Worth getting a teleconverter?

[tecboy]

I have EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, nothing special. I'm thinking get a teleconverter from sigma or tamron. Would that be a dumb decision? Does it compromise the image quality?

 

[pixmedic]

a 2x teleconverter would make focusing pretty tough/impossible on a slow lens like that.
a 1.4 or 1.7 would still cut the light a bit, and the glass element in the TC does degrade image quality. how much depends on the quality of the teleconverter.
I dont think you would get great results with a TC and that lens.

 

[snowbear]

A 1.4x TC will rob 1/2 stop of light and a 1.7x will take away 1-1/2 stops. A 2x takes 2 stops of light so your f/4-5.6 becomes a f/8-11.

 

[480sparky]

A 1.4x TC will rob 1 stop of light .....

Fify.

 

[snowbear]

A 1.4x TC will rob 1 stop of light .....

Fify.

Thanks. Long day.

 

[480sparky]

Thanks. Long day.

Relax. Have some bacon.

 

[snowbear]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[imagemaker46]

A good 1.4 on a good piece of glass works great, but like anything, cheaper converter or cheaper glass and I imagine the quality will drop off.

 

[mattpayne11]

I'd only get a TC if I had a decent lens to put it on, like a 70-200 or 300 f/2.8 or f/4. I've used a 1.4 TC on all three and it works great. I've even pondered getting a 2.0 TC for the 70-200 just to make it my go-to telephoto for landscape (big telephotos are heavy and I do a lot of hiking).

 

[table1349]

LensRentals.com - Teleconverters 101

 

[gsgary]

If you had a good lens for it I would say yes

 

[Braineack]

Shot with the 80-400mm + 1.4x at 560mm.:
https://cdn.photographylife.com/wp-...pple2-80-400-1.4-Belmar-Park-5165-960x640.jpg

the 150-600mm at 600mm:
https://cdn.photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Verm-apple1-Belmar-Park-5149-960x640.jpg

 

[sm4him]

I have a Sigma 1.4x. I hate, hate, HATE it on my Nikon 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 and my Sigma 150-500 f/whatever that thing is. Hard to grab focus with it on, and the result is worse, imo, than just cropping the image.

The only thing that kept me from selling the TC was feeling guilty for pawning it off on someone else.
But then I bought the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 lens, and now I've experienced exactly what everyone is talking about here. It actually does WORK with the better glass.
Of course, the down side is, if I'm using a TC, chances are, the 200mm reach x 1.4 is still not nearly enough, so I still end up having to crop a lot.

 

[Dave442]

I have the Nikon 70-300 VR and it is specifically noted to not use a TC with this lens, I expect it is the same for other similar lenses. A mistake to buy a TC if only planning to use on this lens, if you have on laying around and just want to try it then that is another issue.

 

[enzodm]

One reason why the latter comments report unsatisfaction is because AF does not function with apertures smaller than some amount (e.g, 5.6). So a teleconverter on a 2.8 remains above, a teleconverter on 5.6 no more.