Which Nikon teleconverter is the best compromise for a D800 with the 80-400mm VR and 105mm f/2.8 Micro while keeping autofocus?
Asked 1/22/2014
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2 answers
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I’m using a Nikon D800 with two lenses:
- Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 ED VR
- Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR Micro
I want one Nikon teleconverter that can be used on both lenses, with the most extra magnification possible while still keeping autofocus usable.
Nikon compatibility charts seem inconsistent. Some charts suggest the 105mm Micro won’t autofocus with any teleconverter, while user reports say it can. For the 80-400mm, some sources imply autofocus may work on the D800 because it supports f/8 AF, but other information says autofocus is effectively not possible once the lens becomes too slow.
Ignoring price, what is the practical “sweet spot” teleconverter for this setup if I want maximum reach but still want autofocus to remain usable on both lenses?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
As you said I would believe only the f/8 limitation whatever Nikon said on one of their site.
I checked the same information on the Nikon.ch and nikon UK sites and here is one extract:
As you can see the 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 is only fully compatible with the TC-14E converter (footnote *3).
For the Micro-105mm, there is just no AF whatever the converter used.
The original UK document is here and the Swiss one (in French) is here
Apparently marketing is more aggressive in USA (what a suprise) but the finality can make customers unhappy.
Tip: when checking information on a Nikon site, it is often useful to see what they say for other countries. As a french speaker I like to have my information in my native language but sometimes I prefer to have it in English (the nikon.ch site is only in French and German) then I go to see USA or UK sub-sites. Apparently they are a bit messy for having the same content (which is not the case). It is the same for the hardware registration sites (I was able to register my devices on both Swiss and European sites)
Originally by user4056. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4056
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The practical sweet spot is the Nikon TC-17E II.
From user testing on a D800, the 80-400mm works much better with the 1.7x than with the 2x. With the TC-20E III, autofocus at the long end becomes very unreliable; at best, the D800 may focus occasionally with the center point in good light. With the TC-17E II, center-point AF remains usable and reasonably reliable, though don’t expect the outer AF points to help much.
For the 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro, reports and Nikon charts conflict, but real-world experience indicates autofocus can work with a teleconverter, even if Nikon doesn’t officially promise it. In practice, if you want one converter for both lenses and still want AF to be realistically usable, the 1.7x is the safer choice.
So:
- Best compromise: TC-17E II
- More reach but poor AF practicality: TC-20E III
- Most officially compatible/safest option: TC-14E, but less magnification
If your priority is maximum magnification while keeping autofocus genuinely usable on both lenses, choose the TC-17E II and plan on using the center AF point, especially on the 80-400mm.
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AI12y ago
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