Question regarding use of TC1.4EII & turning VR off

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Larry Shuman

Larry Shuman

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I shoot a lot of birds using my 600mm F:4g and a D3s. When I'm in full bright sun I attach the 1.4 EII and have no problem getting focus lock, but on cloudy conditions and deep shade I found by turning VR off I have no problem getting focus lock. With VR off the 600mm/D3s/1.4EII work great. In fact I found this same issue at Magee this year using a D810 and 200-500. Struggled to lock focus with VR working, but turn it off and rig has no trouble locking focus. Please don't tell me to turn VR off when using high shutters because I have shot for years with VR on at any shutter and get stunning results. I would like to know how the VR effects focus.
 
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Larry Shuman said:
I shoot a lot of birds using my 600mm F:4g and a D3s. When I'm in full bright sun I attach the 1.4 EII and have no problem getting focus lock, but on cloudy conditions and deep shade I found by turning VR off I have no problem getting focus lock. With VR off the 600mm/D3s/1.4EII work great. In fact I found this same issue at Magee this year using a D810 and 200-500. Struggled to lock focus with VR working, but turn it off and rig has no trouble locking focus. Please don't tell me to turn VR off when using high shutters because I have shot for years with VR on at any shutter and get stunning results. I would like to know how the VR effects focus.
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Are you using full VR or Sport mode? If full, try Sport mode. With full VR, I find the focus jumps when it is engaged, which could throw off the focus?
 
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Larry Shuman said:
on the 600 its set to tripod and on the 200-500 its set to sport
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Surprised you haven't received more suggestions. The fact that you have seen this with two different lenses and two different bodies suggests that it is not due to a faulty VR in one of your lenses. For me, turning VR on helps to stabilize the view of the subject and thus helps maintain focus. Are you doing back button focus?
 
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no I'm not using BBF. I called Nikon yesterday and they were no help. everything works as designed overcast and sunny conditions but I wonder if its low contrast conditions?
 
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Not much to contribute, all I can tell you is that I owned a TC14-EIII for a few years and tried it on my 500 f/4 G and 500pf lens. I didn't like it much for the quality as well as the affected AF speed. I shoot often from hides in woodland, so aligned with your overcast / cloudy / bad light experience.

Never tried it with VR off / on to test if that would have made a difference, but overall, just wasn't impressed, so ended up not using the TC.
 
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