400 F5.6 + 1.4TV and tape...continued.

Decided to try some longer shots with the 400 F5.6 + 1.4TC and the old tape trick.

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So, Ian, in a nutshell, are you saying to do away with the tape and just focus the lens manually and use a tripod when using the 400 f/4.5 with the 1.4x? I was thinking along that line myself wth my 100-400 and the 1.4x combo. I even got me a Manfrotto 3421 gimbal type head (man, that sucker is a lot bigger than I thought it would be but it's definitely heavy duty stuff!) to make the tripod work a lot easier compared to using a conventional ball head.

Thanks for your test shots and analysis.

Yes, I agree with Ian.

My choices:

1) No TC - get closer.
2a) If you can't get closer, then 1.4 and manual focus.
2b) But if it's closer than ~25 feet I'll put on a 20mm tube and get a good magnification (18% if I remember my old test).
2c) If it's closert han about 15 feet then I'll get out the 36mm tube and get 27% magnification.
3) If I have no other choice, I'll lure Arthur Morris into a trap and steal his 600mm f/4.

I haven't tried this yet, but the 1.4 doesn't change minimum focus distance, so I wonder if it ever changes focusing. That is, I wonder if you can AF with the 100-400, insert the 1.4 and not have to re-focus?

Leo,
You got it. I'm sticking ( no pun intended ) the tape back in the desk drawer and going manual focus when necessary with the 400 prime and the 100-400. I'm going to follow Scotts example and get a set of extension tubes as well.

Scott,
I like #4. Arthur has a 800 as well. I wonder if he can run fast

Do you know the "good cop/bad cop" game?

Man, that is really scarey. I was thinkin the same thing

Oh, oh. My wife just said that we aren't allowed to play together.

Hey Mrs. Scottes, we was just joshin
I wanna be the bad cop

Yeah, honey, we wuz kiddin!

I have NO IDEA how to be a good cop...

Geez...OK ...I'll be the good cop....

Just for interest sake, did you try the 400 f5.6 w/1.4x to see if it would autofocus? It wouldn't seem to given the other notations, but the Canon chart shows it as an effective f8.0 _with_ AF and no footnote as in the case of the 100-400 f4.5-5.6.

Nope, no AF with the 400/1.4 combo on the 10D. It will ork with the MK II however but that is not a reason for me to order one just yet

I found it odd that the Canon chart would show the circle indicating AF possible with the 400 f5.6L and the 1.4X II along with the effective f8, but hey, who am I to argue with them