TC question for Nikon
I would like some advice on whether to purchase a TC-17E II or a TC-20E II for my 300mm f/2.8 AF-S.
I'm not concerned about the slower AF speed. I prefer the 2X for the longer reach, but I am concerned about
the resolution and IQ.
2nd question. I have seen mention on this forum of a detox solution for cleaning lens contacts. What is its trade name, and is it available locally or must it be purchased on the web? Is it better than the eraser method?
Thanks,
Bob Mohr
I can recommend the Nikkor 1.4X and the 1.7X. Fabs, of BPN, uses the 1.7X with her 300/2.8 and loves it.Originally Posted by Carl Mohr
DetoxIT is the name. Any electronics store will have it, not consumer electronics but electronics parts store.
Robert
Last edited by Robert O'Toole; 06-26-2008 at 08:14 PM.
Here is the link for DetoxIT:
http://www.caig.com/
Robert
Hi Carl, the 300/2.8 would take converters that don't work too good with the f/4s
I regularly used the 1.7X for flight and it's just fine, you loose a bit of speed, but the reach makes up for it.
I hear the 2X works well but have not tried it. Juan Aragones, Spain moderator, likes it a lot.
Hi Carl I use the 2.0X on my 600 VR with excellent results Would recommend having both I use the 2.0X as a last resort.
I know you you said you were not concerned with the AF speed but it can be a problem. It is no fun having the AF start hunting when you are in a stationary subject Will happen !!!
Detoxit is available at Radio Shack.
James
Thank you all for the quick responses. I'll try Radio Shack. May try to contact Juan for a 2X opinion.
To Al: Been there. I was comfortably sitting on a bench at Chincoteaque early one glorious morning, with the sun at my back; when a Northern Harrier suddenly appeared in front of me and hung motionless in the air, due to a strong breeze. The early morning sun gave him a golden glow and his eyes sparkled. I quickly pushed the shutter release to focus and got that dreaded wirrrr....wirrrr, unable- to-focus sound. Some missed opportunities one never forgets.
I use a 2x on my 400 2.8 vr - but it is a bit soft - so I do not use it often. The 1.7 and 1.4 work great.
Here is an image with a 2X and seems critically sharp to me? Also it was not made with a prime lens but with the 200-400 VR With fixed lenses you should be obtaining even better results
I use the 1.7 and 2X with both the 300 2.8vr and 400 2.8 with good results. You can get sharp images with both tcs on these lenses, with the critical factors being shutter speed and good technique.
I am suprised that the Black Vulture looks so shap with a 2X on the 200-400 VR. Good for you!
I think I'll take my lens with me to my local dealer and try both TC's.
Thanks again to all.
By the way. I got a can of the DetoxIT yesterday.
Thanks again to everyone.
Bob
Last edited by Carl Mohr; 06-28-2008 at 10:58 AM. Reason: correction
Just a question about Deoxit. I along with a number of other D3 users have had problems with the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR lens in that after shooting with it for a while it will start to give me the dreaded low battery warning when I know that the battery is fully charged. I can temporarily rectify the problem by turning the camera off and on. There are several threads that state that it is a terminal issue and that cleaning the terminals will solve the problem. I have tried on several occasions to clean the terminals on both the lens and the camera but still get the problem cropping up from time to time. Will deoxit work better with cleaning the terminals and rectify the problem? My other option is to send the camera and lens back to Nikon to see if they can solve it for me but that will mean being without both for several weeks which is not an option during peak photography season.
PS I do have a 200-400 f4 VR on order and am hoping I don't have the same problem with that lens. Anyone had any problems with the D3 and the 200-400 lens pertaining to the "low battery warning" that I discussed above?
I have been using two of the three Nikon TCs (1,4X and 2X) since two years ago. I have some experience with the 1,7X-TC but I do not own this one. From my point of view, the best, is the 1,4XTC. It works really fine, superbly, in terms of optical quality and AF speed performance with the pro-line up of Nikon telephoto lenses (200f2-300f2,8-400f2,8-500f4-200-400f4). I have only used the 1,7X with my 300VR and it works fine. The OQ is not superb, like the one you have with the 1,4X, but is very good and the AF performance is slower compared to the 1,4XT. I use the 2XTC with the 300Vr and my first impression was very dissapointing and I began to think about the possibility of selling the 2X but after some weeks I began to get nice reults. Now I am very happy with the 2XTC. Under good light conditions, on not very far static subjects and with an adequate support the 300VR+2XTC produces very sharp images and the IQ is good at f5,6 but better if you stop down to f8. I do not use this TC too much due to the slow AF performance and due to my shooting style. I usually shoot BIF handholding and the 2X is not very good for that kind of photography.
Recently I tested the performance of the 2XTC with the 500VR lens of a friend and I got a very nice surprise. Awesome results! (see some images herehttp://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13389)
Juan
Last edited by Juan Aragonés; 06-30-2008 at 03:14 AM. Reason: typo errors
Nice to hear some others finally agreeing with me about the sharpness of the 2X converter on the 200-400 zoom. I tested it with a resolution chart against my MF 400f 3.5 with 2X when I first bought it (an often-used combination for bird photography a number of years ago-known for its sharpness). The 2X on the 200-400 was sharper, but every time I mentioned it on NSN, I was told that I was wrong or that my standard for sharpness was lower than others. With my resolution tests, there was little difference at all between the 1.4x and 1.7x. The 2X is noticeably less sharp than the others, but still sharper than my old standby, the 400 f3.5 with TC301. And looking at horizontal and vertical line pairs on a resolution chart isone thing; When I look at keeper images taken in the field, I can't determine which ones were taken with the 1.7x and which with the 2X. There are so many factors involved in apparent sharpness of images taken in the field (subject detail, magnification, lighting, photographic technique, AF issues, etc..)
Ed, will the 1.7 tc work with the old 400 f3.5? Dan Brown
No, there are no mechanical linkages in the new teleconverters (it's all electronic), so they won't work with the old manual focus lenses.
Thanks Ed, I have a tc14b, and am happy with it but the old tc301 that I own is not very good at all, I was hoping to upgrade to whatever would work with the 400 f3.5, any suggestions? Dan Brown
Juan,
Thanks for the info on the 2X.
I'll be in Barcelona for a few days in January, but will only be carrying my travel kit. 16-85VR + 70-300VR
Any must photograph suggestions?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote