Got my new 400 L-disappointed that

pttenn wrote in post #2247510
Well, guess I have to buy a cheap 1.2..how ironic. So will that ruin the quality of the pictures? (assuming I can take a decent picture...lol)
Karen

I believe it was CDS who said, in one of his posts, that it wasn't great for the AF motor to try to get it to focus when it wasn't designed to...can't remember for sure who said it, but it made an impact on me...wouldn't want to hurt my camera or lens....

Permagrin wrote in post #2248618
I believe it was CDS who said, in one of his posts, that it wasn't great for the AF motor to try to get it to focus when it wasn't designed to...can't remember for sure who said it, but it made an impact on me...wouldn't want to hurt my camera or lens....

I tried the pin-taping trick on my 100-400L with a teleconverter, and it hunted excessively. Sometimes, the AF would oscillate back and forth very quickly, so I quit doing it. That was on a 10D, which had a less-capable AF system than the 20D/30D. The 400/5.6 may fare better, and I'd say that it's worth a try.

I think that John DeFord was the one that had trouble with a 100-400 and taped contacts, a couple of years back. You may PM him and ask.

Having started taking photos before AF was available, I don't understand why people can't use manual focus any more. It is still better in some tricky situations.

ScottE wrote in post #2248869
Having started taking photos before AF was available, I don't understand why people can't use manual focus any more. It is still better in some tricky situations.

I agree, and will go ahead and use manual focus with the 1.4 Kenko for static situations...but for birds in flight you really need that auto. (or us newbies do..lol) I really need the reach of the 400+ the 1.4 to get close enough to shy birds. Guess I'm not sneaky enough...I may try the tape trick but sure don't want to damage this expensive (to me, anyway) lens.
Karen

Roy C wrote in post #2248323
Not so - the cheap Kenko has not got the contacts to tell the camera that it is there so the Camera still thinks it is f5.6 and will af.

Will "try" to AF.
Whether there's enough light for that to be successful is another matter

ScottE wrote in post #2248869
Having started taking photos before AF was available, I don't understand why people can't use manual focus any more. It is still better in some tricky situations.

Because some of us have cameras where the viewfinder is not suited to manual focus?
Or the expense of getting a split prism focus screen installed.

ScottE wrote in post #2248869
Having started taking photos before AF was available, I don't understand why people can't use manual focus any more. It is still better in some tricky situations.

I shot with manual cameras as well, so I can point out a few things that make it more difficult in today's cameras:

• Smaller viewfinder, at least in the 1.6X cameras.
  
  
• No focus aid in the viewfinder. I had a microprism in my FT-QL and there's a split image prism in my old Argus.
  
  
• Older lenses had a longer vernier to the manual focus ring. You could hit that pinpoint sharpness more easily.
  
  
• We look at our images at 100% now, a level which wasn't normally reached with film (except for when using the loupe or viewing slides).
  
  
• We didn't lose 40% of our viewfinder brightness due to the partial mirror (which ironically passes about 35-40% of the light through to a secondary mirror and on to the AF sensors).
  

Taping the 3 pins causes no damage whatsoever.

Canon only do it to maintain the good name & reputation of their AF systems i.e. so that it works well or not at all.

Use the centre sensor only to improve AF performance when using the 'tape trick'

akhater wrote in post #2248599
yes tape them or, better nail polish them

tape is better, when you want to get rid of it, nailpolish is harder to take off and put back on... and don't even think of using nailpolish remover...

Kenko 1.5 SHQ Teleplus here, no pins (in the first place), no tape, whoohoo

Intend to stick this one on my 100-400 for backup 600 f/8 IS if I need it.

Lightstream wrote in post #2249519
Kenko 1.5 SHQ Teleplus here, no pins (in the first place), no tape, whoohoo

Intend to stick this one on my 100-400 for backup 600 f/8 IS if I need it.

No autofocus?