 O
EF 400mm f/4L DO IS USM 800 8 ~ 64 0.24 X
EF 400mm f/5.6L USM 800 11 ~ 64 0.18 X
EF 500mm f/4L IS USM 1,000 8 ~ 90 0.25 O*4*5
EF 600mm f/4L IS USM 1,200 8 ~ 90 0.24 O*4*5
EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM 2,400 11 ~ 64 0.18 X
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM 140 ~ 400 5.6 ~ 64 0.33 O*2
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM 140 ~ 400 5.6 ~ 64 0.33 O*2
EF 70-200mm f/4L USM 140 ~ 400 8 ~ 64 0.45 O*4
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM 200 ~ 800 9.5 ~ 7.6 0.41 X*5
(O =possible X =impossible)
*1 Data based on EOS models with exposures displayed in 1/2 stop increments. It varies slightly with the EOS-1v, EOS-1N, EOS-1 and EOS-3.
*2 If the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM lens is attached to an EOS camera having multiple focusing points and an Extender is attached to the lens, only the center focusing point will be usable for AF.
*3 The autofocusing range is from 0.8m/2.6ft. to infinity.
*4 With the EOS-1v and EOS-3, AF is possible with the center focusing point.
*5 The Image Stabilizer does not operate with the following cameras: EOS 650, 620, 630/600, RT, 700, 750, 850, EOS-1, A2/A2E, 10s, Elan, Rebel/Rebel S, Rebel II/Rebel SII.
MattO
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07/17/2007 10:32:29 AM · #8 |
As others have said, you need an f2.8 lens to make good use of the 2x converter.
As for softening - it is there, but still better quality than you'd have cropping an image without using the converter. I included some crops in this thread (though bear in mind that these are intended to show panning) and have previously posted these:
100% cropped images - all at f7.2-10. Converted from RAW using RSP (no sharpening).
  
  
1600mm (200mm x2, x2, x2) shot - Resized, autolevels (it was v grey otherwise) and sharpened. The main thing I notice is how much dirt shows from the stacked teleconverters!!
 [/quote]
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