Anyone using a Canon 1.4x TC MKII (or 1) with 400f/5.6 +40D?

[wayne_eddy]

I'm getting an unhealthy itch to get a longer length and simply can't afford a Canon 500mm for a few years and would like to gather reasonable opinion from birders who are users that have the 400mm f/5.6, Canon 1.4x TC and a 40D or similar.

I have read the FAQ on the Lenses sub-Forum and really am after being pointed to, or have images and ideas/concepts added to this thread assessment. I understand the lens will not AF [except with perhaps taped pins?]. I also accept there will be some slight IQ loss. The 400mm f/5.6 is an excellent lens for sharpness so I anticipate the IQ loss will be acceptable.

thoughts? images? valid contributions?

[Duane N]

I use this extender on my 400mm f/5.6L lens with the 40D body. At first I didn't like the results it produced but that was before Canon adjusted the focus on my 40D body when it was in for a shutter replacement. I guess the focus was off on the body just enough that I only saw it when I used the extender.

Since then I've been VERY happy with the results...so much so that I've held off buying the 500mm f/4L lens. The economy the way it is now has made me re-think the purchase also....so I'm going to wait a year or so and see what happens. I do tape the pins on the extender to retain A/F so it doesn't report to the camera it's installed.

One image using the extender on a nice sunny morning. It does require some light as to be expected and I also have to do some negative EC which helps increase the shutter speed.

http://www.pbase.com/duane_va/image/113910192/original.jpg

[wayne_eddy]

I use this extender on my 400mm f/5.6L lens with the 40D body. At first I didn't like the results it produced but that was before Canon adjusted the focus on my 40D body when it was in for a shutter replacement. I guess the focus was off on the body just enough that I only saw it when I used the extender.

Since then I've been VERY happy with the results



My 40D is about to go off for shutter button service shortly and I should get them to calibrate it at the same time.

I'm happy with this result too ... is the AF effected significantly with the pins taped? 50%? 10%?

Do you have shots of smaller birds with the combo, perhaps even a crop of the eagle above?

[canonloader]

Wayne, the 400/5.6 was one of my first lenses, after I sold the 100-400. It's a great lens, but I advise against taping the pins, as it makes the lens hunt a lot or in good light, it hunts, then gets close, and starts doing a bunch of fast micro adjustments back and forth. This can not be good for the lens.

I recently bought another 400/5.6 and a few weeks before that, I bought a used 1D MkIIn. This will of course AF with the 1.4x and it's fast and sure, and due to the better sensor of the 1D the image quality is much better than anything I ever got from the 40D, and is very good up to ISO800. You might want to consider selling that 40D and buying a MkII to replace it. The prices are coming down now. :)

Most of the shots on this page (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=704810)are with the MkIIn, 400/5.6 and Sigma 1.4x TC.

[Duane N]

My 40D is about to go off for shutter button service shortly and I should get them to calibrate it at the same time.

I'm happy with this result too ... is the AF effected significantly with the pins taped? 50%? 10%?

Do you have shots of smaller birds with the combo, perhaps even a crop of the eagle above?
None of smaller birds...I can get close to them where I don't need an extender. The Eagle image is cropped already....photographed from about 280' using a tripod.

Not sure what you're asking about the A/F being effected with the pins taped? And I don't know what Mitch is refering to where the lens hunts with the pins taped...in decent light the focus is instant...in low light it hunts like Mitch described but I don't use it in those situations anyway...my shutter speed would be too low with the lack of light.

[mjgray]

Novice question, what pins are taped? What type of tape? Does the tape residue affect the lens or camera? I'm using the 40D with the 1.4 extender (tamron) on a canon 70-300 lens, whould I be able to use auto by taping the pins?

[Burnaby]

The tape goes on the extender like this:

http://i.pbase.com/o4/62/470562/1/53316917.resize03.jpg

[Stormin_24]

The tape goes on the extender like this:

http://i.pbase.com/o4/62/470562/1/53316917.resize03.jpg

Like what? I don't see anything...

[Roy C]

Here is a shot I took just last week with the 400/5.6 Canon 1.4tc and 40D. IQ loss is minimal if you get it right.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/RoyC_photo/green1.jpg

[Burnaby]

Like what? I don't see anything...
Really? The three pins on the left side are covered over with a piece of scotch tape...

[wayne_eddy]

Really? The three pins on the left side are covered over with a piece of scotch tape...

I don't see any image either.

Stormin: there is a thread about taping pins with some excellent information and images.

[Roy C]

Here are the pins you tape.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/RoyC_photo/tapemod.jpg

[canonloader]

Might as well just use a pliers and pull them out.

[Burnaby]

I see your problem now; that link is dead. It was OK at first, but Roy C's got another one anyhow...

[Duane N]

Might as well just use a pliers and pull them out.
Or you might as well tape the pins so you can still have A/F using the 40D body. :rolleyes: I don't know about you but my eyes are bad enough I don't need to try and manual focus on a moving bird. :lol:

[canonloader]

It will still work, it just won't report to the camera. That's what the tape is doing. The same thing it does when you buy a TC that does not report to the camera. On those TC's, those 3 pins are missing.

If your eyes are that bad though, maybe you are missing the back and forth micro adjustment focus attempts the lens is making because of the taped pins? I taped the pins on my first one and after a week I felt it was doing some damage to the parts inside, maybe the USM motor, I don't know. If Canon thought it was OK to do, it would be explained in the manual. Personally, I would not want to buy a lens that had the pins taped for any length of time cause it just stands to reason, it can't be doing it any good. But, doesn't matter to me, I got mine. ;)

[Stormin_24]

The tape goes on the extender like this:

http://i.pbase.com/o4/62/470562/1/53316917.resize03.jpg


I know but here's what it says when I click on that link:

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /o4/62/470562/1/53316917.resize03.jpg on this server.
Apache/2.0.58 (Unix) Server at i.pbase.com Port 80

[Stormin_24]

I see your problem now; that link is dead. It was OK at first, but Roy C's got another one anyhow...


That's right...:)