D3100 with lens Nikon AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR which teleconverter to extend

Hi Guys,

I have a D3100 with a lens Nikon AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR. Which teleconverter would be suitable for extending te range?

Thanks.

None of them will work properly with that lens. It's just not luminous enough for the camera to be able to focus. If you consult your owner's manual, you'll see on which lens a teleconverter will work.

Hi Marcel,

Will none of them work? there must be a converter that will work?

timberme said:

Hi Marcel,

Will none of them work? there must be a converter that will work?

Click to expand...

With every TC you loose about one full stop of light. Your lens would become a maximum aperture of f8. This is way too slow for a camera to focus and even trying manual focus would be almost impossible.

I have to agree with Marcel. Even the best teleconverters are going to make the lens extremely difficult to use. I have a Nikkor 28-300 f.3.5-5.6 that I was hoping would work with a 1.7X-2.0X converter so that I wouldn't have to lug my Sigma 150-500 around with me when we flew cross-country to Yosemite just in case I needed it to capture a bird or bear or something. At 5.6 a 2X converter puts you somewhere between f/9-11, so you better have an amazingly bright subject and be willing to focus manually when you find the lens hunting - like I did.

If you need to extend the range then you need to go brighter. Save up for a f/2.8 lens, either fixed 300mm or zoom (I have the Sigma 120-300mm in mind) and that will work with the appropriate 2X. I know, I've tried it. Not cheap, but if you need that reach it comes at a cost. Until then, the Sigma I have is a great alternative, particularly with the DX body as the 500mm reach is what you'd get with a 750mm on a full frame camera.