new Nikon Teleconverter TC-14 III better than the II?

Tim Zurowski wrote:You know EJ, while you know more about the technical aspects of camera gear than anyone I know, photography is not ALL about techs. If it was, it would not interest me at all. I was simply asking for your "impression" of how well the TC performed in the field once you got a chance to go out and use it. . . . . nothing more - nothing less. I am sorry I asked now. I'll wait until someone locally gets one and try it for myself.

Not sure what you are asking for Tim, how would it perform differently from any other TC?  What exactly do you mean with "perform in the field" - it's a 1.4x, why would it perform any differently than any other Nikon 1.4x in the field?  I really do not know what you are looking for.

Thanks EJ for all the helpful information as I decide whether to upgrade.  I have the D800 and 500 f/4 but am also wondering if you have had a chance to try the new 1.4 teleconverter with the 80-400 lens as well?  Is that something you expect you would use much with that zoom to try to get extra reach?

Mark

likes2hike wrote:Thanks EJ for all the helpful information as I decide whether to upgrade.  I have the D800 and 500 f/4 but am also wondering if you have had a chance to try the new 1.4 teleconverter with the 80-400 lens as well?  Is that something you expect you would use much with that zoom to try to get extra reach?

Mark

Yes I have.  I've never liked TC's on big zooms like this and this is no exception.  If you stop down a stop which puts you at f/11 with the TC on and zoom out a bit it's acceptable but then, on a high megapixel camera you are well into diffraction with a slow shutter speed and zoomed back to not that much longer than shooting at full focal length with the lens and no TC to begin with.  You simply run out of a sharp shooting regime window when putting a TC on an f/5.6 zoom which needs to be stopped down to get good sharpness on today's high mp cameras.  So in a pinch where absolute sharpness isn't a requirement, it's useable but for critical photography, not so much