Teleconverters

[BUGSnBIRDS]

Could someone kindly clarify for me the main differences between Kenko and Nikon teleconverters, apart from price. I am thinking about purchasing one but not really too sure what sets them apart to make an informed decision. :confused013
Thanks

[ricktas]

Depending on the lens being used, some of the Kenko ones will not 'talk' to the camera and body, thus you lose the ability to adjust aperture etc, via the camera, and have do to so manually on the lens. Note that this doesn't apply to all kenko converters or all lenses. I have the Nikon 300mm F4 and if I use my Kenko TC, it loses the ability to adjust the aperture on the camera body, but that is the only lens I have noticed this issue with.

[RRRoger]

The higher priced AF-S Nikkor TC 1.4, 1.7 and the new 2.0 eIII all give you a slightly higher quality image,
but they are only compatible with a limited number of AF-S lens and will not stack.

[maccaroneski]

Well I bought my Kenko 1.4 on the strength of kiwi saying that he cannot notice the difference in quality between his Kenko and his Nikon... and that's as close as I cam to finding a comparative review on the net.

[BUGSnBIRDS]

Thanks for those replies - the image and stacking (non) are food for thought. cheers

[Zac]

All teleconverters degrade image quality somewhat... as well as dropping your aperture. Given that in most circumstances you'll get as good results simply by cropping a wider image.

[kiwi]

Not necessarily true at all Zac in my opinion.

A good TC is indispensible, it increases your focal length significantly without reducing the image size at all - it then allows you to crop more and you can apply a littel extra usm if required.

I have a Kenko 1.4 Pro G and yes, I think the IQ is very good, as good as the Nikon 1.4 in my opinion. Not built as well though. AF is a tad slower than without one, but not too bad. Works fine all all Nikon AF and AF-S lenses

The Nikon 1.7 that I have is good also, stopped down a little, and the AF is a little slower again (especially acquiring, but tracking is fine).

I have only ever tried a older Kenko MC7 2x and it was horrible

[joeyvaldezjr]

I've read somewhere that the newer kenko pro dgx teleplus version can now transmit the correct aperture to your camera as against the pro dg version, is this true?

I'm more interested in the quality of the kenko specially that the nikon tc20 eIII was already released. Any inputs?

@ricktas, can you show us some pics of you kenko teleconverter and its output? Thanks!

[kiwi]

The older pro dg transmits apperture etc too, so, dunno about that

[stevo]

I've got/had a Kenko and a Canon 1.4*

There was very little to pick between them and I sold the Canon one because the Kenko one could be used with more lenses and therefore was of more use to me.

The only lens it wouldn't read properly with was a Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 I had. It works fine with my 70-200 f/2.8 Canon.

The edges are bit softer with the converter but it's mainly only used for sports style shots where you're interested in the centre of the image and often want the edges soft or diffused anyway.

I tried a 2 times Canon converter but it was too soft with my 70-200.. It may be passable with a sharper large prime lens.

[ricktas]

I've read somewhere that the newer kenko pro dgx teleplus version can now transmit the correct aperture to your camera as against the pro dg version, is this true?

I'm more interested in the quality of the kenko specially that the nikon tc20 eIII was already released. Any inputs?

@ricktas, can you show us some pics of you kenko teleconverter and its output? Thanks!

I havent used my TC in quite some time, cause the main lens I wanted to use it on (the 300) it has issues with.

[Zac]

Not necessarily true at all Zac in my opinion.

A good TC is indispensible, it increases your focal length significantly without reducing the image size at all - it then allows you to crop more and you can apply a littel extra usm if required.

I have a Kenko 1.4 Pro G and yes, I think the IQ is very good, as good as the Nikon 1.4 in my opinion. Not built as well though. AF is a tad slower than without one, but not too bad. Works fine all all Nikon AF and AF-S lenses

The Nikon 1.7 that I have is good also, stopped down a little, and the AF is a little slower again (especially acquiring, but tracking is fine).

I have only ever tried a older Kenko MC7 2x and it was horrible

I've tried a couple of 2x teleconvertors and was most unimpressed. It sounds like the lower magnification versions may be worth investigating...

[AdamJL]

Hi BUGSnBURDS

I can't comment on Nikon's TC quality.

I own Canon gear, and also use a Kenko 1.4 tc.
In terms of image quality, the Kenko is indistinguishable from the Canon, and furthermore, can be used on more lenses as Canon's TC has a protusion that stop things like stacking.

However, the Canon does maintain weather seals, which the Kenko does not. If you are shooting in dusty/windy/rainy conditions then I'd recommend the Nikon, which presumably, will also maintain any weather seals on your lens and camera.

[kiwi]

Generally 2x converters suck, although in saying this Ive seen some real nice results with the newer nikon 2x on a 70-200 as well as a 600 f/4

Good point Adama about the build of the Kenko vs Nikon/Canon

One last thing, if you have Sigma HSM lenses only Sigma TC's work on those

[stevo]

One last thing, if you have Sigma HSM lenses only Sigma TC's work on those


Is that only the HSM's, certain HSM's or with a Nikon ???

The kenko 1.4 I've got works on my sigma 18-200 lens..

Admittedly the AF struggles (as you'd expect) but will still work, it reads everything correctly.

Whereas with the Sigma 50-150 it wouldn't read the aperature correctly, it just didn't "see" it but the AF had no issues.. sort of expected comparing the amount of light getting to the AF sensors.

[kiwi]

Its a few years ago, but I tried the kenko with the sigma 50-150 and 120-300 hsm's. My memory was it hunted really bad mainly. Not sure about the exposure etc

[RRRoger]

[QUOTEl
One last thing, if you have Sigma HSM lenses only Sigma TC's work on those[/QUOTE]

Well my Sigma 150-500 is HSM.
The teleplus 1.5 DG will not only work but AutoFocus (sloowly but slightly better than manually) at 500mm and f/6.3
The Kenko 2x Pro 300 also works and will even try to AutoFocus when stacked on the 1.5x.
If the light is very good and the tripod very stable, it actually will give you a usable image of a still object at the resulting 1500mm.

Incidentally the camera is a 5D2. All this works at least twice as fast on a D3.

[kiwi]

right, not familiar with a 1.5TC

There is a Nikon chart that shows all the compatbility

http://blog.nikonians.org/archives/Nikonians%20Teleconverter%20Table.pdf

[mongo]

Mongo has a new 20EIII and it seems to be the best Nikon has produced to date for X2 converters and gives very good results. AF as expected is a little slower than without it.
Cannot compare it to Kenko as Mongo does not own any but understands they can be excellent in many cases.

[joeyvaldezjr]

can mongo show some sample shots?

I'm really interested with the Kenko dgx and would want to use it on my Nikkor 70-200 vr1. Most of the reviews I read were used on the 70-300 VR

[kiwi]

Kenko 1.4 Pro DG works great on the 70-200, I have that combo

Not much point showing pics here as the iq on a posted photo will not show you anything

[joeyvaldezjr]

@kiwi, thanks and I agree. I've also read lots of good reviews with the 1.4x but i think the the extra range it gives is too small. I'm actually leaning towards a 1.7x or 2x.

[kiwi]

what are you going to use it for (in general) ?

Adding 40% is quite a lot really (a 1.4 TC) esp if you have a crop camera as well

[joeyvaldezjr]

planning to use it's birds. And by the way, it is possible to shoot macro-like shots with a tc?

[maccaroneski]

Irrespective of whether you can tell and mainly because I love posting this shot :) (D90 + Kenko Pro 300 DG + 70-200 2.8 VRII at f4):

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4767267833_86fcf9aaaa_b.jpg

[kiwi]

planning to use it's birds. And by the way, it is possible to shoot macro-like shots with a tc?

If you want birds you want maximum length

I think the 2x TC is the go

No, will not really help with macros.

Kenko Extension tubes will though.

[maccaroneski]

Wouldn't extension tubes and a TC for the purposes of macro kind of have opposite effects? i.e. tubes would allow you a closer focussing distance (and thus increase magnification) while a TC would allow you a greater focussing distance whilst retaining the same magnification? If that even makes sense?

I'll have to give it a go with the TC and see what happens.

[kiwi]

All a TC does is change the effective focal length and minimum apperture - Ill have to think about whether it effects the minimum focus distance ? hmmmmm ?

The extension tubes allow you to focus closer, they do not magnify the image per se

In combination they would work too...hmmmm....depending on the answer to point #1

[maccaroneski]

The extension tubes allow you to focus closer, they do not magnify the image per se


It wasn't so much the focusing distances that I was getting at, it was more the effect.

With tubes you can get a larger image onto your sensor by moving in closer (?)

Leaving aside the issue of focusing distance with the TC am I right in (assuming) that from the same physical distance (i.e. between tog and subject) you would get a larger image size on your sensor, and then by extension, you can stand further away from your subject whilst getting the same image size on your sensor than without the TC?

Basically was just wondering whether I should bother with trying the TC on the macro lens - the one time that I thought it might come in useful is having the ability to not have to get so close to a dangerous subject like a wasp or spider, yet get an equivalent image size than without the TC.

[kiwi]

Yes, Ive seen it used that way for that reason

[Mircula]

All teleconverters degrade image quality somewhat... as well as dropping your aperture. Given that in most circumstances you'll get as good results simply by cropping a wider image.


So why does the TC degrade IQ and does it depend on the lens how much it degrades it?
How come it has an affect on the aperture as well and is that lens dependent?

Would it be possible to mount a TC on a normal zoom lens as the 28-105 for instance?

Cheers,

Mirc

[kiwi]

So why does the TC degrade IQ and does it depend on the lens how much it degrades it?

>> because you are putting an additional few layers of glass between the lens and camera, so, like any filter, some degradation depending on the optical quality of the glass and TC is inevitable. The only question is by how much.

How come it has an affect on the aperture as well and is that lens dependent?

>> Because each layer of glass takes light...it's not lens dependent is TC dependent, eg 1.4 TC takes one stop, 2x TX takes two stops etc

Would it be possible to mount a TC on a normal zoom lens as the 28-105 for instance?

>> Sometimes - refer to chart as above although unless your lens is f/4 or faster typically dont bother

[RRRoger]

right, not familiar with a 1.5TC

There is a Nikon chart that shows all the compatibility

http://blog.nikonians.org/archives/Nikonians%20Teleconverter%20Table.pdf

Kenko has just discontinued both versions 1.5x teleconverters.
If you can find one (not SHQ), the good one the MC DG has more than doubled in price.

[R1titan]

Wouldn't extension tubes and a TC for the purposes of macro kind of have opposite effects? i.e. tubes would allow you a closer focussing distance (and thus increase magnification) while a TC would allow you a greater focussing distance whilst retaining the same magnification? If that even makes sense?

I'll have to give it a go with the TC and see what happens.

Adding a TC will increase the replication ratio by the equivalent amount, 2x TC = 2x magnification, the mfd will not change.




Would it be possible to mount a TC on a normal zoom lens as the 28-105 for instance?

Cheers,
Mirc

Depends on which TC you use. The Canon ones will not work on such a lens, they are only compatible with Canon primes in excess of 135mm, or zooms from 70-200mm on. It will mount but you will lose the ability to AF and read aperture.

For the 28-105 lens, Kenko Pro DG TCs will work and report aperture, however that lens is not optimised for speed and the resulting aperture may be too slow for your given body to AF.

[mongo]

Joey,
Look in “Nikon” and in “lenses” on this forum and see Sar Nop’s thread dealing with 600mm lens plus many different converters (including Kenko and Nikon) and also his thread on 70-200VR with 20EIII converter

[joeyvaldezjr]

Thanks mongo! I'll try and search for that

[BUGSnBIRDS]

WOW, disappear to buy a nice Nikkor lens and come back to find some real handy replies to my question...excellent and thanks. Sure looks like the TC 20III could be worth pursuing for my new 70-200. :efelant:

Was informed by a couple of salespeople that Kenko won't work with the Nikkor lens but not entirely sure there wasn't some confusion with terminology around extension tubes and teleconverters.

Think the TC 20 III will be added to the wish-list.:umm:

[maccaroneski]

Was informed by a couple of salespeople that Kenko won't work with the Nikkor lens but not entirely sure there wasn't some confusion with terminology around extension tubes and teleconverters.

Think the TC 20 III will be added to the wish-list.:umm:

No problem at all with my Kenko and 70-200. At $189, i thought I would pick it up and keep the TC20III on the wishlist too :)

[Dylan & Marianne]

Just got my 2X canon one this week - going to test it out on long landscapes tripod mounted today on some waterfalls. will let you know how it goes