# Which TC for 500mm lens?



## daniela (Jan 16, 2016)

Hi!

I decided yesterday to buy the Canon 500mm 4 L IS II lens and placed my order.
I will like to buy an teleconverter too. 
Should I buy the Original Canon 1.4x III, or the Sigma APO Telekonverter 1,4x EX DG? I got the information, the Sigma will be as good as the Canon. 
I found an test (http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/CompareTestProducts/187545K26570.html), where this info seems to be right. Do you use the Sigma teleconverter? 

Best wishes to all
Daniela


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## candc (Jan 16, 2016)

Do not get that sigma tc, it is not good. The new sigma tc 1401 and canon 1.4xiii are much better. The kenko pro is good optically but its a cheaper build with no weathersealing.


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## geonix (Jan 16, 2016)

Hello Daniela

I don't have the 500mm f4 but the Canon 1.4ex III. It works great with the 400mm DO II and should work as good with the 500mm. In Germany its price has also dropped quite a bit from around 500 to around 400 or even less.


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## neuroanatomist (Jan 16, 2016)

daniela said:


> Should I buy the Original Canon 1.4x III, or the Sigma APO Telekonverter 1,4x EX DG? I got the information, the Sigma will be as good as the Canon.
> I found an test (http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/CompareTestProducts/187545K26570.html), where this info seems to be right.



I don't see a test, just a price/feature comparison. Were multiple aspects of optical performance tested – not just sharpness, but distortion, CA, etc.? Was AF performance tested? 

You spent thousands of € on a lens, and are asking about saving a couple hundred € on a TC?

Get the Canon 1.4xIII.


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## JMZawodny (Jan 17, 2016)

I have the 500mm f/4 and both Canon 1.4x III and 2x III. I'm very happy with the Canon 1.4x III when used with this lens. I have just a few dozen shots with the 2x and need to dial in the the AFMA. It does appear to be a usable combination, but the AF speed is greatly reduced. The 1.4x III is very speedy on the 500. Get the Canon.


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## daniela (Jan 17, 2016)

Thank you all. It is not the price, who got me interested in the thrid party teleconverters. It was some mentioning from salesmen who think that the new Sigma TC performs better than the original Canon. 
The 1.4x Canon will be mine...


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## neuroanatomist (Jan 17, 2016)

daniela said:


> It was some mentioning from salesmen who think that the new Sigma TC performs better than the original Canon.



Perhaps the new Sigma TC does perform better than the Canon TC...in terms of retailer price markup.


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## djack41 (Jan 17, 2016)

If money is an issue, nothing wrong with the Canon TC 1.4 ll. I use one on my 600mm F4. Works as well as my friend's TC 1.4 lll. Sharp and fast. You can buy them for $200.


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## takesome1 (Jan 17, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> daniela said:
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> > It was some mentioning from salesmen who think that the new Sigma TC performs better than the original Canon.
> ...



The local camera store pushes the third party lenses and Nikon over Canon. They carry a full line of both. When you go in the shop and ask about a specific range they grab a third party lens first and hand it. If you ask about a body they hand you a Nikon first. I became friends with one of the salesman and I asked him about this. The reason is markup and commission, selling Canon even at full MSRP they could make more off the other manufactures.

Go with the Canon 1.4x III.


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## john1970 (Jan 17, 2016)

Get the Canon 1.4X III teleconverter. Given what you just spent on the lens the cost difference between the Canon and third-party TCs are not that significant. FYI the cost difference at B&H between the Canon and Sigma are $110.


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## candc (Jan 17, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> daniela said:
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> > It was some mentioning from salesmen who think that the new Sigma TC performs better than the original Canon.
> ...



i haven't seen any in depth comparisons between the canon and new sigma tc's online. i have both sigmas and both canon tciii's. from what i can tell the 1.4x versions are about the same but i think the sigma 2001 is a bit better than the 2xiii.


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## neuroanatomist (Jan 17, 2016)

candc said:


> neuroanatomist said:
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> > daniela said:
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Does 'better' apply to AF also?


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## candc (Jan 17, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> candc said:
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> > neuroanatomist said:
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the sigma is noticeably faster and the accuracy seems on par. i don't use the 2x converters much but i would suggest trying the sigma to someone that does.


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## xps (Jan 17, 2016)

Hi Daniela!

I read the test, you set the link. It was in colorfoto magazine in 2012. There the Canon converters did not get an high rating. I am sorry, but I do not have this magazine anymore.

Traumflieger did some testing too:
http://www.traumflieger.de/objektivtest/open_test/telekonverter/overview.php
http://www.traumflieger.de/desktop/telekonverter/telekonverter_canon3.php (Canon ii vs iii)

In my opinion, if you use this expensive lens outside and it could get e.g. wet, better stay with Canon. 
In my local fotoclub, some use third party converters on non-expensive lenses and they are quite happy with them.


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## AlanF (Jan 17, 2016)

Interesting links. You lose about 10% of the MTF resolution with the 1.4xTC III and 23% with the 2xTC III. This is in line with the results from objektivtest.se at at 20 cycles/mm. At the APS-C level of 30 cycles/mm, you lose 20% and 40%, respectively. It would be interesting to see the higher frequency data for the Kenko and Sigma converters.


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## candc (Feb 5, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> candc said:
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> > neuroanatomist said:
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something that i picked up on from another thread is that the canon extenders firmware slows down af on all canon bodies except the 1dx. my experience with the sigma and canon tc's is non 1dx bodies so that may account for the faster af with the new sigma tc's. the canon tcs would be 1.4x and 2x faster on a 1dx apparently.


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## Northbird (Feb 6, 2016)

It's a Canon lens use a Canon teleconverter. The 1.4 III TC works fine with my 600 II on a 7DII body. A small loss of AF speed and IQ. But a wonderful combo when you need the reach.


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## Greatland (Feb 6, 2016)

I have the Canon 600 II lens and I use the 1.4 III teleconverter with it.....absolutely no degradation in the images whatsoever. With the 2.0 III teleconverter there is a slight bit of softening with my images when I enlarge them...more than I will tolerate, so I stick with the 1.4


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