Converter 1.4x is it worth getting?

May 28th, 2011
Hi Everyone, I am in a dilema as to buy a1.4 x converter. I have borrowed one and to be honest I'm not sure if the photos really are much better. Maybe it is me! I use it with the 100-400mm f 5.6 canon lens. Any ideas or feedback would be much appreciated as I need to make up my mind.
Thanks so much! Chantal
May 29th, 2011
I use one on my x1.4 on a 70 - 200mm f2.8 and it is great. But the 2.8 gives more license with the f-stops. Also with the 400 you have more reach anyway. I am using mine on a full frame so I don't have the multiplyer of a cropped sensor. You don't say what the camera is, so you may already be getting a long reach with a 400mm and may not therefore gain much for the 1.4 because you already have a very long reach. On an APS-C Canon you are getting equivalent to my camera of 650mm zoom. That is already a very long distance. So adding a 1.4x seems pointless unless you really want to do a lot of long distance shooting. Also with a f5.6 you are going to lose another stop. Which means to use the lens effectively you will always need good light. So you are unlikely to be able to use it much in the 'Golden Hour' anyway.

There is more on the conversions regarding the sensor crop factors here... http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/1-6x.htm
May 29th, 2011
@netkonnexion thanks for the info....my camera is a cannon EOS550D. Yes I do loose that fstop and as you say the light has to be perfect. Will have a read, thanks for the link.
May 29th, 2011
Abraham Lincoln / honestabe
uses a magnifier in lots of his fantastic macro close up shots, not sure if the magnifier is as good when you are trying to zoom in too far. Check out Abe's pics, they are great.
May 29th, 2011
@jenrobcarr thanks, Im not sure how to find Abe's pics? Where do I go? Help....thanks in advance.
May 29th, 2011
@chantal - I use a 2x converter on my macro lens and that works really well, but I don't use it on my 300mm because I need so much light....
May 29th, 2011
@chantal - Type or copy and paste honestabe into the search box at the top right, searchandthen after the search page comes up, click on users on the left, or... http://365project.org/honestabe/
(pardon,my space bar isn't working)
May 29th, 2011
@chantal type in his name in search (top right), then search people, or look for him in my followers, then click on his name
June 1st, 2011
Won't you lose autofocus if you use a TC on a f/5.6 lens?
March 11th, 2012
I have been loaned a 100-400 canon lens and a 1,4x converter and find that with the converter attached to my canon 500D I do not get auto focus is this correct? I am finding the lens easyer to use with out the converter.
March 21st, 2012
@paulv @esox as far as I'm aware the a 2x and a f5.6 lens will stop auto focusing @ f11 on the sigma anyway, not sure of others.
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