70-200AF-SVRII with Kenko 2xTC pro300(with sample shots)

About Nikon cameras(Film, coolpix, DSLR and Nikon mirrorless "Z"), lenses, accessories, links and firmware updates and sample pictures.

Moderator: Stany Buyle

Post Reply
User avatar
Stany Buyle
moderator
Posts: 2893
Joined: Sun 30 Nov 2008 15:05
Active Member?: Yes
Post pictures?: Yes
Contact:

70-200AF-SVRII with Kenko 2xTC pro300(with sample shots)

Post by Stany Buyle »

I received my 70-200 AF-SVRII a couple of days ago. Couldn't go out for trying out because of extreme winterconditions in our region.
Yesterday I went out, still freezing -7°C but not snowing...

As I am particularly interested in the 70-200 AF-SVRII + nikon TCIII 2x TC (which is not available yet), I tried the 70-200 AF-S VRII with my kenko pro300 2x converter. The "old" 70-200 AF-SVR with this converter delivered an relative acceptable center sharpness, but a horrible bokeh, some kind of ennoying grainy look to the picture and it was sometimes hunting badly for focus.

Shooting conditions were terrible, dark grey sky, wind upto 80km/hour and just a couple of hundred meters from the sea, and freezing -7°C...

Some samples and comments with the new combo...
All samples have been taken in NEF-14bit with ADL 'on'(mistake of mine), PP in Capture NX2, ADL to "off" in PP.

Vignetting... The vignetting with this combo @ F2.8(which becomes F5.6) is quite bad, but quite repairable in Capture NX2

A sample picture taken wide open (F2.8<>F5.6) with vignetting control in default camera setting (50 on the NX2 slider)
Image

And the above picture after PP in Capture NX2 with vignetting control slider to 200
Image

More samples..

Stopping down to F7.1 improves vignetting significantly....
Handhold @ 400mm, iso 1250, F7.1, 1/1250sec
Image

and a 100% crop:
Image

Handhold @ 400mm, iso 1250, F7.1, 1/1250sec
Image

and a 100% crop...
Image

And some more birds...

Handhold @ 400mm, iso 360, F5.6, 1/1250sec
Image

A crop100%
Image

Image

A crop100%
Image

Image

A crop100%
Image

Conclusion:

The new 70-200VRII is incredible sharp wide open, which results in acceptable sharpness wide open with the Kenko TC.

The difference between the 70-200 AF-S VR with the kenko pro300 2xTC and the 70-200 AF-S VRII with this TC is very promising in relation to the upcoming nikon TCIII.
AF is now very snappy, even in this cloudy, dark weather, very little hunting now.
VR maintains working amazingly well, I tested also @ very low shutter speeds and the pictures were remarkable sharp @ "400mm" and 1/50 sec.
Significant improvement about center sharpness, corner sharpness and overall IQ.
The new 70-200 with this kenko TC still delivers an ugly bokeh and an ennoying "grainy look" to the pictures, even though much better than with the early 70-200 version.

Can't wait to get my nikon TCIII 2x converter to try out...(29th janaury according to the nikon-europe website...)

*************************
Members of this forum have access to the original NEF files of my users reviews
*************************
kindest regards,

Stany
I like better one good shot in a day than 10 bad ones in a second...
http://www.fotografie.cafe
Leen Koper
moderator
Posts: 468
Joined: Mon 1 Dec 2008 23:53
Active Member?: Yes
Post pictures?: Yes
Location: Zierikzee, the Netherlands

Re: 70-200AF-SVRII with 2xTC(with sample shots)

Post by Leen Koper »

i cannot judge the bokeh by these images, but the lens looks very promising, provided you are willing to lug this lens around. (I am not :) )
User avatar
Stany Buyle
moderator
Posts: 2893
Joined: Sun 30 Nov 2008 15:05
Active Member?: Yes
Post pictures?: Yes
Contact:

Re: 70-200AF-SVRII with 2xTC(with sample shots)

Post by Stany Buyle »

Leen Koper wrote:i cannot judge the bokeh by these images, but the lens looks very promising, provided you are willing to lug this lens around. (I am not :) )
Once you've tasted the native sharpness and overall IQ this lens provides(including the old 70-200 VR) you don't feel the weight anymore. ;)

A sample picture taken with the VRI version on my "soft" S5pro, handhold, straight out of the camera, no PP only resized:

Image

and a crop

Image

And the good news is that the new version is even sharper @ any aperture and already very sharp @ F2.8...
kindest regards,

Stany
I like better one good shot in a day than 10 bad ones in a second...
http://www.fotografie.cafe
Leen Koper
moderator
Posts: 468
Joined: Mon 1 Dec 2008 23:53
Active Member?: Yes
Post pictures?: Yes
Location: Zierikzee, the Netherlands

Re: 70-200AF-SVRII with 2xTC(with sample shots)

Post by Leen Koper »

Hmmmm. You won't feel the weight of 1540 grams? No, too heavy for me, although I love the lens.
Post Reply