300 f2.8 vs 200-400 f4 VR

[MountainMan]

Came across this comparison article and the results surprised me.... didn't realised that a TC can degrade the quality of an excellent lens by so much....

300f2.8 vs 200-400f4VR (http://www.biglens.com/reviews/nikon300200400.htm)

[joeyao]

Hmm...the Nikon 300mm f2.8 produces really crappy images with TCs attached, similar to the Canon 300mm f2.8 which was tested by Liquidstone sometime back. But here is an image taken by me this evening with the Canon 300 f2.8 with 2X TC attached under poor lighting condition and slight drizzle. The image is reasonably sharp IMO. My friend calvinlo took the same shot with his Nikon 300 f2.8 + Kenko 2X TC and his image also turned out quite sharp. Something must be wrong with the way these lenses were tested.

Canon 20D
EF 300mm f2.8 L IS USM + Canon 2X TC Mk II
f5.6
1/320 sec
ISO 800
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[glennyong]

well... sometimes i get sharp images out of my 70-200 stacked. but when i go birding alone. the pics i get is very soft. because of the 2X stacking.

well. the pic turned out very very soft. well....

hmmm...

i dun think i would recommend stacking....

esp when we multi stack with 2X and 1.4X for sigma lenses and any other lenses as well...

but we make do what we have... :cool:

[MountainMan]

The only way to confirm this is to do the test ourselves. Let's see if we can get Fred's 300mm stacked with a 1.4X and compare it with the 200-400mm

[joeyao]

The only way to confirm this is to do the test ourselves. Let's see if we can get Fred's 300mm stacked with a 1.4X and compare it with the 200-400mmThese were taken with the Nikkor 300mm f2.8 VR + 2X Kenko TC: http://www.avianwatchasia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=944 Judge for yourself the sharpness of this combo.

[MountainMan]

These were taken with the Nikkor 300mm f2.8 VR + 2X Kenko TC: http://www.avianwatchasia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=944 Judge for yourself the sharpness of this combo.

I am sure standing alone, the 300mm F2.8 with TC will look very sharp. I think we are NOT questioning whether the 300mm f2.8 + TC combo is sharp or not. We are questioning whether which is SHARPER... the 300mm+1.4TC combo OR the 200-400VR set up! In short we are comparing a prime with TC with a zoom lens. As logical thinking will tell us that the prime with TC should be the better option, the article says it's NOT so! That is why it is a surprise to me too!

[joeyao]

I am sure standing alone, the 300mm F2.8 with TC will look very sharp. I think we are NOT questioning whether the 300mm f2.8 + TC combo is sharp or not. We are questioning whether which is SHARPER... the 300mm+1.4TC combo OR the 200-400VR set up! In short we are comparing a prime with TC with a zoom lens. As logical thinking will tell us that the prime with TC should be the better option, the article says it's NOT so! That is why it is a surprise to me too!Point taken. But the image produced by the 300 2.8 with the 1.4X TC at f5.6 from the article is so blur that I had to come to the defence of the prime + TC :D

[Garion]

Point taken. But the image produced by the 300 2.8 with the 1.4X TC at f5.6 from the article is so blur that I had to come to the defence of the prime + TC :DMethinks the testing is flawed in some way (i.e he did not use mirror lockup or cable release/timer thus result in 'shake'?), or he had a 'lemony' lens. :p

I am with you on this....the 300/2.8 w/ 1.4x TC is still devastatingly sharp wide open....slightly more so when stopped down 1 stop at f5.6.

Guess as MM had said, the only way to find out the truth is to do a side by side testing of both lenses ourselves.

[MountainMan]

Methinks the testing is flawed in some way (i.e he did not use mirror lockup or cable release/timer thus result in 'shake'?), or he had a 'lemony' lens. :p

I am with you on this....the 300/2.8 w/ 1.4x TC is still devastatingly sharp wide open....slightly more so when stopped down 1 stop at f5.6.

Guess as MM had said, the only way to find out the truth is to do a side by side testing of both lenses ourselves.

That is why I am suggesting we do so because NONE of us believe this report. Can we do this test?

MM

[ccplim]

That is why I am suggesting we do so because NONE of us believe this report. Can we do this test?

MM

Why not? :dunno:

Calling Fred........ where are you????? :D