Thinking of getting a good TC...

[eastcoasteddie]

...for use mainly with the 200-500 f5.6.
I found an old 2.0 TC I had forgotten about 10 years ago. Surprisingly it works, though AF really seems to hunt, and it isn’t all that sharp...
Even on the 500 end with my DX camera, I feel myself wanting just a bit more reach.
Which current TC plays best with the 200-500?
I want to go TC as opppsed to using the 1.3x crop in the camera (D7100) for better overall resolution...or at least what I believe to be better resolution...

 

[480sparky]

I use a Nikon 1.4 TC all day long on my D7100/200-500.

If you're interested, I fancy I just might part with my 1.7 TC as I never use it any more.

 

[nuclearjock]

The 1.4 tc puts you at f/8. That's the max according to Nikon for reliable AF.

 

[bobbyv]

I've shot the heck out of the 200-500 VR this year, and experimented with teleconverters, but 500mm on a crop body is plenty for me. The lens CAN do it, but you better have some darn good light.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I made this shot this afternoon with the cheapie 2.0 TC I mentioned above. It looks nice on a phone screen until you zoom in...

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[drr1531]

I've come to the conclusion that on high rez bodies like the D7100/7200, cropping produces as good if not better IQ than using a TC. I frequently shoot the D7200 in crop mode which results in an overall crop factor of 2x. Even on a 500mm f4 I very rarely use a TC. Honestly if 1000mm EFL isn't enough reach figuring out how to get closer is probably the best solution.

 

[Palouse]

Rick (nuclearjock) is the TC/200-500 master.

 

[gryphon1911]

I find the TC14E-III to work very well. I use it on the 300/4E PF VR with little perceived penalty in IQ.
Nikon TC-14E III

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I am going to post some photos I took today using the crop factor rather than the TC...but will probably start a new thread rather than here...
I will need some help with the results I am getting...

 

[drr1531]

I find the TC14E-III to work very well. I use it on the 300/4E PF VR with little perceived penalty in IQ.

The 300 f4 PF does indeed take a TC extremely well as did its predecessor, the 300 f4D. Plus max aperture is still just at 5.6 and the 300 PF performs well wide open. I have no hesitation using a TC on that one and on a DX body it fits easily into a small pack hiking or a dry bag in a kayak. Generally speaking TCs perform much better on prime lenses than on zooms. Which makes sense considering they further complicate an already complex optical design.

 

[Ogof Mole]

I have found cropping in in post processing gives better results than using a TC (I have the Nikon 1.4 II version).

 

[AndreasH]

Perhaps you could rent a TC-14EIII before you buy it? My only concern with the 200-500 and TC-14EIII would be af speed, which is why I advice you to try it firsthand.

Optically, it is very good. On my 300/2.8VR and 70-200/2.8VRII it does a stellar job. I have also tested it on the new 500/5.6E PF and was surprised by the minimal impact in af performance at f8 when paired to a D850 with the big battery.