Kenko TELEPLUS HD DGX 1.4X

Kenko's site http://www.kenkoglobal​.com …lus_hd_dgx_14x_​canon.html has a description of a new Kenko "HD" teleconverter. I was not able to find any for sale at any usual site. Has anybody heard about it?

I looked at the link in the original post. I am not impressed. The new teleconverter has only three elements (five for the 2x) versus five for its predecessor, the Kenko 1.4X PRO 300 Teleconverter DGX. The other bragging rights - correct aperture to the camera and autofocus enabled - are also true for the older model. But they do claim better optical quality for the new model.

This does explain the price drop for the older model - $137 vs 200 a year ago on Amazon.com.

The older PRO said under specifications states "Canon EF-S lenses are not applicable" whereas the newer series specifically mentions EF-S as compatible. Perhap that is the main difference. Certainly a consideration if you shoot cropped format.

I had the original MC-4 DGX version. It was supposed to AF at f/4. The PRO version needs F/2.8 (per spec). I did not like the IQ of the MC-4, so I sold it. The new HD version can autofocus at f/4, and if it has a better IQ than the MC-4, I may be interested.

My Teleplus HD DGX 2.0x is at the post office waiting for me to pick up after work. Can't want to test out the quality and take it out for birding.

Be interesting to see how this performs, I'd be up for a 1.4x,I can't find any for sale anywhere at the moment.

Just picked it up and mounted it on my Tamron 70-200 and fired a few test shots. First impressions, a bit soft @ f/5.6, but sharpened up at f/8. When trying to AF from infinity, it would sometimes hunt and then give up, but manually focusing to bring the object somewhat in focus, then AF locked on pretty quickly. I'll mount it on a tripod tomorrow and see how it compares with TC on/off.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …149908522/in/ph​otostream/

Kenko Teleplus HD 2.0x

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …963986280/in/ph​otostream/

Kenko Teleplus HD 2.0x

Lbsimon wrote in post #17455714
I had the original MC-4 DGX version. It was supposed to AF at f/4. The PRO version needs F/2.8 (per spec). I did not like the IQ of the MC-4, so I sold it. The new HD version can autofocus at f/4, and if it has a better IQ than the MC-4, I may be interested.

On your camera, any 1.4X with an f4 or faster lens will auto focus... On the other hand, any f5.6 or slower lens will not AF. Or any 2X with an f2.8 or faster lens will auto focus, while any f4 or slower lens will not. (Note: center AF point only in both cases.) It's the camera's AF system that is the limitation, not the teleconverter. A 6D needs a lens/TC combo giving effective f5.6 or better (1DX, 7DII and 5DIII are the only current models that AF with f8 or better). A 1.4X "costs" one stop of light. And a 2X costs two stops.

THK USA makes no mention yet of Kenko HD TCs.... They offer two different 1.4X: cheaper MC4 DGX and better Pro 300 DGX. And they offer three different 2X: cheaper MC4 DGX, mid-priced MC7 DGX and better Pro 300 DGX.

Currently the "HD" is listed as a new item on the Kenko Global website, so maybe it's just not yet being offered/marketed in the US. The two HDs appear to be an upgrade of the MC4 TCs.

Not sure the point of an EF-S compatible TC (if that's what the "HD" is). There are virtually no EF-S lenses that make any sense to try to use with a TC. The only tele EF-S lenses are all f5.6, so won't be able to AF with any TC on most Canon camera bodies.