Lens and converter help

Hello everyone, Im new to the forum and figured I would get right to it.lol I am currently selling my canon 100-400 L on ebay and Im looking for another lens. Im looking into the 400 f5.6. My issue is I am used to shooting with image stabilization.Im getting this lens for wildlife.Today I turned off the is on my lens and took some shots at 1/1000 and was not getting sharp images.I was stopping flight but they were not sharp when I zoomed in on the cpu. I rarely miss a shot with is on. Is turning is off an unfair test to determine my performance with a non is lens? And will a non reporting teleconverter allow AF on the 400 5.6. I am shooting a 5D mark iii. thank You in advance.

Nope; turning it off is a perfectly valid measure of how you'd fair without IS. I would spend some time practicing without it, while you make up your mind.

One alternative to look at could be a 300 f/4 + 1.4TC; that would give you 420mm f/5.6 + IS.

As for the other question, with the newest firmware, the 5DIII will AF up to f/8; so the 400 + 1.4 should AF regardless of whether the TC is reporting.

wow I wasnt aware that I could keep auto focus to f8. I thought it was only with the 1 series bodies.

Due to popular demand, they added that support into the 5DIII firmware around the middle of last year:
http://www.dpreview.co​m …-hdmi-output-f8-autofocus

Well then Im gonna call canon back and find out what the deal is. I was on the phone with them today and was told that there was no update for that. Its detective time..lol. Thanks again

If anybody is still monitoring. I have a 60d and a 100-400 IS L lens and am thinking of a teleconverter. Anybody know what the difference between Canon's tele 2x II and tele 2x III TC's? I want to shoot birds and getting close is frequently not an option. Do they both translate the IS? Is the IQ better on the III.

thanks

jamaeolus wrote in post #16630427
If anybody is still monitoring. I have a 60d and a 100-400 IS L lens and am thinking of a teleconverter. Anybody know what the difference between Canon's tele 2x II and tele 2x III TC's? I want to shoot birds and getting close is frequently not an option. Do they both translate the IS? Is the IQ better on the III.

thanks

You realize you are going to lose autofocus? Both will translate the IS. The III is supposed to be sharper, but I'm still not certain that its the greatest option on the 100-400.

5D3 + 100-400L + 1.4x TCIII + Firmware 1.2.3 I find works very well.

The 2x will prevent AF at all, and the 1.4 will as well if you go with the Canon part. The more popular Kenko 1.4x TC will, sometimes, allow the camera to attempt to AF at f/8, but not well or reliably.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16630435
You realize you are going to lose autofocus? Both will translate the IS. The III is supposed to be sharper, but I'm still not certain that its the greatest option on the 100-400.

It seems odd that canon can't run autofocus thru its own TC! But then again I know nothing about how all that stuff works! What options do you suggest?

jamaeolus wrote in post #16631135
It seems odd that canon can't run autofocus thru its own TC! But then again I know nothing about how all that stuff works! What options do you suggest?

Its not odd if do a little reading. The 2X costs you two stops of light making an f5.6 lens an f11 and none of the canon cameras will focus with that little light coming in the lens. I suggest you don't use a 2X converter at all. Even a 1.4x will cause loss of IQ.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16631454
Its not odd if do a little reading. The 2X costs you two stops of light making an f5.6 lens an f11 and none of the canon cameras will focus with that little light coming in the lens. I suggest you don't use a 2X converter at all. Even a 1.4x will cause loss of IQ.

Shooting the 100/400 + 1.4x 111 and have auto-focus (cp) and see very nice IQ with it. Not sure in lower light, but sure works outside. I like that combination so far, just got the extender so haven't given it much of a test yet.

I appreciate the input! I might just get both! LOL Most of the time you are at infinity anyway.

jamaeolus wrote in post #16630427
I have a 60d and a 100-400 IS L lens and am thinking of a teleconverter. Anybody know what the difference between Canon's tele 2x II and tele 2x III TC's?

Yes, the MkII TC will ruin the IQ and make the lens almost impossible to focus accurately, even manually. And so will the MkIII.