Canon 400D + 100-400 2 questions please

[David Smith]

As this is the set up I think I'm getting I have scoured the forum. Can anyone give me a definite answer to the following please

1) If I add a convertor (any make/size) can I retain auto focus
2) Can I retain image stabilization ?

I think the answer to 2) is no but it seems odd as that is the very time you need it most.

If the answer is NO-what about a 400 prime (Canon or Sigma)
I know it's been touched on many times but each time I think it is clear I see a comment that raises a ?

[stevo]

Image stabilzation will still be retained however not 100% sure about autofocus you might have to tape the pins not sure though.

Steve.

[citrinella]

A 400d is only capable of proper autofocus if the maximum aperture of the lens / convertor combination at the focal length in use at the time is f5.6 or better. At 400mm the lens on it's own is f5.6, so will autofocus properly. Adding a 1.4TC drops the maximum aperture to f8, so it won't. You can get partial autofocus by taping pins, and some models of TC are better than others.

IS will work fine _provided_ that the TC supports it. The TC must have the relevant connections so the camera and lens IS system can communicate. Maybe all TCs have this, but I would check whichever you choose before buying.

Mike.

[VONMAX]

David very new to this> my understanding when I purchased secondhand KowaTSN-1 from Kay Optics last month and I do have a 400D that with a adaptor that one removes the lens and withe Kowa extension so far> this then you have to use the camera in the manual mode as in focus and have no auto function!!!! >as I say very new to this but I do understand that the learning curve is very steep lucky I am retired am looking all the time will let you know if any more info have a look on the web plenty more sights out there for info.

Regards Vonmax:scribe: :

[paul goode]

As this is the set up I think I'm getting I have scoured the forum. Can anyone give me a definite answer to the following please

1) If I add a convertor (any make/size) can I retain auto focus
2) Can I retain image stabilization ?

I think the answer to 2) is no but it seems odd as that is the very time you need it most.

If the answer is NO-what about a 400 prime (Canon or Sigma)
I know it's been touched on many times but each time I think it is clear I see a comment that raises a ?

Hi David,

Picking up on your last comment first I think that the reason questions are raised is that different people get different levels of success with this setup.

The AF should be straightforward. Tape the pins and you will have AF of some sort. My setup AF's well in good light but in the gloom of Norfolk at the weekend , admittedly on a 20d body I came close to throwing the TC into the Wash. It hunted all over the place and achieving a focus lock was cause to break out the champagne! For comparison the same body and tc on a 500mm Sigma prime in the same light AF'ed reliably and quickly, still with the pins taped.
The 400d has got a better AF system (I think) so the low light AF may be better, but that brings us onto IS

It may be that only PostcardCV and I have this problem with 350d/400ds but with our bodies the IS does not work properly and I'm not risking damaging a £1000 lens trying to work out why. Other people report no problem so its another variable to take into account.

To clarify I should say that my findings apply to my setup with a Kenko Pro300dg 1.4x tc. Other tc's may well behave differently.

Sorry not to be more definite but as said before fitting tc's to these lenses isn't an exact science. You may well have to 'suck it and see'
Re the primes, from other threads I think the canon 400mm f5.6 has similar AF issues as the zoom and the Sigma is a fairly old lens that may not even work on a 400d, although it would be good if someone who uses one could answer that.

Paul

[David Smith]

I appreciate everyones input.
This confirms why I am confused as different people seem to get varying degrees of success. It's not as though we're only spending a few quid is it ? So we want to get it right.
I would have thought that Cannon would be able to say "if you buy the 400 with ? lense and ? TC it will work!
IF ANYONE HAS THE 400D WITH 400 LENSE & TC AND IT ALL WORKS COULD THEY PLEASE LET US KNOW THE EXACT SETUP
Thanks again

[paul goode]

Hi David,

Don't want to muddy the waters further but I noticed in Opus it looks as if you favour the 400d over the 30d because of the sensor cleaning.

Well, my 20d and my wife's 400d went to Norfolk with clean sensors. The 20d came back with a couple of spots on the sensor, but the 400d is filthy!

Sensor cleaning doesn't worry me so I admit I'm not too careful where I change lenses but in the real world, especially if you go for the tc you will need to 'expose' the sensor (well, filter actually) to the outside world and from this weekends experience don't rely on Canons latest gimmick to keep the sensor clean!

Sorry

Paul

[gmax]

IF ANYONE HAS THE 400D WITH 400 LENSE & TC AND IT ALL WORKS COULD THEY PLEASE LET US KNOW THE EXACT SETUP
Thanks again

Hi David,
just my tuppence opinion ... I have no IS lenses, but as far as AF is concerned I can say that:
1. 350D + Canon Extender 1.4x MK1 + EF 400mm f/5.6 (taped pins): AF works in good light, it tends to hunt a lot sometimes though
2. 20D + Canon Extender 1.4x MK1 + EF 400mm f/5.6 (taped pins): AF works in fair to good light, it tends to hunt especially with poorly contrasted subjects
Cheers,
Max
PS I guess that AF performance on the 400D should be better than on my 350D

[Roy C]

IF ANYONE HAS THE 400D WITH 400 LENSE & TC AND IT ALL WORKS COULD THEY PLEASE LET US KNOW THE EXACT SETUP
Thanks again
David, Any f5.6 lens and a 1.4 tc on a non series1 camera is a compromise. Canon reckon the AF is not good enough to work at f8 on the 350D,400D,20D,30D cameras which is why you have to tape the pins to fool the camera into not knowing that a tc is present.
I regularly use a Canon 1.4tc (pins taped) with my 400mm f5.6 prime (non IS) on a 30D body and providing there is good light and a contrasting subject AF works ok. I have found that this combo works better on the 30D than on my 350D although I am not sure why (dont know where this leaves the 400D). Sometimes AF will lock on very fast and at other times the lens will 'hunt' - I employ various techniques to help AFwhen hunting occurs.
If you want to guarantee AF on a 400D with a 1.4 tc you will need a f4 or faster lens. As stated above Any f5.6 lens and a 1.4 tc on a non series1 camera is bound to be a compromise.

[postcardcv]

I use a 400D (and 350D) with a 100-400 IS and a kenko pro 300 1.4x tc... If I don't tape the pins on the tc then the camera will not AF (doen't even try), but the IS will work. However if I tape the pins the the lens will AF (only struggle in poor light), but the IS is useless, it jumps and shudders!

As for sensor cleaning it seems to work well on my 400D, I've not had any dust problems with it despite regular lens changes. I reckon Paul's camera just wasn't used to Norfolk grime ;)

[Duck_Pond]

I have just bought one of these Kenko 1.4 TCs and am slightly concerned to read that I may damage my IS on the 100-400, if I'm interpreting Paul's comments above correctly?

I have a 350D by the way, and without the tape, the AF doesn't work. With it, it seems fine - it focused on several targets in the garden yesterday, despite the gloom and rain.

However, with the IS on, it did make a different sound to normal, though seemed to still work, in a manner.

So, should I switch IS off when using this additional lens?

[paul goode]

I have just bought one of these Kenko 1.4 TCs and am slightly concerned to read that I may damage my IS on the 100-400, if I'm interpreting Paul's comments above correctly?

I have a 350D by the way, and without the tape, the AF doesn't work. With it, it seems fine - it focused on several targets in the garden yesterday, despite the gloom and rain.

However, with the IS on, it did make a different sound to normal, though seemed to still work, in a manner.

So, should I switch IS off when using this additional lens?

Hi Pete,

I don't think there is a straightforward answer to this. PostcardCV and I have both experienced a problem which makes us unhappy about using the tc with a 350d/400d and the IS switched on. However, other forum members say that their setup is fine with the same bodies.

The problem that we saw is that, instead of the small 'jump' in the viewfinder when the IS engages and disengages, the image violently leaps around the viewfinder, sort of settles but remains twitchy (bad choice of word I know.)

Thats my best description from memory because I'm not trying again.

I guess its up to you as to whether or not to try, as i said some people are happily using this setup, so ours may be isolated incidents.

All the best

Paul

PS. Just to confuse things further i've just tried on my 20d and the same things happened. The batteries low so that may be a reason but I think I'll leave the tc on the 500mm in future!!

[paul goode]

As for sensor cleaning it seems to work well on my 400D, I've not had any dust problems with it despite regular lens changes. I reckon Paul's camera just wasn't used to Norfolk grime ;)


You could be right Peter ;) last time we came over it rained that hard the camera never came out of the bag! Lovely place Norfolk. 8-P

Maybe I overstated things. The dust shaker thingy probably does help but I was trying to get across that it can't be relied on to completely solve the dust problem.

A while ago there was a thread on here where someone suggested a 1x converter fitted permanently to the body. I reckon thats the way to go so the body innards are never exposed. Even in my film days I used to get annoyed at muck on the focussing screen and mirror and now the sensor compounds the problem. It can't be difficult to manufacture a small, optically good little tc type 1x lens to fit between the body and any lens thats fitted.

Just a thought

Paul

[Duck_Pond]

There was no obvious jumping of the image - seemed fairly normal - only that it was a bit more noisy (audibly)... I'm just wondering if after having read some of these threads already, before trying the lens, I'm noticing things I'd ignored before...

Just hope the weather is okay tomorrow to try it out in the field.

[postcardcv]

There was no obvious jumping of the image - seemed fairly normal - only that it was a bit more noisy (audibly)... I'm just wondering if after having read some of these threads already, before trying the lens, I'm noticing things I'd ignored before...

How well a tc works with this lens does seem amazingly variable... if your's works well then that can only be a good thing. You've just got to look at some of Keith Reeder's shots to see just how good this lens & tc combo can be.

[Duck_Pond]

Aye, but Keith's pictures without the tc are usually leagues better than anything I've mustered so far! I pretend to lay the blame at the fact he shoots RAW, and I do JPEG, but I'm not fooling even myself!