• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Sigma 500 f4.5 focus problem with 1.4x (1 Viewer)

P

paulwinclad

Well-known member
Sigma 500mm f4.5 focus problems with 1.4x ?
I have just bought a Sigma 500mm f4.5 (Nikon fit) have tried sigma 1.4x with taped pin and modified Nikon tc-14e, neither will autofocus properly, just gets close then judders in and out of focus for up to 10 seconds or so then sometimes gets there.
Anyone else bought this lens recently with same problem ? Any Kenko pro 300 users with no problems ?
Have contacted Sigma but no help as 'Not sold as autofocus with teleconverter'
 
I use the lens with a Kenko Pro 1.4x and don't have this problem although if the light is bad i sometimes don't achieve a focus lock. What camera are you using? I originally had the "dead battery syndrome" on my D300 when using the Kenko but thus has been fixed by the software update. I also have a similar problem with my D60 but as this is only my back-up camera it doesn't bother me.

Why have you taped the pins in the Sigma?
 
I use the older non-DG version Sigma 500mm with a Kenko 1.4 converter, and it seems to work fine - very rare I ever take the converter off. That's using Canon kit, not Nikon.
 
rezMole said:
I use the lens with a Kenko Pro 1.4x and don't have this problem although if the light is bad i sometimes don't achieve a focus lock. What camera are you using? I originally had the "dead battery syndrome" on my D300 when using the Kenko but thus has been fixed by the software update. I also have a similar problem with my D60 but as this is only my back-up camera it doesn't bother me.

Why have you taped the pins in the Sigma?
Click to expand...

I have d70, d200 and d300 and have same problem on all 3 !
The sigma will not autofocus without taping the right hand pin.
 
tried the 2x kenko on 180 sigma macro lens, camera just went dead (D300) i did'nt try again, thought i would knacker the camera, did'nt know it was a update issue, will try again....what pins do i tape and how many, i cant remember.
 
The Kenko focuses OK on the 500mm but there is a bit of play in the fitting which sometimes causes an error message. This is where the dead battery message used to appear before the software update. If i keep some twist pressure on the lens i don't have a problem.

This doesn't solve the original problem but can you not go to a camera shop and ask to try a converter?
 
I have this lens and a 1.4tc-eII it will focus well, as said in poor light it may have occasional problems, what scenarios are you shooting in when it occurs? low contrast shots? It works on my D70s, D200 & D300 and even my daughters Fuji S3pro.
 
Duke Leto said:
I have this lens and a 1.4tc-eII it will focus well, as said in poor light it may have occasional problems, what scenarios are you shooting in when it occurs? low contrast shots? It works on my D70s, D200 & D300 and even my daughters Fuji S3pro.
Click to expand...

Problem occurs in all scenarios ! Good and bad light, high and low contrast.
Have ordered a Kenko pro 300 1.4x, will post update when tried out.
Re earlier post, tape the far right hand pin looking in to the lens mounting end of the converter (directly under the red lining up dot)
Paul
 
Hi Paul,
As I said in my e-mail to you, the really strange thing is that you have used a modified tc-14e with no success. The third party tc's can be problematic on Sigma lenses and newer Nikon cameras, but the tc-14e is a sure bet... up until now, anyway.

cheers,
Andy
 
from the Sigma website

"Teleconverters
By adding an APO teleconverter (optional extra), you can use this lens as a 700mm F6.3 MF ultra-telephoto lens with a 1.4X EX teleconverter, or as a 1000mm F9 MF ult ra-telephoto lens with a 2X teleconverter."

So Sigma reckon it will only MF with a tc on
 
Duke Leto said:
I have this lens and a 1.4tc-eII it will focus well, as said in poor light it may have occasional problems, what scenarios are you shooting in when it occurs? low contrast shots? It works on my D70s, D200 & D300 and even my daughters Fuji S3pro.
Click to expand...
Not wishing to digress, but is the Nikon 1.4 quite sharp on this lens? I have the Kenko but end up not using it as I tend to get sharper end results by using the Sigma alone and just cropping more. I have beed considering getting the Nikon - it might solve the other problem I'm having with the Kenko being somewhat "loose".
 
rezMole said:
Not wishing to digress, but is the Nikon 1.4 quite sharp on this lens? I have the Kenko but end up not using it as I tend to get sharper end results by using the Sigma alone and just cropping more. I have beed considering getting the Nikon - it might solve the other problem I'm having with the Kenko being somewhat "loose".
Click to expand...

There are a number of reasons why using a tc produces poorer results than without... but the differences between most of the current teleconverters are so minor as not to be a significant factor. However, the Nikon TC-14E (both versions) are as good as they get, so at least there's a psychological benefit :t:
 
I'll be the 1st to admit that I go out with the intention of not using the 1.4, it will upset the focus when you don't want it to and it will add glass to the set up. but it will provide excellent results, if I can get away without using it I will always leave it off, as they say the longer the better (but not with a TC)
 
I will second Andys comments re the Nikon TC-14e. I used one on my Sigma 500 f4.5 after selling the Kenko. The reason being i was having weird metering problems when used with my D2x. The D70 i had before was fine with this combination.
Regards
Rob.
 
Rob Chace said:
I will second Andys comments re the Nikon TC-14e. I used one on my Sigma 500 f4.5 after selling the Kenko. The reason being i was having weird metering problems when used with my D2x. The D70 i had before was fine with this combination.
Regards
Rob.
Click to expand...
I'll save up for a Nikon and sell on the Kenko - I may be able to get back what I paid for it (I think I bought yours!). Cash is tight at the moment though having just splahed out on a D60 and repair to my D300! I too had no problems on my D70 - which I regret selling - it was better than my D60.
 
paulwinclad said:
Problem occurs in all scenarios ! Good and bad light, high and low contrast.
Have ordered a Kenko pro 300 1.4x, will post update when tried out.
Re earlier post, tape the far right hand pin looking in to the lens mounting end of the converter (directly under the red lining up dot)
Paul
Click to expand...

Kenko arrived and tried, still wont autofocus with converter hence lens now in the 'For Sale' section ! Anyone happy to use without converter please buy !
Paul
 
Warning! This thread is more than 15 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

shrek48
D7200 + sigma + TC ?
Replies
3
Views
737
gerald762
gerald762
T
Camera choice for birding around 3000 Euros with lens?
Replies
3
Views
1K
Tsvetan
T
W
Considering a Partial Camera Upgrade - D500 w/ 200-500mm lens
2
Replies
34
Views
4K
BriLee
B
C
Steiner Navigator 7x30 - with "Auto Focus"
Replies
13
Views
3K
Canip
C
Musoman
Electrical contact problem ?
Replies
2
Views
792
Musoman
Musoman

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top