Teleconverter Question

[JohnnyWrench]

I'm shooting a football game tomorrow night and instead of using my 70-300 VR that I've used in the past, I'm going to rent a 70-200 2.8 VRII. I'm probably going to add a 1.4 teleconverter to the mix to make up for the loss of reach. My question is... will I get the same subject/background separation at 2.8 with the teleconverter or will it lessen that effect? I know I'll lose a stop of light with the tele, just wondering if the OOF areas will be affected by it. Thanks.

 

[D-B-J]

I'm shooting a football game tomorrow night and instead of using my 70-300 VR that I've used in the past, I'm going to rent a 70-200 2.8 VRII. I'm probably going to add a 1.4 teleconverter to the mix to make up for the loss of reach. My question is... will I get the same subject/background separation at 2.8 with the teleconverter or will it lessen that effect? I know I'll lose a stop of light with the tele, just wondering if the OOF areas will be affected by it. Thanks.

The loss of aperture but gain in length will likely make it pretty similar in terms of subject separation.

 

[Overread]

When you add a teleconverter what you lose is strictly speaking a stop of aperture. So your f2.8 lens becomes and f4 in all respect. This includes the depth of field.

Of course you've also increased the focal length which might affect your distancing from the subject, which would then also affect your depth of field as well. So it can be a little more complicated than it first seems.


Generally I'd say give it a shot - f2.8 is very thin to work with, esp in sports so f4 or even f5.6 isn't out of the question (generally speaking its often more of a light issue than a depth of field issue at sporting events that forces heavy, big wide aperture lenses to be used - even if not for the aperture, but for the light transmission for the AF).

 

[JohnnyWrench]

Got it. Thanks guys.

 

[curtyoungblood]

I recently acquired a teleconverter, and I feel like my subject/ background separation is better with it. I've only shot a game or two with it, but that's my first impression.

 

[theHomelessJedi]

How's the lighting where you are shooting? Night game I'm guessing?

 

[theHomelessJedi]

I recently acquired a teleconverter, and I feel like my subject/ background separation is better with it. I've only shot a game or two with it, but that's my first impression.

It should seem that way, your essentially lengthening the focal length of your lens which affects compression and gives you that better separation. Same reason portraits look better from an 85mm than with a 50mm.

 

[curtyoungblood]

On the surface, that is what I expected too, but I'm not sure that it really is as simple as that since you're also adding a magnifying element. I also never really saw a lot of writing on the effect when I was doing my research. The look definitely isn't as nice as a 300 2.8, but I'm not quite sure how it compares to a 300 f4.

 

[theHomelessJedi]

I guess it would also depend on which length teleconverter you're using