Looking for an extender advice needed.

SpikeK6

SpikeK6

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Spike
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Hi

I have not been on here for some time what with work loosing my mojo etc etc but slowly getting back in tune with the camera.

I have a Canon 7D with a few good lens 100-400 70-200 mk2 etc etc and next year I am off to Yellowstone park to see the wonders of nature.

Now I am thinking the 100-400 might just be a little short at times for some of what the park has to offer in wildlife so was looking at investing in an extender to give me more reach.

Done a little investigation but there seems to to be quite a few around.But what i would like to know is what to go for, I would like to keep the auto focus and i know you lose some stop value but what have people got and what are the pros and cons with extenders?

I was thinking the x2 extender but open to other suggestions.
 
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AFAIK

The 7D will not AF an extended with the 100-400, though if your 70-200 is the f2.8 version you might/are likely to be able to use the x1.4 but not the X2 ????
 
petersmart said:
All my Canons.
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Ok but your profile says you have 1D bodies......the 7D is a different beast and as far I know will not AF at f8......with a Canon extender, the Kenko extender may allow other lenses to AF on a limited sub set of Canon bodies but not all???
 
I used to have a Sigma1.4 and it fell apart with a heavy lens, sent it back and same thing happened with the next one. In my opinion, with Sigma 1.4, at least you are asking for trouble. That was even supporting the lens on a tripod
 
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The problem with extenders is that they magnify not only the image, but also any defects of the lens, and not just your original lens, but the combination of lens plus the extender's own image quality. The crucial test is comparing an extender shot of something small and distant with a shot from the same position of the same object without the extender, and then cropped down and magnified in post processing to give the same size of image as the extended one. Some of those who have carried out this test with 2.0X and 1.4X extenders conclude that with their particular camera and lens, and the particular extenders they have to hand, the 2.0X doesn't give as much detail resolution as the 1.4X, and some have even concluded that the original lens with no extenders is no worse, even better, than the 1.4X.
 
I have a 1.4x and a 2x telecon for my Fuji 100-400. Bought the 2x in an attempt to get even more reach but now usually crop into a 1.4x image since I get better IQ than the 2x telecon gives. I would hazard a guess that the same goes for pretty much all 1.4 and 2x telecons in any given range.
 
Nod said:
I have a 1.4x and a 2x telecon for my Fuji 100-400. Bought the 2x in an attempt to get even more reach but now usually crop into a 1.4x image since I get better IQ than the 2x telecon gives. I would hazard a guess that the same goes for pretty much all 1.4 and 2x telecons in any given range.
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Yep, bought both but only used the 1.4x Canon extender, the 2x wasn't the best IQ.
 
Thank you for all the info thats exactly the information I was after, I think I will leave it and just crop if the 100-400 is not long enough.

Thanks again
 
Box Brownie said:
Ok but your profile says you have 1D bodies......the 7D is a different beast and as far I know will not AF at f8......with a Canon extender, the Kenko extender may allow other lenses to AF on a limited sub set of Canon bodies but not all???
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I don't know.
 
SpikeK6 said:
Thank you for all the info thats exactly the information I was after, I think I will leave it and just crop if the 100-400 is not long enough.

Thanks again
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Might be worth keeping your eyes open for a good 1.4x telecon 2nd hand. Mifsuds allow a 10 day trial IIRC but you might have to pay postage. Pretty sure Stewart at lensesforhire has a selection of telecons for rent too.
 
Have you also considered using AI Gigapixel which can give you exceptionally good upscaling?

If you already have good sharp lenses this is a perfect way to get more "reach" without spending a great deal - approx 1/3 the cost of a Canon 1.4x extender.

You can download a free trial here to see whether you would be better going that route:

https://topazlabs.com/downloads/
 
As people have pointed out the original 7D does not AF at f8, the Mk2 does and does it quite well. The 100-400 lens also produces great results with the 1.4 attached.
 
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