Teleconverter and 24-70mm f/2.8

[Lance B]

According to 'The New Nikon Compendium' published in 2004 by Lark Books, page 226 indicates that the Nikon TC14E II and the TC20E II fit and work with Nikkor AS-I and AF-S lenses. This means they will be compatible with the 24-70. There is a trade off though, with the 14E you will lose 1 stop and 2 stops with the 20E. Auto focus is retained with both. I use the 14E and it works a treat. Looks good too but costs a heap.

None of the Nikon TC's can work with the 24-70 f2.8 due to the rear lens element of the 24-70. As shown in the first photo above by Sar, the front element of the Nikon TC's protrudes forward and would foul on the rear element of the 24-70 as shown in the second photo by Sar, above. Not only that, but I've tried to and it doesn't work!

[creakingbones]

Hi Lance
thanks for the update. Appreciated. I'll write to the editor of the compendium when I get the time.

[reaction]

It's interesting that people cite telecon as a cost saver, last time I looked at the 1.7x TC it cost more than the price of many a lens! It would only be a saving on exotics like fast tele primes, and I guess that's where they're marketed.

You can get cheap MF ones sure, but if I didn't care about IQ so much I could just crop and scale in PS for free!

[Lance B]

It's interesting that people cite telecon as a cost saver, last time I looked at the 1.7x TC it cost more than the price of many a lens! It would only be a saving on exotics like fast tele primes, and I guess that's where they're marketed.

You can get cheap MF ones sure, but if I didn't care about IQ so much I could just crop and scale in PS for free!

Very true, but as you say, TC's are defintiely marketed for fast tele primes and they are often designed as part of the light path of these exotic tele's. I am reasonably sure that Nikon specifically designed the 200 f2, 300 f2.8, 400 f2.8 (and possibly even the 500 f4 and 600 f4 with the 1.4x TCII), 70-200 f2.8 in conjuction with the TC's as part of their light path, so that they are basically as one with the tele lens rather than an afterthought.

So, in that regard, they are a low cost alternative to get longer focal lengths for the exotic lenses, not really for the consumer end zooms etc. Yes, you can possibly use them, but IQ and/or AF can be severely compromised. As you say, a TC can cost as much as a consumer end tele zoom and so in some regards it can be false economy.

I use the 300 f2.8 and 3 TC's, the 1.4x TCII, 1.7cx TCII and the 2x TCIII as a cheap way to get 420 f4, 510 f4.8 and 600 f5.6 and the IQ is exemplary. Also, when consdering the 500 f4 and 600 f4 lenses, there are no real alternatives for a Nikon user to get say 700mm and 840mm lenses and with a 1.4x TC you can achieve this by attching it to a 500 or 600 f4.

[Sar NOP]

Totally agreed with Lance.
Instead of attaching a TC x2 on the 24-70, one can just make a few steps forwards with the bare zoom to get the same field of view !

[reaction]

a friend was going to get a 17-35 FX 2.8 and a TC instead of a normal range lens for the D700.
comments?

[kiwi]

As above.