Nikon 2X converter-buy or not?
Nov 24, 2013 17:27:40 GMT -5
Post by jgunning on Nov 24, 2013 17:27:40 GMT -5
A recent question about buying the sharpest lens for Nikon reminded me to share this. Many of us, (probably all at one time) have used tele-converters. They work very well, and you can sometimes get shots not otherwise possible. There is always a cost however. A 1.4X costs one full stop in exposure. A 2X costs two full stops. If you start with an F/2.8 lens with a 1.4X converter you are now at f/4. A 2X converter makes it F5.6. So far OK. Put a 2X on a F/4-5.6 zoom and see what happens. If your autofocus works at all, it will likely be very slow, hunt, and be inaccurate. Also, converters and zoom lenses rarely produce good sharp images. Too much glass and machinery that was not designed to work together.
In the Nikon converter world there is another problem. Their modern 1.4X converter is excellent. It works with almost any good Nikon lens and is able to produce sharp images if stopped down a stop or two. I highly recommend it. However that is where the Nikon line of converters stops being useful. Simply put, the 2X converter will not produce a sharp image. The 1.7X might, but since I've never owned one I'll leave it out of this discussion for now. The 2X looks attractive since it promises the appeal of a large image. Against the advice of other good photographers I knew, I bought a 2X and tried it with my Nikon 500mm F/4. No matter what I did, the images were not sharp. Look at the Kingfisher shot below. It's a downsample of the converted raw file with no sharpening. It was shot on a beanbag at 1/1000 @ F/8. This is the best of about 30 frames. Other tries on different subjects produced the same results. With the camera on a tripod, everything supported, and mirror locked up, it would not shoot a sharp image with the 2X. Many others have found the same issue and you can find other similar discussions if you search the web.
Please don't waste your hard earned money buying a Nikon 2X converter. If you shoot Canon, this discussion does not apply. Their 2X converters work very well and can produce excellent images.
In the Nikon converter world there is another problem. Their modern 1.4X converter is excellent. It works with almost any good Nikon lens and is able to produce sharp images if stopped down a stop or two. I highly recommend it. However that is where the Nikon line of converters stops being useful. Simply put, the 2X converter will not produce a sharp image. The 1.7X might, but since I've never owned one I'll leave it out of this discussion for now. The 2X looks attractive since it promises the appeal of a large image. Against the advice of other good photographers I knew, I bought a 2X and tried it with my Nikon 500mm F/4. No matter what I did, the images were not sharp. Look at the Kingfisher shot below. It's a downsample of the converted raw file with no sharpening. It was shot on a beanbag at 1/1000 @ F/8. This is the best of about 30 frames. Other tries on different subjects produced the same results. With the camera on a tripod, everything supported, and mirror locked up, it would not shoot a sharp image with the 2X. Many others have found the same issue and you can find other similar discussions if you search the web.
Please don't waste your hard earned money buying a Nikon 2X converter. If you shoot Canon, this discussion does not apply. Their 2X converters work very well and can produce excellent images.
