Brad Hill on Teleconverters and Mirrorless

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

E

eaj101

Well-known member
Member's gallery
Just got off a presentation by Brad Hill (wonderful wildlife photographer, natualart.ca) in which he observes that the Z cameras have 'changed the rules' on teleconverters - the F-mount ones. To wit: he says the the F-mount TC-14EIII and TC-20III have turned out to be tack sharp in situations he never would have tried before. He specifically references the TC-14 on the 500PF (700mm) as 'stunning'. I'm going to have to start experimenting.

(He also says the 500PF has been 'game changing' in his photography. (He does a tremendous amount of work handheld from boats and Zodiacs).
 
Member's gallery
I found using TCs with mirrorless was a lot more consistent then DSLRs (I did use the 1.4 with the 500pf and a z6/z50/d500). I would get more sharp shots out of every set with the z bodies.
 
Member's gallery
I watched the presentation too. It was very good. I hope they post it publicly for those who may not have had the chance to see it live.

I agree with him on TCs with the 500 mm PF and Z7II and Z6II bodies. I bought a 2x TCIII a while back based on his comments. Already had the 1.4x TCIII. Checkout his website for further comments and examples. Along with Steve, Brad is someone whose experience and advice I trust.

I took a trip with Brad in 2019 to Gwaii Haanas National Park and Reserve. It was a great trip and I feel I learned a lot from Brad. Had trips in 2020 and 2021 scheduled with him that cancelled or deferred because of covid. Looking forward to doing another one with him next year.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
I wonder if the 2nd gen 1.4TC would work as well, or if I would have to upgrade to a 3rd gen... I asked in the presentation (with autocorrect typo!) but it didn't get asked live.
I've done 4 tours with Brad and am booked on a 5th next year (postponed for 2 years :(
 
Member's gallery
I went back and checked his blog on the subject. He decribed his experienes there:

"Anyone paying attention to the commentaries in my Gallery of Latest Additions will know how pumped I am about the enhanced performance of the TC-14EII (1.4x) and TC-20EIII (2x) teleconverters when shot with a Z 6II or Z 7II (compared to when shot on any Nikon DSLR). While this is speculation on my part, I THINK the enhanced performance is attributable to the inherent difference in how the AF system of a mirrorless camera works (i.e., judges focus on the actual image sensor) vs. how the AF system of a DSLR works (i.e., judges focus on a secondary low-res "proxy" sensor that receives MUCH LESS light than the image sensor). But regardless of why teleconverters work better with Nikon's mirrorless cameras...the fact that they DO work so much better is wonderful thing (especially for a wildlife shooter!). On my near-daily sunrise "camera walks" on and around our property I take my Z 6II (with battery grip) paired with a 500mm f5.6E PF and with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters on small pouches on a belt on my waist. So I am carrying around a super-lightweight kit with 500mm, 700mm, and 1000mm capabilities - and that kit can produce top-shelf quality at EACH of those focal lengths. This is - without a doubt - the most portable and BEST walk-around wildlife kit I have ever owned. Geez...only two or three years ago I would have needed a team of sherpas to carry a kit that could produce top-quality images at 500mm, 700mm and 1000mm focal lengths. Wildlife photographer nirvana!"

p.s. I've loved his work for a long time but never managed one of his tours. Brad's trips live on boats, and my wife gets seasick looking at a glass of water, so that's a bit limiting :)
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
eaj101 said:
To wit: he says the the F-mount TC-14EIII and TC-20III have turned out to be tack sharp in situations he never would have tried before. He specifically references the TC-14 on the 500PF (700mm) as 'stunning'. I'm going to have to start experimenting.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I've been shooting with the 500mm PF with the TC-14e iii and TC-20e III with my Z6 II and the results are very impressive. I'd put it down to better focusing accuracy, no f/8 limitation on AF and no AF fine tuning when adding the TC. So far I've been very impressed with how the MILC allows TC combos that wouldn't work with my DSLRs.
 
Member's gallery
eaj101 said:
p.s. I've loved his work for a long time but never managed one of his tours. Brad's trips live on boats, and my wife gets seasick looking at a glass of water, so that's a bit limiting :)
Click to expand...
My wife gets seasick too (although she doesn’t go on my photo trips). We have both used scopolamine patches for seasickness. They require a doctor’s prescription. I’ve used them on boats in and around the Galápagos Islands, Gwaii Haanas, the Antarctic Peninsula and Iceland. They’ve worked well to prevent seasickness for us.
 
Member's gallery
eaj101 said:
Just got off a presentation by Brad Hill (wonderful wildlife photographer, natualart.ca) in which he observes that the Z cameras have 'changed the rules' on teleconverters - the F-mount ones. To wit: he says the the F-mount TC-14EIII and TC-20III have turned out to be tack sharp in situations he never would have tried before. He specifically references the TC-14 on the 500PF (700mm) as 'stunning'. I'm going to have to start experimenting.

(He also says the 500PF has been 'game changing' in his photography. (He does a tremendous amount of work handheld from boats and Zodiacs).
Click to expand...
Even with my dinky Z50 I noticed way better TC results with the 500PF compared to D500 and D850. It has to be all based on better AF and no need for AFMA. Optics don't change.

I sometimes felt okay shooting the 1.4TC on the 500PF on the DSLRs. With the Z50 for static subjects the 1.7 and 2.0 also gave me great consistency.
I really can't wait to see how these TCs do on the 500PF for action on the Z9.
 
Member's gallery
arbitrage said:
With the Z50 for static subjects the 1.7 and 2.0 also gave me great consistency.
I really can't wait to see how these TCs do on the 500PF for action on the Z9.
Click to expand...

I saw some shots taken by a friend of mine with the Z50 and AF-P 70-300 FX in combination with a Kenko 1.4 converter. They were pretty good. He told me he even got some useable results with the AF-P 70-300 DX. I didn't get to see those yet, however.

Makes me wonder if I should get a Z50 just for fun ... :)

Hermann
 
Excellent presentation. I liked the review of compositional factors. Interesting about the use of more foreground to make the eye see a low angle. You see that in painting a lot, where it makes it seem like the subject is father away the higher in the frame it is. I wish they would have let him get through the talk before interrupting with questions, save the questions for later is better in my view. Nice website and gallery too.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
KirstyM said:
Yes, but he's not using a Z mount converter - he's using F mount on his PF lenses, in front of the FTZ adapter.
Click to expand...

Yes, but this is about the Nikon Z AF system that also functions through the FTZ adaptor with F-mount TCs and lenses.

Michelle Valberg, a Nikon Canada Ambassador, has been using the Nikon F-mount 2.0x TC with her Z cameras and 500 f/5.6 PF and 800mm f/5.6 lenses for sometime. Here’s a Nikonians interview with Michelle discussing pairing the 2.0x TC with her Z 6ii & Z 7ii with the 500 f/5.6 PF & 800 f/5.6.

www.nikonians.org

Webinar Nikon Z6ii & Z7ii

Learn about the new Nikon Z6ii and Nikon Z7ii cameras in this first part of our new webinar series where Nikon Ambassadors and Nikon representatives are letting us know the details about the new cameras and answering our questions.
www.nikonians.org www.nikonians.org

Most recently, Michelle demonstrated the Z9 with her 500 PF and the 2.0x TC.


The use of TCs with the Z AF system usually includes caveats for use of the TCs at f/11 for BIF. Michelle’s videos do show that she pushes the combination for effective in-motion images.
 
Member's gallery
txstone said:
Yes, but this is about the Nikon Z AF system that also functions through the FTZ adaptor with F-mount TCs and lenses.

Michelle Valberg, a Nikon Canada Ambassador, has been using the Nikon F-mount 2.0x TC with her Z cameras and 500 f/5.6 PF and 800mm f/5.6 lenses for sometime. Here’s a Nikonians interview with Michelle discussing pairing the 2.0x TC with her Z 6ii & Z 7ii with the 500 f/5.6 PF & 800 f/5.6.

www.nikonians.org

Webinar Nikon Z6ii & Z7ii

Learn about the new Nikon Z6ii and Nikon Z7ii cameras in this first part of our new webinar series where Nikon Ambassadors and Nikon representatives are letting us know the details about the new cameras and answering our questions.
www.nikonians.org www.nikonians.org

Most recently, Michelle demonstrated the Z9 with her 500 PF and the 2.0x TC.


The use of TCs with the Z AF system usually includes caveats for use of the TCs at f/11 for BIF. Michelle’s videos do show that she pushes the combination for effective in-motion images.
Click to expand...
Yes, aware of that - my comment related to Brad’s use, which seems similar to Michelle, rather than the use of the z-mount TC.
 
Member's gallery
I’m skeptical of using the 2x TC on a Z9 and 500pf but will try it when I get it but geez if that worked well it would be awesome. I have an old TC e-ii collecting dust in the closet maybe it will work well with the Z9 on my 600vr?
 
Member's gallery
I‘ve used the TC-20ii with my Z6ii and 500mm f4 E and got some useable images in good light. At least by my standards 😊

9490B3C3-2B12-424F-AB64-E9566A26B996.jpeg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Member's gallery
Sorry to seem dismissive but it is likely to rely on TC2 II ie a wasted trial. TCE III is much improved, but it is still a fickle beast. There also seems to be copy variation, which may partly explain the polarized view on TCs.
IME, my copy is not up to my standards on the 70-200 f2.8E, but it gives fairly good IQ in the right conditions - subject distance especially - on 300 f2.8E VR II; okay on 300 f4E PF (but in dire need only) but really good on the 400 f2.8E FL.
some links in my Nikon database

https://photographylife.com/image-degradation-with-nikon-teleconverters

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-tc-20e-iii

https://photographylife.com/what-is-a-teleconverter

notably - http://www.naturalart.ca/artist/fieldtests/tc_series3.html

https://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/0073/index.htm

and https://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/tc-20eiii-field-results/

gdecamp said:
I’m skeptical of using the 2x TC on a Z9 and 500pf but will try it when I get it but geez if that worked well it would be awesome. I have an old TC e-ii collecting dust in the closet maybe it will work well with the Z9 on my 600vr?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
I use TC2.0III on my 4002.8E pretty much 50% of the time when I'm photographing birds and find the quality very good. Hand held shooting is challenging but still possible but tripod shooting is preferable. Here are some examples, all at 800mm, handheld.
_8505873-Edit.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.


_8509923-Edit.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

_8507728.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

fcotterill said:
Sorry to seem dismissive but it is likely to rely on TC2 II ie a wasted trial. TCE III is much improved, but it is still a fickle beast. There also seems to be copy variation, which may partly explain the polarized view on TCs.
IME, my copy is not up to my standards on the 70-200 f2.8E, but it gives fairly good IQ in the right conditions - subject distance especially - on 300 f2.8E VR II; okay on 300 f4E PF (but in dire need only) but really good on the 400 f2.8E FL.
some links in my Nikon database

https://photographylife.com/image-degradation-with-nikon-teleconverters

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-tc-20e-iii

https://photographylife.com/what-is-a-teleconverter

notably - http://www.naturalart.ca/artist/fieldtests/tc_series3.html

https://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/0073/index.htm

and https://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/tc-20eiii-field-results/
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top