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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Vincent" data-source="post: 242642" data-attributes="member: 15675">My take on the Nikkor 70-200 VRII + TC-20E III, after a few days of testing.1) You should know your 70-200.Anything you can not do with the 70-200, will be twice as bad when adding a TC-20.On the 70-200 long distance shots (focus near infinity) give the lowest keep rate with me, the pictures are reasonable, but forget croping them. Adding the TC to this makes it worse, at infinity I had limited success till now, when I look at 100% I'm generally not happy. So the TC-20E III extends the range of the 70-200, but does no wonders for the shots you are bad at from the start.2) It is excellent glass. Anything that is very sharp in your 70-200 can come out sharp with the TC.Actually since you can fill the frame better with the subject the metering in the camera has less chance of confusion and the average result will improve.This is what you buy the TC for, to fill the frame of your camera when you can not do it with the 200mm. Generally small subjects you can not approach close enough for 200mm, but which you can approach.This said, some tests have shown me that f5.6 is definitely less sharp then the f8-f11 range. If you can shoot at the latter even if this means working with higher ISO it will generally give better result. (Meaning that this combination will work better on a DF, D3s, D800(E), D4, D600, etc...)3) To explain "can" in my point 2. You should shoot differently with a 400mm then with a 50mm. Many people that have no 400mm or beyond experience seem very disappointed with the combination. Most people that have 400mm and beyond experience seem to think it is quite a decent performer.I can shoot hand held in good light, in lower light I'm still struggling with the lens + TC. That said I'm still hoping to improve my technique when using it. 4) From reviews it seems that this is confirmed. If you need to shoot far away, sometimes in low light, you need expensive big glass and even then it is difficult.For shorter distances the 70-200 VRII + TC-20E III gives results that are less then big glass, but so close that it is not worth taking the heavy big glass with you. It is an excellent portable 400mm solution.Conclusion: You can take great pictures with the Nikkor 70-200 VRII + TC-20E III, however:1) You still should be close to your subject, so study your subject, use a hide, etc...2) You should try to stop down an extra stop (f8 to f11) and thus expect to need a camera that can handle high ISO (if you need high shutter speed).3) You need an excellent long lens technique to use it optimally, it requires exercise. In more normal words, you need to be able to reduce shake in your camera when taking pictures with 400mm since it will show more then with short lenses; and carefully choose your Aperture and ISO.4) It definitely has some advantages over bigger glass in price and portability, but every combination has its use and its weaknesses.</blockquote>

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