100-400mm + 1.4 TC workout

[Words]

I finally got myself the kenko 1.4TC to add to my 100-400 pump and 400D. The first workout yesterday was a bit hit and miss (well more miss than anything), but I headed for a better location today and gave it a proper go. The light was rubbish, so I used flash for these (something else I've got to learn more about). I've taped the pins and the autofocus is fine when there's enough light, but in the end I resorted to manual focusing as it was tending to hunt a fair bit (but as I say, it was pretty gloomy). I also turned off the image stabilization (which 'jumped' every now and then).

First impressions are that I can certainly get shots that were pretty much out of the question before, but that I'm going to have to put up with a lower ratio of 'successful' shots (at least while I'm getting used to the set-up). These are a few of the better shots (I've kept about a dozen usable shots from over 100 taken).

[Brocker]

Nice work Words. Looks like you have nailed that set up well and truly. The focus is good and the crop and saturation are nice too. . . One very, very, very small point is that maybe the flash is a little too harsh on one or two images but it really is a small point. .

[mh68]

That last shot looks tack sharp to me Words, full of detail too. I`m in the same boat - trying to suss a new camera/lens out in this awful light we`ve had this week...frustrating to say the least. I`m sure given better conditions you`ll get a far higher keeper rate with your shots.

Mark H

[Ollie]

Some very nice shots there Words.

I find my keep rate is lower when using flash than when I'm not. Although the flash does help in bringing the detail and colour out in this dull weather it does also seem to accentuate any slight movement of the bird resulting in blur unless it's my imagination.

Roger

[Words]

Thanks for the feedback.

Broker, I'm still struggling a bit with getting used to the flash unit on top of everything else. I'm kind of sorted for using it at night, but daytime use is taking longer to get to grips with.

Mark, I agree about the conditions, but waiting for them is simply not an option

Roger, yes I got 'blur' as well which surprised me a bit.

[GerryNick2]

Some nice shots there Words, especially given the lighting conditions.

Have been deliberating for months over whether to invest in a 1.4x tc for my 100-400mm but reading the reviews on the subject with regard to image degradation has put me off a bit. Seeing your images has prompted me to reconsider.

I would be interested to know what distance you were shooting from and the crop factor applied to the final images.

Gerry

[Jon]

I have a Canon 1.4TC and find the combination with the 100-400L IS pretty unreliable on a 20D.
The focus is hit and miss when I taped the contacts - more reliable in good lighting conditions. Trying to focus manually with a 20D & 100-400 I do not find easy at all.
I know some people have had very good results but I have just about given up! I am still hankering for a 500mm lens... one day!

Regards flash I try to use it as fill in, i.e. at less than face value e.g. set camera flash setting or flash gun at -2/3 stop whilst exposing the subject with camera "correctly".
Jon

[Words]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

Some nice shots there Words, especially given the lighting conditions.

Have been deliberating for months over whether to invest in a 1.4x tc for my 100-400mm but reading the reviews on the subject with regard to image degradation has put me off a bit. Seeing your images has prompted me to reconsider.

I would be interested to know what distance you were shooting from and the crop factor applied to the final images.

Gerry

Gerry I've just put up an uncropped version:


I was fairly close, maybe 12-15 feet away. I'm not really sure but I was giving them some space. The uncropped version is about half-size by the time WAB re-processes it I think.

As I mentioned it's not the easiest set-up to use, but in the right conditions I think the quality is excellent (and a lot cheaper than buying a 500mm or 600mm lens). Pound for pound it seems pretty good value.

[Words]

Originally Posted by Jon

I have a Canon 1.4TC and find the combination with the 100-400L IS pretty unreliable on a 20D.
The focus is hit and miss when I taped the contacts - more reliable in good lighting conditions. Trying to focus manually with a 20D & 100-400 I do not find easy at all.
I know some people have had very good results but I have just about given up! I am still hankering for a 500mm lens... one day!

Regards flash I try to use it as fill in, i.e. at less than face value e.g. set camera flash setting or flash gun at -2/3 stop whilst exposing the subject with camera "correctly".
Jon

I don't think the combination is best suited to every situation, particularly if you are tramping over fields and grabbing shots on the move (which is what I tend to do). But in more controlled situations it seems pretty good to me.

Thanks for the tip re using flash. The problem I had was that in AV I was being offered 1/30sec at f5.6 at 1600 ISO. So I pretty much had to switch to manual and play it like it was night

[GerryNick2]

Originally Posted by Words

Gerry I've just put up an uncropped version:


I was fairly close, maybe 12-15 feet away. I'm not really sure but I was giving them some space. The uncropped version is about half-size by the time WAB re-processes it I think.

As I mentioned it's not the easiest set-up to use, but in the right conditions I think the quality is excellent (and a lot cheaper than buying a 500mm or 600mm lens). Pound for pound it seems pretty good value.

Thanks for that Words!

Viewed the uncropped image at full screen mode on my 19" screen and must say am very impressed with the sharpness and detail in the image. Perhaps others standards of an acceptable image are higher than mine but for me it would be perfectly acceptable. Far better results than the reviews would suggest.

I am convinced now that a x1.4tc would be a worthwhile investment and will have to see what price I can negotiate with my supplier.

Gerry