55mm f/2.8 AI-s with a teleconverter?

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Elliot87

Senior Member
I love my 55mm but for photographing insects like butterflies but it really isn't long enough. As a result I've been thinking about getting a Sigma 105mm or Tamron/Tokina equivalents.

But is this one situation where I have a shortcut that will save me lots of money and not leave me disappointed with image quality? A 2X TC seems an obvious solution, giving me a 110mm focal length. I know the drawback is that it will magnify any problems with lens but this lens is incredibly sharp so there aren't any major problems to magnify. Or am I wrong?

Does anyone have any experience of using this lens (or similar) with a TC and what did you think?
I've only just thought about this so haven't researched all the TC options but I read about using a TC 200, is that the best option? If I could get a TC that will work with this lens and also a 300mm f/4D (not that I own one yet) that would be even better.

Thanks

Elliot
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Cant remember that far back but ime sure i used my TC20x with my 55mm,remember you lose two stops and a 2x i dont think would be any good with your 300mm,also i think some of the older 300mm needed the TC3?? which cant be used with the 55 as it has a tube that goes into the back of the lens,all this is from a failing memory so continue researching:D
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Done what annoys me in posts i have assumed knowledge on your part,sorry if you know this,as i remember it the TC2 was for lenses from 50mm to 200mm with the exception of the 50-300 which took the TC2,the longer lenses took the TC3xx as a 2x converter,another one i think that was different was the 200micro which took the TC3xx
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Have you considered a different option,the Nikon 300mmf4 is £699 from HDEW loads of people use this for butterflys ect, as it focuses fairly close,you could then add a small ext tube if you wanted to get even closer.
 
B

Blacktop

Senior Member
Elliot87 said:
I love my 55mm but for photographing insects like butterflies but it really isn't long enough. As a result I've been thinking about getting a Sigma 105mm or Tamron/Tokina equivalents.

But is this one situation where I have a shortcut that will save me lots of money and not leave me disappointed with image quality? A 2X TC seems an obvious solution, giving me a 110mm focal length. I know the drawback is that it will magnify any problems with lens but this lens is incredibly sharp so there aren't any major problems to magnify. Or am I wrong?

Does anyone have any experience of using this lens (or similar) with a TC and what did you think?
I've only just thought about this so haven't researched all the TC options but I read about using a TC 200, is that the best option? If I could get a TC that will work with this lens and also a 300mm f/4D (not that I own one yet) that would be even better.

Thanks

Elliot
Click to expand...
You could get a nice Tamron 90mm macro lens, the non VC (VR) for a great deal now. Probably less than the cost of a TC2
 
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Elliot87

Senior Member
mikew said:
Done what annoys me in posts i have assumed knowledge on your part,sorry if you know this,as i remember it the TC2 was for lenses from 50mm to 200mm with the exception of the 50-300 which took the TC2,the longer lenses took the TC3xx as a 2x converter,another one i think that was different was the 200micro which took the TC3xx
Click to expand...

I had read something about that a few months ago but it wasn't very clear, so I appreciate the clarification.
 
E

Elliot87

Senior Member
mikew said:
Have you considered a different option,the Nikon 300mmf4 is £699 from HDEW loads of people use this for butterflies ect, as it focuses fairly close,you could then add a small ext tube if you wanted to get even closer.
Click to expand...

I have indeed and I asked Woody this very question in his 365 as he posted some close up dragonfly shots taken at 420mm with his 300mm. Just saving up but I would be getting it next spring at the earliest.
 
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Elliot87

Senior Member
Blacktop said:
You could get a nice Tamron 90mm macro lens, the non VC (VR) for a great deal now. Probably less than the cost of a TC2
Click to expand...

I was looking at these TC's on ebay for around £45 Near Mint Nikon Teleconverter TC-200 2X AI from Japan | eBay
Not sure if they'd be best though.
This non VC Tamron 90mm is £285 Tamron SP AF 90mm F 2 8 Di MACRO 1 1 Nikon

If I'm going to spend a lot I'd rather get a VR model as it would help me a lot for handheld macro. In the mean time if I can spend £50 or less and have a 110mm macro with very good IQ I'd be happy. The IQ at 55mm is excellent so I can't imagine it being bad with a TC but that's just a hunch as I've not used a TC on any lens.
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
It could be ok with the 55 as you say its a very good lens,i just didnt want you to think it was the one for the 300 although it may work with that,i dont think there is any complication as far as it fitting the 300.with the 55 i guess you can work auto with aperture or shutter speed is that right.
 
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Elliot87

Senior Member
mikew said:
It could be ok with the 55 as you say its a very good lens,i just didnt want you to think it was the one for the 300 although it may work with that,i dont think there is any complication as far as it fitting the 300.with the 55 i guess you can work auto with aperture or shutter speed is that right.
Click to expand...

I can shoot the 55mm in manual and aperture priority. The metering seems a bit off even though I've added it as a non CPU lens, so I tend to shoot it with exposure compensation. If it were to work ok on a 300mm too that would just be a bonus. Everything I've read suggests I'll need a 1.4TC for that instead.
 
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Elliot87

Senior Member
@mikew the only extension tubes I have don't have electronic connections so I can't use them on my 70-300mm. I suspect that the IQ with the 55mm and 2xTC would be much better than what I would get with the 70-300mm, on its own the 55mm is far sharper as I think you can see from the 3 shots below. They were taken at roughly the same distance from the sparrow, perhaps a little closer with the 55mm.

Uncropped image from the 55mm

DSC_2967.jpg



Next image in sequence cropped to match 70-300mm image

DSC_2968.jpg


70-300mm image uncropped

DSC_2988.jpg


If a crop that big can still pretty much match the 70-300 for sharpness, I guess using a TC with it would perform compare well too.
 
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nzswift

Senior Member
I think it's worth a crack Elliot. I used a TC200 on a 50mm 1.8 for a cat shot I sold to a calendar company years ago and i've barely used the TC since.
With it on the 55/200combo try setting it as a 110mm/f4 lens. Be interested what that does to your metering
 
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Elliot87

Senior Member
nzswift said:
I think it's worth a crack Elliot. I used a TC200 on a 50mm 1.8 for a cat shot I sold to a calendar company years ago and i've barely used the TC since.
With it on the 55/200combo try setting it as a 110mm/f4 lens. Be interested what that does to your metering
Click to expand...

I think it will be worth a crack too, I just need to make sure I get the right TC for the lens and I pay the right price. I don't know the difference between the TC200 and TC201? I assume from your post I will retain metering of some sort (not a massive problem if not). The metering is off without a TC so I doubt it will get any better but it's easy to work around.
 
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nzswift

Senior Member
Optically they are the same. The 201 enabled matrix metering on FA+ bodies I think. You won't get or want that anyway so just find the cheapest one
 
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