Bird lens upgrade

[Canon Bob]

Sorry to argue this point but with mkII tcs you can stack them (no idea about mkIII tcs as I've not tried it). Obviously the AF and IQ are effected. It if you stop down a bit you can get very usable results.

To clarify.....

MkII's
1.4xII has to go against the camera body and a 2xII will stack on it.
2xII will stack on another 2x (II or III)

MkIII's have to go against the camera body

In short, the only TC that will mount onto another TC is the 2xMkII

Bob

 

[FourRingCircus]

Thanks for clearing that up Bob. I have the 1.4xII, 1.4xIII and 2xIII so I must have been trying the wrong way round and this explains my earlier statement of non-stackability. Perhaps I should just say that it's not straightforward.

It might be a bit of fun just to see what happens, but I really wouldn't want to stack them anyway.:|

Edit: But I'm going to try it now for the hell of it!!!

 

[FourRingCircus]

IT DOESN'T WORK!!!

Either I'm being very thick, or a falsehood is being perpetuated without any direct experience......:bang:

1.4xII has to go against the camera body and a 2xII or 2xIII will stack on it.

NO IT DOESN'T!!! My 1.4xII on the 7D body would not accept the 2xIII. Damn near broke the converter trying after reading your post. The inner black plastic (with the velvety bit) on the 2xIII became detached and remained stuck on the 1.4xII.:nono:

In short, the only TC that will mount onto another TC is the 2xMkII

Not what you said in your earlier breath.:shrug:

Anyway, no harm done.

 

[Pitvar]

That's interesting, if I thought that I could get the same quality with a lighter, smaller and slightly cheaper combination I'd do it like a shot.
What about a 300mm with a 2x TC vs a 500mm which is then cropped. I'm talking on a sensor like a 1D Mark IV?

Edit: I think you answered that in your post but I find it difficult to accept that the 300 with a 2x TC can be sharper than the 500, I don't suppose you have any samples?

This was done with a D300s and the Nikon 300mm f2.8 non VR, a 500mm f4 VR and a 300mm f2.8 VR [between the two of us] with the latest 2.0tc, from a tripod, with a fixed subject at around 30m. I took with the 500mm f4 and my non VR 300mm with the tc and compared those but sadly I haven't kept the shots. It was a test to allow a fellow birder to try my 2.0 tc so I was quite surprised by the quality being "better".

It wasn't a very scientific test to be fair and sharpness is a personal judgement but cropped to the same image size I could definately see a slight improvement

 

[Canon Bob]

IT DOESN'T WORK!!!

Either I'm being very thick, or a falsehood is being perpetuated without any direct experience......:bang:



NO IT DOESN'T!!! My 1.4xII on the 7D body would not accept the 2xIII. Damn near broke the converter trying after reading your post. The inner black plastic (with the velvety bit) on the 2xIII became detached and remained stuck on the 1.4xII.:nono:



Not what you said in your earlier breath.:shrug:

Anyway, no harm done.

Sorry, I added a 2xIII in error on the first line and then disputed it lower down. Hope things survived
The only converter that will fit onto the front of another converter is the 2xII. It is based on experience and I've held onto my 2xII for this very reason.

Bob

 

[FourRingCircus]

No worries Bob. The harm done was easily rectified. At least we can say for sure now.

 

[ncf15]

I was in a similar situation and hired a 300 f2.8 and 500f4 from jacobs when they were still in business. Results here -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54538464@N03/collections/72157628179871659/

In the end although the 500 is a superb lens and beats the 300 + 2x hands down it was just too big and heavy for what I do so I got a 2nd hand 300. Autofocus is slower with x2 and you do loose some contrast but can still give pretty good results. As a bare 300 2.8 or with x1.4 it is brilliant.

 

[pete.rush]

I'm a very big fan of the 300mm f2.8 MKI, MKII 1.4x and 2x TCs

Canon 300mm f2.8 IS MKI with and without TCs (on a canon 1D MKIIn)

300mm F2.8 (MKI) + 1.4x and 2x TC (MKII) stacked (on canon 20D)

 

[riu]

I was in a similar situation and hired a 300 f2.8 and 500f4 from jacobs when they were still in business. Results here -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54538464@N03/collections/72157628179871659/

In the end although the 500 is a superb lens and beats the 300 + 2x hands down it was just too big and heavy for what I do so I got a 2nd hand 300. Autofocus is slower with x2 and you do loose some contrast but can still give pretty good results. As a bare 300 2.8 or with x1.4 it is brilliant.

Thanks Nick, i think i will take the same route myself. If i am to spend some serious cash then i want to be able to use it all the time. And at the minute the 300 f2.8 fits my wildlife interests and also my rugby and motorsport interest.

if i one the lottery would buy both

 

[riu]

I'm a very big fan of the 300mm f2.8 MKI, MKII 1.4x and 2x TCs

Canon 300mm f2.8 IS MKI with and without TCs (on a canon 1D MKIIn)

300mm F2.8 (MKI) + 1.4x and 2x TC (MKII) stacked (on canon 20D)

Super shots Pete, now trawling the ads for a good IS MK1 model at the right price.