Teleconverters

[agent006]

I'm going to have a last minute dash to the F1 testing tomorrow, but my highest zoom is 200 (plus the 1.6 from being a DSLR?) so i'm pondering a teleconverter.
Question is, are they any good? Probably going to get this one. It mentions light reduction, does this mean that everything will be much darker and hence not really suited for a dark february morning?
Any views? (preferably before the shops shut!)

[Bee_Jay]

You will simply lose 3 stops, so you had better hope you can get some high ISOs on whatever camera you have.

I would assume your lens is f4.5 or 5.6 at the long end, so you would be looking at f11 to f16 as a maximum aperture...

You will also have to do manual focus, but you will be at infinity for these kind of things anyway.

[agent006]

Camera is a D30 so 1600 iso max. 5.6 is best apperture i can get on the zoom lens. Good or bad?

[Bee_Jay]

So you are looking at f16 as a maximum aperture.

So point it out the window now in Av at f16 with the 200 on a 1600 ISO to see what shutter speeds you get.

If you are happy that you could handhold the zoom (though you should use a monopod for 600mm anyway) and that the shutter speeds are OK for what you wanna shoot then you will be OK.

[PH Roadshow]

I wouldn't go higher than 2x. At 3x not only will the viewfinder be very dark but you'll be at effectively 200 x 3 x 1.6 = 960mm. At f16 your shutter speeds will be so low you'll never hand-hold it; it'll be more like a telescope IMHO.

[Bee_Jay]

Indeed, at f16 you won't be able to see too much through the viewfinder...

[agent006]

Ok, so a 1.5 or 2x would be a better bet then i assume. I'l probably not get into town in time today anyway so i'll try and wing it with the 200 on its own.

Thanks for the advice guys.

>> Edited by agent006 on Tuesday 22 February 16:42

[srider]

agent006 said:

Ok, so a 1.5 or 2x would be a better bet then i assume. I'l probably not get into town in time today anyway so i'll try and wing it with the 200 on its own. Thanks for the advice guys. >> Edited by agent006 on Tuesday 22 February 16:42

Try going to the Luffield stand, if there are no wheelchair users there you can go in the disabled area and get close to the fence. Shoot at f8 or below, and you should get some good pics.