Sony Extender

[Zaydewise]

Has anyone used a Sony lens extender on a Tamron lens?

 

[Tim Mayo]

The Sony teleconverters typically don't fit none supported lenses. I just tried the 1.4x on my Tamron 70-180 and it doesn't physically fit. They do fit on the new Sigma 100-400 but don't work at all unfortunately. Off the top of my head I think it's currently only the Sony 70-200 F2.8 GM, 100-400 GM, 200-600 G, 400 F2.8 and 600 F4 that support the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters.

 

[Ziggy]

Yes.
And the 2x is pushing it on the Sony supertele zooms. Works with good light and enough pixels on the subject.
So on the FE100-400 f11 is the widest. The A9 will PDAF at that but the A7R III uses CDAF and you miss shots.

 

[Mike Renny]

I've got both the 200-600 G and 100-400 GM lenses and the 1.4x TC. Although the 2x TC is compatible with both I don't see it as a viable option given the resulting minimum f stop and AF limitations not to mention the need to shoot in good light. The 1.4x works well on both however if I ever do manage to invest in a fast Sony prime such as the 400 GM or 600 GM then yes I think the 2x TC would be worth adding but not with the slower glass.

 

[Ziggy]

These were taken with the 2x on the 100-400 on the R III - I wanted 800mm to shoot forest birds on a bushwalk and the other Sony lenses are too big. So in my view it's feasible but the keeper rate isn't the best.

Spotted Pardelotes

• ILCE-7RM3
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 800.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 8000

• ILCE-7RM3
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 800.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 12800

 

[Spitfire1962]

I was wondering about whether to try the 2X tc on my a7iii with 200-600mm. But living in the uk, I might only get a few days a year where it will work well.

 

[Tim Mayo]

I was wondering about whether to try the 2X tc on my a7iii with 200-600mm. But living in the uk, I might only get a few days a year where it will work well.

This would put you at f/13 and the a7III will have lost phase detection and defaults to contrast detection. The auto focus won’t work so well and you’ll generally only get the first shot of a burst in focus. I rarely use it on any of my cameras especially here in the UK unless you like lots of noise Best to stick with the 1.4x.

 

[Ziggy]

Practising getting closer costs you nothing

 

[Spitfire1962]

This would put you at f/13 and the a7III will have lost phase detection and defaults to contrast detection. The auto focus won’t work so well and you’ll generally only get the first shot of a burst in focus. I rarely use it on any of my cameras especially here in the UK unless you like lots of noise Best to stick with the 1.4x.

Yes, I know. I was thinking just for static subjects. But that was just a thought for the future. Had this combo for less than a week and only getting to try it out whilst out and about at work. Weekend is a washout. Have a couple of air shows coming up in Sept. will hopefully get good weather for those.

 

[Spitfire1962]

Practising getting closer costs you nothing

I needed a canoe to get closer to what I was trying to shoot the other day

 

[Ziggy]

Sounds like fun.
People's mileage with TCs varies. I like the 1.4 on the 100-400 but found it too soft on the 200-600. The 2.0 would of course be worse to my eye.
Cropping scope is reduced with both of them.

 

[KayMCee]

I've been yearning for a TC since this winter. I was out shooting a (the ever elusive!) snowy owl. He was pretty far out, clearly visible to the eye, but at 600mm (Sony 200-600), I still couldn't get him in focus (the flowing grasses in front of him didn't help!). I cropped the image and just wasn't happy. He wasn't clear/sharp and it was really disappointing after spending hours following him around. I only got 1 'mostly' clear shot of him in flight.
I researched info about the TCs and thought the 2.0 would be great! 1200mm will be awesome! But I read further and learned it wouldn't be the best option on that lens.
Last I checked, my local shop didn't have 1.4 available. So, I wait.

 

[KayMCee]

These were taken with the 2x on the 100-400 on the R III - I wanted 800mm to shoot forest birds on a bushwalk and the other Sony lenses are too big. So in my view it's feasible but the keeper rate isn't the best.

Spotted Pardelotes

View attachment 179View attachment 180

I absolutely adore the first photo! Great shots!!

 

[Ziggy]

Thanks Kristine. Kind of you to say.
They are very cute birds.

 

[Captain1818]

I recently purchased the 2x extender. I’ve not experienced good results thus far. I tried it on the 200-600, f13 lighting is almost impossible to get a good image.

 

[Ziggy]

I use both with the FE 400. It can afford to lose some f stops and some IQ. The 2x is of course 800mm and not that easy to live with for handheld shooting of BIF. It's sharp enough to capture camera movement, soft focus and any heat haze that's going. Moving the rig fast or shooting in any breeze produces camera movement that strains the capacity of the OSS.
An empirical question is whether the losses from TCs are greater or less acceptable than the losses from cropping. Steve Perry has tested that in the Nikon world where the answer was it depends on the scene, the lens and the sensor. See https://backcountrygallery.com/use-teleconverter-crop-image/

 

[jcastar]

Love the 2x with both my 70-200 and the 100-400. You can judge the sharpness for yourself here - handheld, f11, 800mm

M&M

• jcastar
• Aug 18, 2020
• 1

The moon and mars share the sky.
Sony a9, 100-400 + 2x TC at 800mm, handheld

 

[Ziggy]

They're both prone to vignetting. Potential hacks have been posted on DPReview forum from memory.

Sony replaced my 1.4 without question but there was no change.

I'm only reminded of this since I just got a lucky shot of a raptor overhead filling the whole frame. Cropping is of course par for the course with birds.

You can set 'shading' in settings to counter it but it doesn't work 100% or else use your editor. FB tends to exaggerate it if you don't.