70-200 f/2.8 & 2X TC combination "Test"

It's far from the most valid test done on the 70-200 f/2.8 & 2X TC II combination, but air shows in MI are typically backlit with gray skies & I wanted to see what to expect shooting almost into the sun.

I bought the f/2.8 for low light work I had some doubts about the 2X TC compromise, but I think I can live with the results. A 300 prime with a 1.4X TC will do a much better job, but as Mick pointed out, "You can't always get what you want!"

All were shot @ 1/1000 sec hand held, & I bumped the ISO when I changed the f-stop. None of these have been sharpened except for the minor amount RSP adds as default on the conversion.

Posted in "Birds": Who's IN? Who's OUT? Who's on the move?

Any "real world" input would be nice.

EDIT: More results in post # 8. Great link to comparisons in post # 10.

EDIT: Posts #12-14 have a AI Servo & continuous drive mode test.

EDIT: Posts #17 shows a "real world" example of pussy willows & spider webs & there's a link to another shot.

EDIT: Some low light, high ISO shots here: St. Louis Minor League Playoffs - 70-200 + 2X TC.

EDIT: Sports car racing results link in Post 29. Final results are I can live with this combination when the light is good.
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You should do a similar comparison without the TC or with a 1.4 where you crop the center of the image to be the same size as the 2x. See if up-sizing can offset that loss of sharpness away from center.

I can do a similar comparison without the TC. Do you want it @ 2.8? Seems like the deeper DOF @ 5.6 would take care of the loss of sharpness away from center?

And, you'll have to wait until the birds come back!

f/11 with the TC looks pretty good as you go down the line of birds. Opened past that and I see a lot of ghosting as you go to the right side.

I would say do the same sequence of shots but this time instead of the TC, use Photoshop to size up the images to the same "size" of birds in the frame. I think the better comparison would be to use a 1.4x and see if upsizing that image would give you improved resolution over the 2x.

What are you, a masochist? Shooting 70-200 + 2xTC combo is not easy, but you intentionally choose a backlit and gray sky for your testing?

the f/8 seems to have substantial camera shake...I don't understand with 1/1000 but that's what it looks like.

Happy to do it. Send me your 1.4X!

Anyone who expects front lit blue skies in the afternoon MI has to be deluded? So I'm not going to measurebate perfect conditions. (Even if I had them!)

Guess what? The sun came out!!!
None of these have been sharpened.

2X TC (f/5.6 effective) 1/2000 ISO 1600 vs. f/2.8 1/2000 ISO 400
In the first composite image, above is the 200 + 2X TC shot. Below in a black border, is the 200mm shot blown up to match the size of the TC shot. Not impressive.

2X TC (f/8 effective) 1/2000 ISO 1600 vs. f/2.8 1/2000 ISO 400.
In the 2nd two images, the red bordered 200mm shot is compared to the 200 + 2X TC @ f/8 just to satisfy my curiosity.

I think I can live with the TC combination at the cost of an extra stop down to retain quality.

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Wow, lots of contrast loss though. That should be an informative test as to which provides the quality you're after. (I'm not sending you mine) but a similar 1.4x test would also be handy.

TheHoff wrote in post #4816188
Wow, lots of contrast loss though

The loss of contrast is a well-known point with the 7-2 f2.8 + 2x http://www.pbase.com …s/image/5329734​9/original

But stopped down it can do all right.

Good link!

I may be dreaming, but the 300 f/4 +1.4XTC in that test at f/5.6 looks very close to the 70-200 2XTC at f/8.

As Jason said in the other thread... We'll see if I'm happy with the AF performance. ...that might be the deal breaker. Does anyone know of a good AF test between the lenses in the link above?

AI Servo & continuous drive mode test: 1/500, f/11, ISO 400, center focus point on all images.
The images were shot in RAW & converted to jpg without any corrections or sharpening.

1. Full frame, resized, sharpened USM 100 0.8 1
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2 & 3.
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4 & 5.
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Some candid portraits would be better.