Canon extender help required

[HeyfordDave111]

Hi everyone,

I've got a 5d mk3 and a 300mm 2.8 L mk1 lens, and would like to increase the range of the 300 when I shoot.
With this in mind I'm looking at a canon extender but am confused as to what I'll gain, and what I'll loose regarding autofocus etc.
Also are there any drawbacks I should avoid, and would a mk1 , 2 or 3 be better?
Thanks in advance
Dave

[EGDR]

A 1.4x will bring a 300 2.8's max aperture down to f/4, and a 2x will bring it to f/5.6. The 5D Mk3 has AF functionality right up to f/8 (for the centre points at least) so you'll still have autofocus, although it may be slightly slower than without the extender. Can't comment on the differences between the models, though. Hope that helps.

[john001]

I have used this combination on on 5D2 and 7D2 with 2x converter. Kyle is correct in that what he says applies to my 5D2.
I moved from a 2x mk1 to a 2 x mk 2 - I found a significant difference IMHO buy the latest version whether you go for 1.4 or 2. Bear in mind the lens is excellent but you will not get the same quality results with a converter however you will get shots you would not normally have got which is the trade off.

[jalfrezi]

Ok, I'll try and list the pros and cons:

Pros:
Longer reach

Cons:
Slower focusing time - 50% for 1.4x, 75% for 2x
Lose 1 to 2 stops, so f2.8 will become f5.6 with the 2x and also with a possible reduction in AF points available
Image quality (still better than cropping though)
Low light focusing

The mark III extenders are optimised for the mark II lenses, the latest extenders have a chip in to improve AF accuracy on these new lenses. If you're are not looking to upgrade your mark I lens anytime soon, then the mark II extenders may be almost as good as the mark III models.

I have experienced an issue with my 1.4x mark III when used in conjunction with a 5d3 and 100-400 II, where the camera would occasionally lock up necessitating the removal of the battery to reset it, this could just be a firmware issue but it's something to be aware of, particularly if using a mix of old and new equipment.

[john001]

Ok, I'll try and list the pros and cons:



Cons:
Slower focusing time - 50% for 1.4x, 75% for 2x


The mark III extenders are optimised for the mark II lenses, the latest extenders have a chip in to improve AF accuracy on these new lenses. If you're are not looking to upgrade your mark I lens anytime soon, then the mark II extenders may be almost as good as the mark III models.
.

I assume you mean the initial focus as once focussed I have found little issue with tracking with the 2x

Good point on the Mk3

[Agg]

The 300 f/2,8 is a fantastic lens, at 300 it's tack sharp, but that's a bit on the short side for shooting aircraft. I have tried it with both the 1,4x and the 2x with mixed results - it's okay with th 1,4x, but with the 2x the autofocus is simply too slow at least on my aging 7D.

[john001]

The 300 f/2,8 is a fantastic lens, at 300 it's tack sharp, but that's a bit on the short side for shooting aircraft. I have tried it with both the 1,4x and the 2x with mixed results - it's okay with th 1,4x, but with the 2x the autofocus is simply too slow at least on my aging 7D.

Time for a 7D2

[Agg]

That's the plan for this season

Have you tried that combo with the Mk2?

[john001]

That's the plan for this season

Have you tried that combo with the Mk2?

Yes. Having had a 1.3 crop before (1D Mk2) I enjoy the 1.6 crop. I find the focussing good. The image quality (with a 2x converter) for me is very good in good light. It drops off a lot in poorer in light, that's not a problem really as I simply don't want those type of shots. I also find images need more processing. I am from the old school film and look on horror at using anything over 400 so I don't. I see sometimes on these forums people complaining of grain (or what would have been grain on film!) when they are using 1000 plus - I simply never use that. A lot is in technique and many substitue higher ISO for lack of it. You need constant practice and the first show I take pictures at during the year are always worse than the later ones.

[eirik]

I have owned and used several different comibinations of a 300 2.8 with extenders.

Fist I had the 300 2.8 L IS USm (first edition) on a 7D Mark II. The bare 300 2.8 was simply fantastic, but the first edition was not sharp enough when used with extenders(version III 1.4 and 2.0). AF also takes a serious hit as described earlier.

Second I had the 300 2.8 L IS II USM(secondedition) on the same 7D Mark II. This is even better than the first edition as a bare lens. The new IS is also a plus. Image quality with extenders(seriees III) was very good, and AF accuracy was also good. But the AI- Servo performacne with extenders was usually to slow for follow focus. This is probaly because the battery is not capable og driving the USM on the large Canon white prime lenses fast enough.

Third I and last for now. I use a 300 2.8 L IS II USM(second edition) on a 1D X. This combinartion is simply fantastic with or without extenders. The 1D X battery has much more power and is capable of driving a large Canon prime lens with Extender 2.0 III almost as fast as a bare lens. I do not feel any difference. AF is always spot on, and I am now capable of following just about anything in AI-Servo mode.

My last combo has only been tested on birds in flight as I got the camera a few weeks ago, but it should be relevant for aircraft in flight. Birds in flight are usually really hard to follow.

For users of the Canon 7D Mark II I can recommend the Canon 100-400 II. That is a really good combo, and it performs excellent. Capable of following anything, and the image quality is a lot better than with the first edition 100-400. I have still got a 7D Mark II body, and I plan on getting a 100-400 II for it. I testet the combo for a month this winter, and was very pleased with it.


Eirik

[DaveM]

Don't forget that the Mk3 converters cannot be stacked together (if you should ever want to) without using an extension tube whereas the Mk2 will stack happily together.

Stacking them on a 300/2.8 gives an 840mm lens at f8 so your AF should still work on at least the centre point. You will of course lose image quality and AF speed though.

Here's an image where I've stacked them both on a 300 2.8 and then cropped . Camera doesn't register them both so EXIF will just show just the 2x.

Spoonbill Hayle 300+1.4+2 by Dave Morgan, on Flickr

[henk99]

Another thing that is perhaps of interest is the autofocus micro adjustment (AFMA). I have both an 7Dmk2 and a 5Dmk3 and I use them with the 300mm 2.8 IS (version I) plus 1.4x (mk2) and 2x (mk3) extenders.

In previous years I used the 1.4x extender almost constantly. In good light I also tried the 2x a few times, but found it's focus to be inconsistent. Last month I purchased a software program to assist me in the AFMA process and found that the adjustment for the bare lens only needed +1, and with the 1.4x extender something in the region of +3/+4 or so, which is not that much. However, when checking the 2x extender, I found out that it needed something like +12 or so, which is quite significant if you look at the test pictures.

Last week I retested the 300mm + 2x extender setup during the Frysian Flag excersise and the difference was huge! I had a completely normal keeper ratio now (for me at least ) and the focus was very good. I found tracking to be no problem as well on either of the bodies.

I know it's only one outing, but I will definitely be trying this combo more often. I feel a lot more confident with the 2x extender.

[john001]

Another thing that is perhaps of interest is the autofocus micro adjustment (AFMA). I have both an 7Dmk2 and a 5Dmk3 and I use them with the 300mm 2.8 IS (version I) plus 1.4x (mk2) and 2x (mk3) extenders.

In previous years I used the 1.4x extender almost constantly. In good light I also tried the 2x a few times, but found it's focus to be inconsistent. Last month I purchased a software program to assist me in the AFMA process and found that the adjustment for the bare lens only needed +1, and with the 1.4x extender something in the region of +3/+4 or so, which is not that much. However, when checking the 2x extender, I found out that it needed something like +12 or so, which is quite significant if you look at the test pictures.

Last week I retested the 300mm + 2x extender setup during the Frysian Flag excersise and the difference was huge! I had a completely normal keeper ratio now (for me at least ) and the focus was very good. I found tracking to be no problem as well on either of the bodies.

I know it's only one outing, but I will definitely be trying this combo more often. I feel a lot more confident with the 2x extender.

And the software programme is.....

[eirik]

Probably Reikan FoCal.

https://www.reikanfocal.com/

Eirik

[john001]

Thanks

[henk99]

Probably Reikan FoCal.

https://www.reikanfocal.com/

Eirik

Yes, that's the one. Didn't want to sound like a sales person for Focal

[Agg]

Interesting, will definitely have a look at that, thanks Henk

[eirik]

Interesting, will definitely have a look at that, thanks Henk

I have used Focal for a few years. Your new camera is supported Fredrik

Eirik

[TKK 140]

This might be helpful to some.

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resource ... ding.shtml

Canon published this last year. I've used the Canon software, live view and two £10 or £20 notes then sellotaped the two to a mirror hung at various distances from the camera on a tripod. The mirror is a great help in the alignment process. There's a guide on the internet somewhere.