100-400mm plus 2x Teleconverter = Overkill?

[runnah]

So planning a work trip and need to capture some photos of a complete project. I have a location where I have taken photos in the past. It's across a fairly large stretch of water so range is important. Last time I used a Tamron 200-500 and it just barely cut the mustard so I am wondering if the above mentioned combo would work better.

I am renting this setup so it was the cheapest about of focal length I could get short of spend $500 for 3 days.

 

[ronlane]

dang, how far is it? I was looking at renting a 100-400mm and a 1.4 TC for the 4th. I did the calculations on it and at 400mm with the 1.4 TC on my crop sensor was like 890mm. That should keep you away from the Bears and Big Foot, lol

 

[SnappingShark]

Bears and Big Foot, lol

I went on a sasquatch hunt this weekend!!!

 

[runnah]

dang, how far is it? I was looking at renting a 100-400mm and a 1.4 TC for the 4th. I did the calculations on it and at 400mm with the 1.4 TC on my crop sensor was like 890mm. That should keep you away from the Bears and Big Foot, lol

Mile and a quarter.

 

[robbins.photo]

So planning a work trip and need to capture some photos of a complete project. I have a location where I have taken photos in the past. It's across a fairly large stretch of water so range is important. Last time I used a Tamron 200-500 and it just barely cut the mustard so I am wondering if the above mentioned combo would work better.

I am renting this setup so it was the cheapest about of focal length I could get short of spend $500 for 3 days.

Well if you can manually focus that might work, thing that would worry me is that a 2x TC is going to drop you by 2 fstops, so unless the lighting is really good or you've got really fast glass odds are good the camera might lose the ability to autofocus.

 

[ronlane]

dang, how far is it? I was looking at renting a 100-400mm and a 1.4 TC for the 4th. I did the calculations on it and at 400mm with the 1.4 TC on my crop sensor was like 890mm. That should keep you away from the Bears and Big Foot, lol

Mile and a quarter.

Dang. (Are you spotting for a snipe contest?) I was talking with AstroNikon about that and he said with 900mm, you could pretty much get Mars in your Astro shots, and that is a little further than 1.25 miles.

 

[TCampbell]

The Canon 100-400mm is an f/4.5-5.6. If you use a 2x that brings you to f/9-11. The 5D III and 1D X can have working auto-focus up to f/8... but that's it.

You could use a 1.4x but that would net you a 140-560mm -- but that's only slightly beyond the Tamron 200-500. 60mm isn't a whole lot more when you're already at 500mm.

 

[runnah]

So planning a work trip and need to capture some photos of a complete project. I have a location where I have taken photos in the past. It's across a fairly large stretch of water so range is important. Last time I used a Tamron 200-500 and it just barely cut the mustard so I am wondering if the above mentioned combo would work better.

I am renting this setup so it was the cheapest about of focal length I could get short of spend $500 for 3 days.

Well if you can manually focus that might work, thing that would worry me is that a 2x TC is going to drop you by 2 fstops, so unless the lighting is really good or you've got really fast glass odds are good the camera might lose the ability to autofocus.

The plan is to do long exposures. Last time I was doing 30 second exposures.

 

[runnah]

The Canon 100-400mm is an f/4.5-5.6. If you use a 2x that brings you to f/9-11. The 5D III and 1D X can have working auto-focus up to f/8... but that's it.

You could use a 1.4x but that would net you a 140-560mm -- but that's only slightly beyond the Tamron 200-500. 60mm isn't a whole lot more when you're already at 500mm.

Thanks. I had planned on doing long exposure and manually focusing as it will be close to dusk/dawn when I am shooting.

 

[keyseddie]

Rent a boat, get closer.

 

[ronlane]

The Canon 100-400mm is an f/4.5-5.6. If you use a 2x that brings you to f/9-11. The 5D III and 1D X can have working auto-focus up to f/8... but that's it.

You could use a 1.4x but that would net you a 140-560mm -- but that's only slightly beyond the Tamron 200-500. 60mm isn't a whole lot more when you're already at 500mm.

Thanks. I had planned on doing long exposure and manually focusing as it will be close to dusk/dawn when I am shooting.

Rent a boat, get closer.

I'm thinking that long exposure on a boat would most likely be a fail. Although, you could get some of those abstract photos like Mish and PR like to make.

 

[runnah]

Rent a boat, get closer.

I did last time. This is more cost effective.

 

[astroNikon]

dang, how far is it? I was looking at renting a 100-400mm and a 1.4 TC for the 4th. I did the calculations on it and at 400mm with the 1.4 TC on my crop sensor was like 890mm. That should keep you away from the Bears and Big Foot, lol

Mile and a quarter.

Dang. (Are you spotting for a snipe contest?) I was talking with AstroNikon about that and he said with 900mm, you could pretty much get Mars in your Astro shots, and that is a little further than 1.25 miles.

Mars is still a red dot
Jupiter and Saturn .. but you have to do alot of cropping. Not the greatest pics by far but considering the distance it's not bad.

 

[ronlane]

Mile and a quarter.

Dang. (Are you spotting for a snipe contest?) I was talking with AstroNikon about that and he said with 900mm, you could pretty much get Mars in your Astro shots, and that is a little further than 1.25 miles.

Mars is still a red dot
Jupiter and Saturn .. but you have to do alot of cropping. Not the greatest pics by far but considering the distance it's not bad.

oops sorry, couldn't remember but I knew it was a planet or two Thanks for correcting me Astro.

 

[Theo2]

How about a telescope and a T-mount adapter? That's what I do for my job at school.

Telescope+H-alpha filter+camera pointed towards the sun = way too much fun!