Teleconverter advice please

[Cage]

Cage has the Tamron 70-200 and did post about using it with a teleconverter. I haven't seen him on the forum for a while but you may be able to locate the post.

I'm still around, just been a bit below par of late.

I have the Tamron SP 1.4 T/C and auto focus was almost impossible on my Tamron 70-200 f2.8, maybe locking in 1 in 10 attempts. I got a Sigma T/C with my 150mm Macro lens and decided to try it on the Tamron. It's called the 'Sigma APO Tele Converter 1.4x EX DG' and other than a little movement in the mount it works just fine.

Unfortunately the Tammy 70-200 had to go to provide funds for the 150-600 Sigma and I can tell you I miss it. I've shot with the current Nikon equivalent and IQ wise I don't see a lot in it, but the Nikon has an edge in focus acquisition.

If I was looking for some more reach for birds I'd be looking for a pre-loved Nikon 300mm f4. I had the pre VR model and it is as sharp as a tack. I swore I'd never sell it but sometimes we have to part with loved bits to buy more loved bits.

PS: Both your cameras deserve quality lens.

[Ross M]

I'm still around, just been a bit below par of late.

I have the Tamron SP 1.4 T/C and auto focus was almost impossible on my Tamron 70-200 f2.8, maybe locking in 1 in 10 attempts. I got a Sigma T/C with my 150mm Macro lens and decided to try it on the Tamron. It's called the 'Sigma APO Tele Converter 1.4x EX DG' and other than a little movement in the mount it works just fine.

Unfortunately the Tammy 70-200 had to go to provide funds for the 150-600 Sigma and I can tell you I miss it. I've shot with the current Nikon equivalent and IQ wise I don't see a lot in it, but the Nikon has an edge in focus acquisition.

If I was looking for some more reach for birds I'd be looking for a pre-loved Nikon 300mm f4. I had the pre VR model and it is as sharp as a tack. I swore I'd never sell it but sometimes we have to part with loved bits to buy more loved bits.

PS: Both your cameras deserve quality lens.

That's surprising that Tamron couldn't achieve better compatibility than Sigma on their own lens. Assuming that the Tamron and Kenko Teleconverters are similar, that explains why people got mixed focus results on the Tamron 70-200 lenses.

[ameerat42]

AFAICT the philosophy of teleconverter design is abstruse.

Supposedly it is designed to work with well-collimated light.
Considering how difficult it is to get that across a range of lenses
- and sometimes across the zoom range of a single lens - TCs would
have to be almost miraculous! But since they're
not, their use must have to degrade any image quality the lens alone
has managed to achieve. - The amount is what counts, and so to what
extent it is perceived in the image.

[Bear Dale]

Here's a bit of a read -

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-tc-20e-iii

[ameerat42]

Interesting, ta. A couple of pointed remarks in there