TC Guide II 200/2.8 + 1.4X 1.7X 2X Tests

Interesting. The matched TC shots look better to me than the zoomed in originals.

Thanks very much for this post, I've just found it- you must have taken a lot of time and care to do this so thoroughly, and it has certainly helped me take a decision or two... it's now bookmarked!

Is there a best 1.4x converter to use with the 200 HSG to maintain the fast focus speed?

I tried a 2x original TC and it was very slow to focus and hunting was very bad. It was a used converter and I returned it. Now I'd like to try a 1.4x. Thanks for any tips/suggestions.

I have a version II Minolta 2x converter which AFs fast with my HSG 200/2.8, though I find the combination hunts a lot unless I use a monopod (unless I'm in a position to be able to hold it very steady).

Dinostrich wrote: Not a fan of hunting and not just on cameras ... the question is what effect does it have on image quality ? Frankly I am hard pushed to notice any material degradation with the 1.4X. Perhaps it is ARMD which the NHS does not see - or at least recognise ! ... So or

Hi,

I use the 2,8/200G together with the Minolta TC 2x D version for some years.
I have the impression that the purple fringing gets stronger with back light, compared to the lens without the TC. I mean if you shoot birds with the sky being in the background you can get quite strong purple lines at the contrast edges. Without having done formal testing but with experience of many photos I would say the single lens does a better job in this regard.

Another thing is bokeh. I would say that under critical circumstances the lens alone could produce slightly better bokeh. But this is difficult to judge without having done formal testing. It's my personal impression from practical photography with and without the TC.

Contrast. The lens alone produces high contrast. Visible less than the Zeiss 1,8/135 but more than most other lenses. If you add the 2x TC the contrast goes down a little bit, I would say to a visible degree.But the difference between the Zeiss lens and the single 2,8/200G is much more visible than the difference between the single 2,8/200G and the lens combined with the 2x TC.

Sharpness. I found out that with using a tripod, the 2,8/200G + 2x TC's sharpness is still at a high level that I can not get when using the lens + TC without a tripod. 400mm is just too long. I use the lens with A100 and 7D, SSS and AS is just not good enough to utilize the full potential regarding sharpness that the 2,8/200G + 2x TC could deliver.
So I would say, the missing tripod collar is the critical factor if you shouldn't want use a workaround for tripod shooting, not an optical caused loss of sharpness due to the 2x TC.

And yes, the AF of the combo gets terrible slow and has a tendency to hunting that is stronger than with the single lens.

But what the heck, if you already have the 200mm lens and want a cheap 400mm reach, the 2x TC is the best solution.

So how did the weekend at the gee-gees go ?

Did you get a chance to check out the 200+TC2X ?

200/2xTC = 1 Kilo & 178mm

Tokina 400/5.6 = 990gms & 202mm

Can hand-hold the Tokina in most circumstances and based on the above figures should be able to with the 200/2.8 ( sometimes use a monopod but only ever use a tripod in extremis especially for birding ).

Purple fringeing ( CA ) does happen with "birds-in-flight" type shots especially against a bright blue sky but I have only experienced it on very few occasions ( worst offender has been the Beercan ! ) on the 7 ( film ) so I do not feel it is a major concern in this instance.

Now comes the dilemma - with the 400/5.6 I can use a 1.5X TC ( effective 600/8 ) and get away with it in reasonable conditions particularly with a fast film and manual focus is not a problem having "cut my teeth" on a SRT101. Not sure that I would want to put a third-party 3X TC on the 200/2.8.

Maybe the answer is to keep the Tokina and keep a 1.5X TC on it all the time and get the Minolta 2X TC for the 200. Thus with 2 lenses & 3 TCs I get 200-600 from 2.8-8.

Decisions, decisions nothing but decisions

Sorry to hear you are ugonjwa but glad to hear it will be sorted out soon.

One day some day I will probably have to have two hips and one knee sorted out. Have an agreement with the quack - he will put up with me whingeing as long as I can put up with the cause - I think he gets the better of the deal.