2x Teleconverters (1 Viewer)

I'm looking for a 2x teleconverter for my Nikon D60 and Sigma 70-300mm APO but as I'm new to teleconverters I don't know what sort of make I will need. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Jonny Scragg

I'm not certain how the D60 handles AF but I'd be surprised if it even tried to focus with the TC connected. Your lens would become a 140-600 f8-f11 lens. Assuming you want the TC for the reach, you'd have to manually focus at f11, which would be really difficult even in very good light. As for image quality - well, you'd probably be better off shooting without the TC and enalrging the images in software.

So, the question isn't 'what make do you need', but 'do you need, or even want, one at all'. Perhapes somebody you know has one you could borrow? Or, if there's a shop nearby you could try it out. Because I'm of the opinion that you'll stick it on once, then never use it again.

Like Frank said, the lens is just too slow for a TC. I had the same problem for my Nikon AF-S 70-300mm. Sigma don't list their 1.4x or 2x as being compatible with the 70-300 APO, however, if you really need one, the Kenko Pro 1.4x will probably work, but again you would lose AF.

if your lens is not a fast one (has a large f value) don't waist your money on TC, save up for more and get a 400 or 500 prime lens. i am telling you that from personal experience.

The very expensive lens you can get away with a 2x TC, but you can get reasonable shots with a 1.4 TC on the less expensive lens, I use kenko Pro 300 DG (canon fit) as they will usually fit all lens and camera's.

The Sigma 70-300mm certainly won't fit a Sigma Teleconverter since the teleconverter has a protruding element and the back of the 70-300mm is all glass so the two would not fit. The kenko might (I seem to recall they have almost no rise in their design) however image quality and aperture are going to be problems.

Firstly even though the 70-300mm APO is a sharper lens than its older non-apo edition its still starting to get soft past 200mm and if you put a teleconverter onto that lens its going to magnify the softness appearing - and the longer you reach the more softness will appear.
The comes the problem of aperture and light - a 1.4 teleconverter will take away 1 stop of light and a 2*teleconverter two stops of light. Sometimes this is not reported to the camera with 3rd party lenses, but the light loss is a physical real world effect so it does not matter what the camera thinks - you have still lost the light. This also means you can't stop the lens down very far either since you will quickly end up with very small apertures and not enough light (certainly not for wildlife). Also whilst your nikon camera will retain autofocus, after the setup goes beyond f5.6 the speed and accuracy will drop off very quickly even in very good lighting.

Honestly with that lens I would not even use a 1.4TC as I think you will find the softness very apparent. Work on getting closer to your subject (either moving you to them or moving them to you) and also on saving for something better and longer - a 300mm f4 + 1.4TC/ 400mm f5.6/ 100-400mm - kind of glass.