arshuter
Active member
Can a 2x converter be used on one? Will be attached to a D850. I swear I read somewhere that you can't but I cannot find that info again. Thanks.
500 pf question
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As I read the Nikon Compatibility chart, the lens will not autofocus with the 2x teleconverter but it will still function as a manual focus lens starting at f/11 (f/5.6 plus 2 stops). I use the 500PF with the 1.4TC on my D850 and it is ok if the light is good. I have not used the 2x TC on my Z9 to see if that works.
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You are correct on the 1.4x. Fixed my post. Fat finger syndrome.
arshuter
Active member
Oooh maybe thats what it was. It's been a while ago. Thanks guys. I do have a first gen 1.4 but seems like everything is a touch soft I thought going to 2x might help but manual focus is tough for wildlife.
I have used the 2x TCIII with my 500 mm PF on a Z9 and Z7II. It gets you to 1000 mm and f11.
I would not recommend the combination on a D850. As an f11 combination, it generally will not autofocus on a D850 (or D500), which are limited to f8 or faster lenses for AF (and at f8, only a few AF points near the center of the frame work). So you would likely be limited to manual focus. Even with the 1.4x TCIII on the 500 mm PF, where AF is possible with 8 or 9 central AF points on the D850 or D500, I find I prefer the Z9 or Z7II bodies.
On my Z9 and Z7II, autofocus works well with the 500 mm PF and the 2x TCIII. All of the AF points work, generally covering the frame. And since autofocus is done on the sensor, there is less (often no) need to AF tune the combination. I find the combination focuses fast enough on a Z9 that I can shoot birds in flight with the combination in decent light (the bigger challenge is keeping a bird like a swallow in the frame at 1000 mm). On the Z7II, the 2x TCIII slows autofocus enough that I do not find it useful for birds in flight. But in both cases the optical results are good if you can live with f11.
The increased ability to use TCs with lenses on Z bodies is one of the benefits of mirrorless bodies I find quite useful.
Brad Hill was using the 500 mm PF with the 2x TCIII on Z bodies. You can found a discussion on his website. Now that he has the Z 400 f2.8 TC, Z 400 f4.5 and the Z 800 mm PF, I believe he has sold his 500 mm PF.
I would not recommend the combination on a D850. As an f11 combination, it generally will not autofocus on a D850 (or D500), which are limited to f8 or faster lenses for AF (and at f8, only a few AF points near the center of the frame work). So you would likely be limited to manual focus. Even with the 1.4x TCIII on the 500 mm PF, where AF is possible with 8 or 9 central AF points on the D850 or D500, I find I prefer the Z9 or Z7II bodies.
On my Z9 and Z7II, autofocus works well with the 500 mm PF and the 2x TCIII. All of the AF points work, generally covering the frame. And since autofocus is done on the sensor, there is less (often no) need to AF tune the combination. I find the combination focuses fast enough on a Z9 that I can shoot birds in flight with the combination in decent light (the bigger challenge is keeping a bird like a swallow in the frame at 1000 mm). On the Z7II, the 2x TCIII slows autofocus enough that I do not find it useful for birds in flight. But in both cases the optical results are good if you can live with f11.
The increased ability to use TCs with lenses on Z bodies is one of the benefits of mirrorless bodies I find quite useful.
Brad Hill was using the 500 mm PF with the 2x TCIII on Z bodies. You can found a discussion on his website. Now that he has the Z 400 f2.8 TC, Z 400 f4.5 and the Z 800 mm PF, I believe he has sold his 500 mm PF.
Krümelkraft
Well-known member
I use the 500PF with 1,4x TC III on a D850 and it works with every AF point across the frame.
ricardo00
Well-known member
I have used the 1.7x TC on the 500mm PF (f/9.5) on my D500 and Z9. I have gone back and forth about whether to use it. It will autofocus though much slower than with the bare lens on the D500. Better on the Z9.
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Interesting. The D850 User Guide says that only 15 AF points work on the D850 when you put any of the 1.4x TCs on an f5.6 lens, like the 500 mm PF, so that the combination is f8. It notes that only 9 of these are selectable and only 5 are cross sensor AF points. It has a diagram showing where they are, nearer the center of the frame. See pages 96-97.
Of course, autofocus may work better than Nikon describes here, especially in good light.