Is the Canon Extender EF 1.4 any good?

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

07/28/2007 01:18:52 PM · #1

I have the 2x extender, and it is a waste of money. I wasted hundreds to save thousands. I cannot get a sharp image with this extender. I get better results cropping, and enlarging my subject. Im not satisfied with that technique either.

I frequently find myself falling a little short of reaching birds with my 100-400.

Yesterday I was shooting Egrets and another 100mm would have saved the day. These birds seem to know when I am getting close to a nice 400mm shot. I have alot of shots on them flying away.

Herons are shy too, but egrets are worse. I have some very nice Heron shots.

My wife would break all of my gear if I spent several thousand dollars on one lense. I have become a red ring snob, so an off brand 50-500 will not work.

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

07/28/2007 01:21:04 PM · #2

It is excellent, yes. Much better than the 2.0 IMO. It's not a hell of a lot more reach, but if it helps you go for it.

R.

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

07/28/2007 01:33:08 PM · #3

Teleconverters work best with fast prime lenses. The 2x works reasonably well with constant aperture zooms like the 70-200mm f/2.8 but works better with primes like the 300mm f/2.8.

On the 100-400mm the 2x will make you lose autofocus on your 400D, that might be the MAIN reason you are not getting the results you wish for.

Canon 300mm f/4 with 1.4x II TC:

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 13:48:24.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

07/28/2007 01:33:33 PM · #4

From everything I've read in reviews and such, the 1.4 is the best made, and users of the 2x report a lot of disappointment with the 2x, though I wonder if it's mainly due to such a long focal length and reduced light.
With your 100-400mm, the 1.4x will take you out to 560mm, and should be a better quality than 800mm.

I love shooting Great Egrets. You should come down here - they are plentiful, and yes, easily spooked.

I get lucky once in a while, hand-held with 300mm:

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/28/2007 01:47:51 PM · #5

I agree with previous posters. All of the following images were shot with a Canon EF 1.4x II:

07/28/2007 01:51:47 PM · #6

Originally posted by doctornick:

If I had a 5D, would the autofocus work? My wifes gonna kill me! ;)

Very nice work Brad!

Yesterday, I found six birds feeding as the tide was coming into Coos bay. They were across the water unobstructed, and the extra reach would have been perfect.

I was told by the property owner that they nest around the corner. I tried to check it out, but the tide was too high.

I will have to come back with waders. I should bring some Camo gear, and set up a blind when I locate it.

Im going to order the 1.4 extender now.

fotomann_forever

07/28/2007 01:53:18 PM · #7

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

If I had a 5D, would the autofocus work? My wifes gonna kill me! ;)

Negative side effect for you with a 5D is that you'd lose even more reach. The huge files it produces would give ya more to crop though.

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 13:53:43.

07/28/2007 01:53:28 PM · #8

SWEET zeuszen!!!

Is the UPS guy here yet? ;)

07/28/2007 01:56:22 PM · #9

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

If I had a 5D, would the autofocus work? My wifes gonna kill me! ;)

Negative side effect for you with a 5D is that you'd lose even more reach. The huge files it produces would give ya more to crop though.

That reminds me of another question. Say I risked a divorce, and bought a 5-6000$ 16.7 megapixel camera. Would tighter crops be noisy, and lose detail?

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 13:56:50.

fotomann_forever

07/28/2007 01:58:45 PM · #10

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

That reminds me of another question. Say I risked a divorce, and bought a 5-6000$ 16.7 megapixel camera. Would tighter crops be noisy, and lose detail?

If you had good glass in front of it, no. 8 MP from a 5D crop would result in a better image than a 30D.

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 14:02:04.

07/28/2007 02:02:31 PM · #11

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

Originally posted by doctornick:
Teleconverters work best with fast prime lenses. The 2x works reasonably well with constant aperture zooms like the 70-200mm f/2.8 but works better with primes like the 300mm f/2.8.

On the 100-400mm the 2x will make you lose autofocus on your 400D, that might be the MAIN reason you are not getting the results you wish for.

If I had a 5D, would the autofocus work? My wifes gonna kill me! ;)
...

No. 1-Series Cameras can Autofocus down to lenses with Apertures as small at f/8, other non-1-series Bodies will only Autofocus with Apertures of f/5.6 or larger. For example the 300mm f/4 with 2x TC will autofocus with a 1D but not with a 5D or 400D.

Technical info on the Canon 1.4X TC and Canon 2x TC.

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 14:10:21.

07/28/2007 02:08:37 PM · #12

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

That reminds me of another question. Say I risked a divorce, and bought a 5-6000$ 16.7 megapixel camera. Would tighter crops be noisy, and lose detail?

BTW the 1Ds II is closer to US$7,000...

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

07/28/2007 02:08:58 PM · #13

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

Even a 1.4x TC should make you lose autofocus on a 400D (and on a 5D, too, for that matter) when coupled with the 100-400. Both are only rated to AF down to f/5.6 as Doctornick said. A third party TC might work if it doesn't report its presence to the camera body. Failing that, there's always the option to tape over some pins, something I've not tried, but have heard about.

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 14:09:36.

07/28/2007 02:11:38 PM · #14

I don't think the 2x is as bad as people make it out to be. The worst thing about it is the fact that the autofocus only works with 2.8 or faster lenses. This leaves everything to be manually focused and alot of people complaining about soft focused looking images. Some of which is the effect of the converter but mostly the user I think. I can't see good enough anymore to be manually focusing on anything. I use it with my 300mm F4 and also my 70-200 F2.8. If I nail the focus on the 300mm the images aren't that bad.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/28/2007 02:13:51 PM · #15

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

Agreed, I've used the 2x with my 500mm f/4 on the 1D II and the results were quite good even on prints blown up to 20x30

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

07/28/2007 02:17:02 PM · #16

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

From my experience with the one that I've got (and my limited skill-set), I've found that combining it with the 70-200 gets acceptable pics at f/5.6, half-decent ones at f/8 and not too bad at all at f/10-f/11. The problem, perhaps, comes from directly comparing results gained using a TC with those gained from using the lens without. All in all, it's a cheaper and lighter thing to carry than an additional long lens, which I would only be using sporadically anyway.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

07/28/2007 02:18:47 PM · #17

Shot with a Rebel 300D, 70-200 f/4 and 1.4x extender, wide open and handheld, with a chain link fence several feet in front of me:

You will lose autofocus on a 100-400, but manual focus could still yield great results. Note that there are rumors of a 12mp Canon 40D appearing within the next few weeks. ;-)

07/28/2007 02:25:52 PM · #18

Originally posted by Mr_Pants:

Same with me. F8 thru F11 provide the best results.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

07/28/2007 02:27:53 PM · #19

Originally posted by doctornick:

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:
That reminds me of another question. Say I risked a divorce, and bought a 5-6000$ 16.7 megapixel camera. Would tighter crops be noisy, and lose detail?

BTW the 1Ds II is closer to US$7,000...

Making my wife tolerable will require another 5,000 minimum on top of that.

Thanks for all the info. HUGE HELP!

For now, I will have to live with just the 1.4 converter. Maybe in six months, after all the dust has settled from my recent purchases, I can find a way to buy the top of the line Camera, or close to it.

At first I thought my soft images were just me, I havent been serious about photography for very long, but after many attempts I'm leaning more towards the converter. At least with my gear.

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 14:29:49.

Skyarcher

Canon EOS-5D

07/28/2007 02:33:56 PM · #20

Originally posted by Mr_Pants:

*snipped for brevity*

Even a 1.4x TC should make you lose autofocus on a 400D (and on a 5D, too, for that matter) when coupled with the 100-400. Both are only rated to AF down to f/5.6 as Doctornick said. A third party TC might work if it doesn't report its presence to the camera body. Failing that, there's always the option to tape over some pins, something I've not tried, but have heard about.

I've actually taped the pins, google it online, not sure where I found it. It is 3 pins that are being taped. I will say this, it's a pain in the rump to do it. Make sure to have some long tweezers and steady hands. ;) I've used just plain ol' scotch tape, doesn't work the greatest, comes off real easy, even when you don't want it too. :D I've not tried other tapes.

Good luck, and personally, I like my 1.4x better. I have both, and for my liking, the 2x is ever so slightly softer. Just my opinion. And at the risk of you getting a divorce, I love my 5D, but would trade it for a 1DIIN or 1DIII(once they get AF kinks worked out) in a minute, if I could afford it! :D

----------------------------------------------------

Christine

Skyarcher

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

07/28/2007 02:35:15 PM · #21

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

Originally posted by doctornick:

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:
That reminds me of another question. Say I risked a divorce, and bought a 5-6000$ 16.7 megapixel camera. Would tighter crops be noisy, and lose detail?

BTW the 1Ds II is closer to US$7,000...

Making my wife tolerable will require another 5,000 minimum on top of that.

Thanks for all the info. HUGE HELP!

For now, I will have to live with just the 1.4 converter. Maybe in six months, after all the dust has settled from my recent purchases, I can find a way to buy the top of the line Camera, or close to it.

At first I thought my soft images were just me, I havent been serious about photography for very long, but after many attempts I'm leaning more towards the converter. At least with my gear.

Are you using a tripod or some kind of stability?

07/28/2007 02:36:16 PM · #22

Originally posted by SouthCoastOr3gon:

At first I thought my soft images were just me, I havent been serious about photography for very long, but after many attempts I'm leaning more towards the converter. At least with my gear.

Try using an aperature between F8 and F11 and see what you get. Manual focusing is alot of times hit and miss. They make focusing screens to aid with manual focusing when you get into the higher end bodies.

07/28/2007 02:49:40 PM · #23

I do use a tripod when I use the converter, and a remote switch because the bulky lens is shaky if you touch it. I have had decent results. I shot some baby seals a while back I was happy with. They were just a little soft at 800MM. They would not stand a chance around here.

Maybe DPC has made me too hard on my work!

Its a tough crowd around here... Its all good! Work I was proud of a couple of months ago doesn't satisfy me anymore.

I have experimented with higher aperature too. My best result have been with wider settings.

Message edited by author 2007-07-28 14:50:19.