Considering a 2x converter..

[Tobyh]

Anyone using a 2x converter that would mind sharing their feelings on them please?

I currently use a 1.4 DG Pro 300 (Kenko) on a D50 with either a Tamron 90mm or a Sigma 70-300. I often pair up with extension tubes also when macro.

I understand that loss of light is an issue etc and that some clarity may be lost (any more than using a 1.4?)

Problem is that my budget won't stretch to say a Sigma 50-500 or to a 150mm Macro.

Thanks in advance!

TobyH

[nightshade]

I use the Kenko Pro300 1.4 which I find rather soft.
2x tele-converters I have used but find the 2 f-stops
light loss too limiting, I would save the money for a
decent s/hand lense

[jasongallier]

Nightshade has a point about buying secondhand lenses.

Your 70 - 300 is going to be difficult to focus at F11 (at the Long end) with a 2x attached. Plus you are going to need some good support (tripod) to keep a 600mm lens at slow speeds from blurring.
I have seen some good bargains on Digital Camera Reviews and Digital Photography Techniques in the classified section in fact there are two 135-400mm lens for sale as I write, both nikon fit.

For macro work (depending on what you want to do) try getting a extension tube. They can be used with converters and are reletively cheap. Ext tube on macro lens works but you have to be close - flowers and still subjects. Ext tube on a 300mm would be great for insects though.

Jason

[eeyore]

I use a 2xtc quite a bit on the back of my tamron 90mm macro with good results - this was taken with this set up last year



but its about the only lens i do use it on - you would certainly be disapointed by the results it will give on a 90-300.

if you do buy a 2xtc to go on your macro you dont need to spend oodles of cash - mine is the jessops own which is 39 notes

i agree with jason that an ext tube is also well worth a look as well or instead - jessops have these also for £79 for a set of three

[Tobyh]

Thanks for the replies.

As i said in my original post I already have a set of (kenko) extension tubes so am happy in that area.

Its a good point about focusing at F11 on the 300, it may be just a bit too much.

Eeyore - I've had issue with the Jessops converters in the past - mainly with the 70-300 feeling "grindy" when manually focussing though. If I use it mainly on the Tamron then perhaps a cheapy one from Jessops will be fine.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by eeyore

I use a 2xtc quite a bit on the back of my tamron 90mm macro with good results - this was taken with this set up last year



but its about the only lens i do use it on - you would certainly be disapointed by the results it will give on a 90-300.

if you do buy a 2xtc to go on your macro you dont need to spend oodles of cash - mine is the jessops own which is 39 notes

i agree with jason that an ext tube is also well worth a look as well or instead - jessops have these also for £79 for a set of three

Mmm, I'd never considered using a 2X with a macro lens, I never had the sense to try it when I had mine. I wish I had, it could have worked well with a faster piece of glass.
It certainly didn't work at all well with the 50-500mm..F12 at best, soft being the kindest description I could say for any images I got with it. Suffice to say I sold both converters. Very disappointing.

[eeyore]

a grindy feeling when manual focussing shouldnt have anything to do with the converter - unless it was somehow preventing the camera from realising that AF was turned off but I have never had that issue with mine so maybe you just had a duff one.

with regard to autofocus the general rule of thumb is that it needs an effective max apperture of f5.6 to function correctly (though you can get away with f8 in bright light) this essentially means that with an f5.6 lens you can pretty much forget the 2xtc andcabn only use a 1.4 on bright days.

you could buy a short f4 or f2.8 lens and use these with converters but given the price you would be better off buying a longer f5.6 lens second hand - the 135-400s that jason pointed out could be good , or a second hand bigma or 400 prime , however when buying seconfd hand sigma lenses make sure that they function properly on a digital body as some of the older ones dont

[mike g]

Originally Posted by Tobyh

Anyone using a 2x converter that would mind sharing their feelings on them please?

I currently use a 1.4 DG Pro 300 (Kenko) on a D50 with either a Tamron 90mm or a Sigma 70-300. I often pair up with extension tubes also when macro.

I understand that loss of light is an issue etc and that some clarity may be lost (any more than using a 1.4?)

Problem is that my budget won't stretch to say a Sigma 50-500 or to a 150mm Macro.

Thanks in advance!

TobyH

Hi Ive used 2X and 1.4 sigma ex with great results i find you have to take a little more care in focusing but can stll get good pics on a budget .Regards Mike g

[Tobyh]

Originally Posted by eeyore

a grindy feeling when manual focussing shouldnt have anything to do with the converter - unless it was somehow preventing the camera from realising that AF was turned off but I have never had that issue with mine so maybe you just had a duff one.

I tried 3 different Jessops converters with my Sigma lens, each one felt like there was sand in the works somewhere when you tried to manual focus, weirdly auto focus worked fine, I'm not really a fan of it though. Just some compatability issue there.

If using a 2x with my Tamron 90mm, surely light isn't such an issue if I'm using a Ring Flash ? ( which I tend to most of the time to combat lense shadow on the subject) and I'm often using F16 or thereabouts for the Depth of Field. I'm just thinking of it as a cheaper option than buying a 150mm macro lense. It would, when combined with various extension tubes, allow me to get the shots I want without having to get quite as close. Or am i missing something obvious>?

TobyH

[nightshade]

One thing to watch out for is that the rear glass element of your lense
does not touch the converter glass elements during zooming

[Tobyh]

Originally Posted by nightshade

One thing to watch out for is that the rear glass element of your lense
does not touch the converter glass elements during zooming

Ok now I am confused how could this happen if it's meant to be compatible? Are you speaking from experience here Nightshade>? It's something I just would never have even thought about!

[jasongallier]

If it is all compatible then try it, just be careful! Have a look at the rear element in the lens and see how far back it travels when zoomed and focus is changed.

My canon 100mm macro can't be used with converters because the rear element of the lens would hit the front converter element - glass on glass is not a good idea! However I can put a small extension tube between the two then it would work fine but I rarely use that combination.

As for light issue - if you are using a ring flash you should be fine but remember that the increased focal length will mean reduced depth of field but that may well be off set by the increased physical distance you are away from your subject!!! Now it could get confusing

Jason

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Tobyh

Ok now I am confused how could this happen if it's meant to be compatible? Are you speaking from experience here Nightshade>? It's something I just would never have even thought about!

It's quite common. On the Sigma 50-500mm, you can't use the converter at the 50mm end, because the glass hits the rear lens! Mind you why you would want to use it at 50mm is another question! You do have to be careful though when it's fitted as if you try and lock the zoom, again it'll hit the rear lens, just be careful with whatever lens you use one with.

[joekid]

ive used lots of converters in the past 20 or so years, and the latest one on a sigma 400mm 5.6 apo lens,the lens was great on its own ,i tried the 2 times sigma apo version but it didnt quite have the edge on selective enlargements, so i tried the 1.4,which was lots better,and with good film gave good results,you need to use a firm tripod, for best results,and remote release/if your camera has mirror lock up use that too(if quality is the thing) but ive used it gently pressing the release with good results, the more you pay the better the results,, do a little home work before parting with your cash ,, good luck fella.

[Matt Hunt]

Hi

I am using the Sigma 2xTC on the 100-300mm f4 and find I am getting acceptable results but having manual focus only is hard on moving objects (so far I've tried birds and Spitfires!). Having said this, I am wondering if this is a lens focusing issue at infinity since using the converter at less than 300mm has produced results.

For this combination there are no clearance issues.

Hope that helps.

Matt

[joekid]

i would save up for a while, a two times converter will slow things down more and take the edge off things,if its for macro stick with the extention tubes/ no loss of light/,,theyre is some expensive converters but again designed for fast lenses and will cost as much as a decent macro lens, catch 22 and only one way out,good luck fella,look for quality used lenses,