400mm f5.6 and 1.4 tc

[matt_xyz]

Originally Posted by Maple

I think the best bet in getting sharp images when hand holding the 400mm and converter is to go by the rule of focal length = comparative shutter speed - in this case 1/1000+. If you are shooting birds in flight and you have a smooth action, then you have a good chance of achieving good results.

I have no chance of shooting birds in flight with my 400mm and converter, the AF simply wouldn't be able to lock onto a moving target. Has anyone managed an in-flight shot with a 400 prime (or 100-400) and a converter?

Matt

[Roy C]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

I have no chance of shooting birds in flight with my 400mm and converter, the AF simply wouldn't be able to lock onto a moving target. Has anyone managed an in-flight shot with a 400 prime (or 100-400) and a converter?

Matt

Hi Matt, There is a guy on BF that gets a lot of good flight shots with the 400mm f5.6 and 1.4 tc. I got a few good shots of a shelduck and some Gulls in flight on Saturday with the 1.4 tc. Dont think there would be any chance with a fast moving bird though. Having said that, the best Swallow shots I got last year was by manually focusing on a spot and letting rip when the birds came into range so this should work just as well with a tc attached.

[Jon]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

I have no chance of shooting birds in flight with my 400mm and converter, the AF simply wouldn't be able to lock onto a moving target. Has anyone managed an in-flight shot with a 400 prime (or 100-400) and a converter?

Matt

Yes my heron in flight shots were taken with a 1.4TC and on autofocus. There are a couple on the DB. These were just a few of the very many taken, the majority were destined straight for the Recycle bin. Having said that I was asking an awful lot really as the birds were anywhere between 50 to 100m or even more away. (I had driven a few miles to Ellesemere and could not come back with nothing!)

Roy, I agree entirely over the autofocus facility (I was trying to be brief) I meant to say the autofocus will not work at apertures smaller than f5.6 unless you have an EOS 1 or other high spec camera. Really I should have qualified by saying Canon never claimed it would work on EOS 20/30/350/450/300 etc.
Jon

[joekid]

if you want better results, use a tripod/ id be a bit miffed after stalking birds all day to get dodgy results,/i couldnt see any pros doing it.and with a high powered lens --with a converter ,your asking for trouble, i dont want to sound harsh ,were all after learning something, but if you have to use a lens of 5.6, then add a converter you definately need a tripod and then your focus is going to struggle, as most converters work best with fast (expensive) lenses so manual focus may be your best option .this is good in some respects it allows you the choice of allowing more depth and less camera shake..not all your birding shots need be taken with max aperture,,use your pod good luck fella,your lens is an excellent lens, especially with an equally good converter.

[Roy C]

Originally Posted by joekid

if you want better results, use a tripod/ id be a bit miffed after stalking birds all day to get dodgy results,/i couldnt see any pros doing it.and with a high powered lens --with a converter ,your asking for trouble, i dont want to sound harsh ,were all after learning something, but if you have to use a lens of 5.6, then add a converter you definately need a tripod and then your focus is going to struggle, as most converters work best with fast (expensive) lenses so manual focus may be your best option .this is good in some respects it allows you the choice of allowing more depth and less camera shake..not all your birding shots need be taken with max aperture,,use your pod good luck fella,your lens is an excellent lens, especially with an equally good converter.

Sure, overall results using a tripod will always be better whether you are using the bare lens or a tc but if I had to use a tripod all the time I would give it up as a bad job. To say that adding a converter to the 400mm f5.6 will definately need a tripod is certainly not true providing you have good light and a fast shutter speed. I have been out today and taken over 100 shots (handheld) with this combo and got a load of sharp shots - I aim for a min of 1/1000 sec and get it by upping the ISO to 800 (noise is almost non existent on the 30D at this ISO) AF causes very few problems but I admit there is a knack to it (see my earlier post in this thread). I will upload some sample shots if I can [I have been unable to upload to WAB for almost a week now].
I have also recently been doing some trial shots with a 2x converter (this time with a tripod and manual focus) and was blown away by the IQ - I have been trying to upload samples with no success but will keep trying.
By the way I have taken over 40k of shots with the 400mm f5.6 and as you say, it is an excellent lens.

[joekid]

Originally Posted by Roy C

Sure, overall results using a tripod will always be better whether you are using the bare lens or a tc but if I had to use a tripod all the time I would give it up as a bad job. To say that adding a converter to the 400mm f5.6 will definately need a tripod is certainly not true providing you have good light and a fast shutter speed. I have been out today and taken over 100 shots (handheld) with this combo and got a load of sharp shots - I aim for a min of 1/1000 sec and get it by upping the ISO to 800 (noise is almost non existent on the 30D at this ISO) AF causes very few problems but I admit there is a knack to it (see my earlier post in this thread). I will upload some sample shots if I can [I have been unable to upload to WAB for almost a week now].
I have also recently been doing some trial shots with a 2x converter (this time with a tripod and manual focus) and was blown away by the IQ - I have been trying to upload samples with no success but will keep trying.
By the way I have taken over 40k of shots with the 400mm f5.6 and as you say, it is an excellent lens.

i hate carting gear around myself.(spinal injury, and a monopod) look forward to seeing the shots, have a good one.

[Chris P]

The 400mm in combo with the 1.4x converter works like a charm on 1 series cameras (center focus point only) unless you tape the pins
but for my stuff I always use the center focus point any way... the story on my 20D is not as good with the combo - but still produces some really high quality images

you must remember that its a pretty slow lens to start with at F5.6 but its the best hand hold-able long reach lens that is available

in low light it does not compare to the Canon F2.8 lenses, but they cost many thousands of pounds to buy

I would highly reccomend this combo
Chris