Tele Convertor for 30D - best one? what is "taping pins?" NEWBIE ALERT! (1 Viewer)

MarkCaunt · Jan 25, 2007

Thanks all you have been more than helpful!
TOp photos too!

The lens i get with the camera is Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Zoom III USM Lens.
Far from ideal but a start.
QUite impressed with the 400mm shots above of the L.E.O.
Maybe something to think about when Ive saved up some money...sigh...

mike from ebbw · Jan 25, 2007

mark i have the same 75-300mm lens as yours and i use it more than my sigma 400mm prime.i have attached two pics taken with the 75-300 and kenko 1.5x (cheaper version).dont be put off by the fact it is the standard kit lens i am very happy with the pics i get from mine.

christineredgate · Jan 25, 2007

Ian,the Owl shot is very good indeed,sharp and clear.

mjmw · Jan 26, 2007

IanF said:
The only thing to bear in mind is that you do need very good light - sunshine and it behind you. Out of c.250 photos with the 100-400mm+Kenko I only kept 6 - some were down to the usual poor positioning and bird movement but over half were due to when the sun goes in the results are very muddy - lack of detail, lack of contrast and general softness. I doubt I'll ever use the converter again with the 100-400mm unless I'm really desperate.

With the 400mm keepers were a lot higher.

Having said that even with the Canon 1.4x, results are hit and miss with the 100-400mm.

Ian, I noticed that you mentioned setting the camera to f8 in a previous post even though the aperature is effectively f8 already, its just that the camera doesn't know it (because of the taped, or in this case, missing pins). So, could the poor results be due to false metering? If the camera is under-exposing by a stop (it thinks the lens is at f5.6 but is actually operating at f8) the image is going to appear muddy and lacking in contrast, especially in cloudy conditions...any fix in post-processing is going to loose detail and potentially introduce softness. Of course, this is pure speculation on my part...

MarkCaunt · Jan 26, 2007

mike from ebbw said:
mark i have the same 75-300mm lens as yours and i use it more than my sigma 400mm prime.i have attached two pics taken with the 75-300 and kenko 1.5x (cheaper version).dont be put off by the fact it is the standard kit lens i am very happy with the pics i get from mine.

Thanks Mike they are good pics! And encouraging that my setup might be fine for a trip ive got coming up. Was their much after picture processing on those?

hollis_f · Jan 26, 2007

mw_aurora said:
missing pins). So, could the poor results be due to false metering? If the camera is under-exposing by a stop (it thinks the lens is at f5.6 but is actually operating at f8)

All that will happen is that the camera will think it's darker outside than it really is - the exposure should still be OK.

The 'muddiness' of the images is probably down to the reduced contrast all that extra glass will create.

IanF · Jan 26, 2007

mw_aurora said:
Ian, I noticed that you mentioned setting the camera to f8 in a previous post even though the aperature is effectively f8 already, its just that the camera doesn't know it (because of the taped, or in this case, missing pins). So, could the poor results be due to false metering? If the camera is under-exposing by a stop (it thinks the lens is at f5.6 but is actually operating at f8) the image is going to appear muddy and lacking in contrast, especially in cloudy conditions...any fix in post-processing is going to loose detail and potentially introduce softness. Of course, this is pure speculation on my part...

I don't know the answer to that one Mark. You could very well be correct. One thing I've noticed is that with the Kenko converter you get higher shutter speeds than with the Canon converter - to the extent that you get some leeway to increase the aperture setting on the camera which may give a more accurate meter reading, though I think Frank may be closer to the answer - though the Kenko has less glass than the Canon converter - maybe that's where the higher quality glass of the other converters shows through.

With the 400mm prime there isn't a problem, even wide open the images are sharp. With the 100-400mm sharp results and accurate exposure seems to be more of a fluke with the Kenko.

The GSW below is with the 100-400+Kenko - not too bad, but really it should be tack sharp considering the sunlight, light colour and large size.

IanF · Jan 26, 2007

MarkCaunt said:
Thanks Mike they are good pics! And encouraging that my setup might be fine for a trip ive got coming up. Was their much after picture processing on those?

With Mike getting results like those with the same lens as yours, I'd say the converter is well worth trying out - especially for the price :t:

postcardcv · Jan 26, 2007

mw_aurora said:
Ian, I noticed that you mentioned setting the camera to f8 in a previous post even though the aperature is effectively f8 already, its just that the camera doesn't know it (because of the taped, or in this case, missing pins). So, could the poor results be due to false metering? If the camera is under-exposing by a stop (it thinks the lens is at f5.6 but is actually operating at f8) the image is going to appear muddy and lacking in contrast, especially in cloudy conditions...any fix in post-processing is going to loose detail and potentially introduce softness. Of course, this is pure speculation on my part...

This should not be the case as all of the Canon (and I think other manufacturers) use TTL metering in all their DSLRs, so do not rely on the aperture info being correct.

Personally I think the issue will be down to the lower grade of glass used in the 1.5x Kenko tc. While it may offer some advantages (Af without tape) I'd personally go for the 1.4x pro everytime as the IQ is far more reliable.

Roy C · Jan 26, 2007

mw_aurora said:
Ian, I noticed that you mentioned setting the camera to f8 in a previous post even though the aperature is effectively f8 already, its just that the camera doesn't know it (because of the taped, or in this case, missing pins). So, could the poor results be due to false metering? If the camera is under-exposing by a stop (it thinks the lens is at f5.6 but is actually operating at f8) the image is going to appear muddy and lacking in contrast, especially in cloudy conditions...any fix in post-processing is going to loose detail and potentially introduce softness. Of course, this is pure speculation on my part...

I also picked up on this point a while ago but with the 400mm prime and 1.4 tc (pins taped) I have not noticed any difference in IQ between setting f5.6 or f8

Ageinghippie · Jan 26, 2007

hollis_f said:
All that will happen is that the camera will think it's darker outside than it really is - the exposure should still be OK.

The 'muddiness' of the images is probably down to the reduced contrast all that extra glass will create.

Hello All,

Interesting discussion this. The Instructions with my Kenko 1.4 pro300DG
say

"Exposure with 7 pin Lens"

1 In the maual,program,shutter priority AE and Aperture priorityAE modes
correct exposure can be obtained. However the indicated aperture is
different from the effective aperture(2 stops less than indicated).
2 The depth priorityAE and the flash AE modes cannot be used.

I don't really understand all the above someone explain, being new to technical stuff.

Cheers

Les

mjmw · Jan 26, 2007

hollis_f said:
All that will happen is that the camera will think it's darker outside than it really is - the exposure should still be OK.

The 'muddiness' of the images is probably down to the reduced contrast all that extra glass will create.

Doh! Yes, 'effective aperture' means just that...not actual...therefore won't impact exposure with TTL...

Wildmoreway · Jan 26, 2007

mw_aurora said:
Doh! Yes, 'effective aperture' means just that...not actual...therefore won't impact exposure with TTL...

You are actually reducing the apature, with the converter attached in the complete unit (conveter plus lens) can be regarded as a complete new lens (ie I "sum of the two parts) with a greater magification more elements and a smaller apature than the lens minus the converter, with TTL the metering system should compensate for the reduced amount of light by either adjusting the shutter speed or apature.

In the past lens converters tended to be hit and miss with there often being far more loss of image quality than was worthwhile. Many modern converters are of very good quality that effectively give you almost the same quality as a complete equivelent longer focal length lense would have given you. Almost certainly in any event a 1.4 converter on a 300mm lense will give you a better quality image than a 500mm Tokina mirror lense would have done and more control over apature a depth of field into the bargain.

SW

mjmw · Jan 26, 2007

speckled wood said:
You are actually reducing the apature, with the converter attached in the complete unit (conveter plus lens) can be regarded as a complete new lens (ie I "sum of the two parts) with a greater magification more elements and a smaller apature than the lens minus the converter, with TTL the metering system should compensate for the reduced amount of light by either adjusting the shutter speed or apature.

Yes, but the actual lens opening is the same, which what I was trying to say in the quote you used. Not that it makes any difference, just is what caused me to tie myself in knots on this last night!

mike from ebbw · Jan 26, 2007

MarkCaunt said:
Thanks Mike they are good pics! And encouraging that my setup might be fine for a trip ive got coming up. Was their much after picture processing on those?

no,not really.just a crop to centre the birds and a bit of sharpening in photoshop.the gull was taken with the sports mode programme on the camera (A1 servo autofocus) and handheld.the chaffinch was taken on aperture priority f 7.1 200iso on a tripod with cable release.they are not as good as some of the pics on here but as i only take photos for my own enjoyment and not for commercial profit, providing i am happy with them that is all that counts.enjoy your new camera mark,its a great hobby.i look forward to seeing your gallery grow.all the best,mike.

Tav94 · Jan 28, 2007

Kenco 1.5 on 400 f5.6 USM L

I have just got hold of a Kenco 1.5 and tried it in my 400mm 5.6 and taken a few shots in the back garden this morning in bad light speed 1/50 to 1/60 at ISO 800 and found the results not bad.Camera did not hunt,and no taping of the pins is needed and it cost me just over £ 80. PS did have camera on a tripod.

jiminlondon99 · Jan 31, 2007

Today was the first real chance to try out my Canon 1.4tc with the 400 prime in anything like good lighting & thanks to this thread I taped the pins. I was quite happy with the results especially as the iso was set @800 but the AF was not happy without direct sunlight. By contrast the Canon 2x tc lives on my 70-200 f2.8 and the AF shows no noticable loss of speed.

The picture below was taken using manual focus as the tree reduced the available light.

Roy C · Jan 31, 2007

jiminlondon99 said:
By contrast the Canon 2x tc lives on my 70-200 f2.8 and the AF shows no noticable loss of speed.

Thats the difference between a f2.8 lens and a f5.6 lens Jim. I have a 70-200 f4 and the 1.4 tc works great because the combo speed has not exceeded f5.6. Canon reckon that their AF needs f5.6 or less to work efficiently (on non 1 series) which is why they stop the AF from working - hence the need to fool the camera into thinking the tc is not there.

paul goode · Feb 5, 2007

Took this yesterday with the Kenco 1.4x pro300 dg between a 20d and Sigma 70-200 and am quite impressed with the result

Paul

Paul Jarvis · Feb 5, 2007

They don't come much better than that. Great shot.

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