Compared, Canon 70-200 plus 2x extender, with Canon 100-400

[Grant Atkinson]

For those with an interest in such things, Chris F and I got together and shot some images, and tried to get a feel of how we could quantify what we thought were the main differences between these two lens/extender combinations.
To read the review, click here:
http://grantatkinsonphotography.blog...-canon-ef.html

I typically don't make too much use of the 2x extender but was quite surprized by the results that we obtained.
Hope it is of interest and maybe useful.
cheers
Grant

[Andre v]

Very nicely done.
I enjoy your tests and reviews.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

very nice... thank you...

I have had the 70-200mkII out on the Polo field as well as the 300mm f/2.8 - maybe I should take the 70-200+2x TC out as another test?

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering if I should upgrade my mk2 TCs to mk3s.

[Francois Retief]

Grant (and Chris) thanks for the great review. I now feel more confident in buying a 2x extender for my 70-200m f2.8 II lens.

[Phillip.Grobler]

I think the most useful info for me was that the focus speed on the 7x0-200+ 2x TC is faster. seems slightly better

I'm wondering if I should upgrade my mk2 TCs to mk3s.

I'm wondering abut the performance with the MK2 2x TC as well - they are currently 1/2 the price of the mk3 second hand.

[Chris F]

Grant thank you for the test and write up.

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks for the comments and feedback (PF, Francois, Sean, Andre and of course, Chris, who did half the work!). With regard to AF speed, what we did not do in this test using the 2x extender, was spend a lot of time on moving subjects. Definitely planning some write-ups on Ai Servo shooting techniques and settings in the days ahead. From my experience with using the 2x (whether it be III or II) is that it works well at tracking moving subjects if you have some predictability to work with, in terms of your subjects movement....I have personally struggled with getting good shots of fast-flying and somewhat unpredictable birds though, with a 2x extender on any Canon lens. It is of course possible, and many folk out there do it all the time, but I am not one of them.
For best results when using the 2x extender on fast-moving subjects, any of them, one needs to make a conscious effort to continuously keep the plane of focus as close as you can to your subject. For example, if you are going to photograph a racing car as it passes by your position, start tracking it from far away, and practice keeping it sharp all the way by pumping the shutter button to keep on making the AF focus...not necessarily shooting until it is where you want it.
The AF custom functions that deal with Ai Servo also make a difference to tracking, at least in terms of making carrying it out easier or not...those are AF tracking sensivity, Focus/shutter release priority are the main ones.
Thanks again for reading and commenting
cheers
Grant

[Yves Lombard]

Thank you Grant, just want to echo my appreciation for this test. i enjoyed the review and knowledge you shared.
regards
Yves

[Grant Atkinson]

Yves, thanks for letting me know, glad you find it useful.
cheers
Grant

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering abut the performance with the MK2 2x TC as well - they are currently 1/2 the price of the mk3 second hand.

It's not bad but then I don't have the mk3 to compare it with.

[Grant Atkinson]

PF and Williams
Perhaps the biggest difference is at wide-open apertures, as the newer 70-200f2.8 IS II is a little bit sharper than any older Canon 70-200 f2.8 zooms, most noticeably so at f2.8 and f4, and at the same time the new version III extender is consistently sharp from f5.6 up, more so than when using the version 2 extender. Stopping down will even things up, but especially with wildlife shooting, i often cannot afford to stop down due to the loss of sufficient shutter speed.

[Ken]

It's not bad but then I don't have the mk3 to compare it with.

This photo was taken by a fellow ODP'er with my 70-200 MkII, and a 2x MkII if I recall correctly - this photo is part of a thread on the same topic a couple of years ago. Taken with a 550D.

[Mike Wrankmore]

Thanks Grant....interesting Read!Can't wait for your Tokina Review.