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10-28-2010, 03:25 AM   #1
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Bought Pentax 1.7x AF TC - what should I attach?

So, I went and bought a 1.7x TC from Tom1803 in the marketplace. It arrived, and it looks perfect.

But... this was really just step 1 in my plan. Step 2 is a tele lens to actually allow me to use it!

I have the FA 55-300mm, which is all I have. It allows me decent bird shots when good light and good luck happens simultaneously. But it is too slow for the TC, and probably not good enough quality to make sense to combine with it anyway.

Step 2 is the expensive step of course, and I am very budget limited. But there are two lenses that I just MIGHT have luck finding at $1000, which is my absolute loft.

Pentax DA 300mm f/4 or Sigma APO 100-300mm f/4

I know there is some issue with zoom lenses, because you have to set the focal lenght manually when using the converter, but I would expect that is mostly about turning the camera off and on again after changing the focal lenght? Anyway, for bird shots I would mostly be using 300mm, but the zoom would allow some extra flexibility.

I would really appreciate your opinion on this. In any case, I haven't got $1000 to spend right now, but knowing what you are saving up for is motivational, and I will be hovering over the marketplace and looking for the right deal to show up...


Last edited by MetteHHH; 10-28-2010 at 12:31 PM.
10-28-2010, 03:50 AM   #2
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I vote for a monofocal option. The AF1,7 is a good companion to my CZJ pancolar 80/1,8 and A50/1,7 but never gets good results from any zoom lens.
With Sigma it won't even communicate properly. Sigma only works well with their own teleconverters. It's a shame because the 180mm macro Sigma I have is a great lens and would be optically good enough even with the teleconverter.
10-28-2010, 07:00 AM   #3
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I use the SMC-F 1.7x AF TC primairly with the SMC-300F4, but also with my vivitar 85mm f1.4, and occasionally with my SMC-50mmF1.4.

the teleconverter factor of 1.7 makes it a specific use for specific applications, and I have found it most useable on long tele lenses. but this must be fast long tele lenses
10-28-2010, 08:31 AM   #4
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Why not pair it with the DA* 200 f2.8? Or re-sell it to me so I can pair it with mine.

10-28-2010, 12:35 PM   #5
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Hehe... I didn't even try it out yet, so I am not ready to part with it! But I noticed that Tom1803 put another few for sale since I bought mine.

I do have the DA* 200mm f/2.8 sitting in my (wishful) shopping cart at BHPhotovideo - so I considered that option too. But reach is really crucial since it is mainly birds I want to shoot. And the flight distance of birds here in Scandinavia is just ridiculous. It is what you get from eating everything that moves for a few thousand years I suppose...

Thanks a lot for the advice! I guess I will be aiming for the DA 300mm f/4 then.
10-28-2010, 12:46 PM   #6
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How about a Pentax-M/A 200 or 300mm? They are way cheaper and you still get AF.
10-28-2010, 01:44 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by MetteHHH Quote
Hehe... I didn't even try it out yet, so I am not ready to part with it! But I noticed that Tom1803 put another few for sale since I bought mine.

I do have the DA* 200mm f/2.8 sitting in my (wishful) shopping cart at BHPhotovideo - so I considered that option too. But reach is really crucial since it is mainly birds I want to shoot. And the flight distance of birds here in Scandinavia is just ridiculous. It is what you get from eating everything that moves for a few thousand years I suppose...

Thanks a lot for the advice! I guess I will be aiming for the DA 300mm f/4 then.
If you want to use it for birds, start off by putting it on a 300mm.

As I noted above I use mine a lot on a K300F4 and have posted many shots with this pairing,

Also note that there are both M and A 300F4 lenses on ebay right now.

The advantage of an A300F4 is the aperture contacts and the ability with A series lenses to run in full auto exposure mode and to do P-TTL flash. these would make me want an A300F4 just a little.

10-28-2010, 01:46 PM   #8
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I have DA* 200mm coming soon too! So eager to try it with AF 1.7x adapter.
10-28-2010, 04:44 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by MetteHHH Quote
So, I went and bought a 1.7x TC from Tom1803 in the marketplace. It arrived, and it looks perfect.

But... this was really just step 1 in my plan. Step 2 is a tele lens to actually allow me to use it!

I have the FA 55-300mm, which is all I have. It allows me decent bird shots when good light and good luck happens simultaneously. But it is too slow for the TC, and probably not good enough quality to make sense to combine with it anyway.

Step 2 is the expensive step of course, and I am very budget limited. But there are two lenses that I just MIGHT have luck finding at $1000, which is my absolute loft.

Pentax DA 300mm f/4 or Sigma APO 100-300mm f/4

I know there is some issue with zoom lenses, because you have to set the focal lenght manually when using the converter, but I would expect that is mostly about turning the camera off and on again after changing the focal lenght? Anyway, for bird shots I would mostly be using 300mm, but the zoom would allow some extra flexibility.

I would really appreciate your opinion on this. In any case, I haven't got $1000 to spend right now, but knowing what you are saving up for is motivational, and I will be hovering over the marketplace and looking for the right deal to show up...
I had the 1.7x, the DA300 and the sigma 100-300mm and the 1.7x worked great on the DA300mm. There were some issues with the 1.7x afa and the sigma as to the aperture not being closed to the proper setting (where it was supposed to be) Example: if I wanted the lens to close down one stop(f5.6) I would have to use the aperture ring as it would not be correct until f8 (I think). It reported in the EXIF as a 80-200 f2.8 so I think it was a communication problem. I used a kenko 1.5x on the sigma with no problems though.
I don't think you would be dissapointed with either the DA or the sigma, they both are excellent. the pentax is better up close but the sigma focuses faster, but with the 1.7x on the pentax it is really fast also. Tough choise I guess that's why I wound up getting both. : )
10-28-2010, 04:49 PM   #10
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I use my AFA 1.7X with the DA* 60-250mm. That has many times saved me the trouble of hauling along my Sigma 135-400 or 150-500.
10-28-2010, 06:34 PM   #11
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I often use mine with my DA* 200 f2.8. I like this combo very much and I would love to give it a shot on a DA* 300mm f4.
12-04-2010, 06:44 AM   #12
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I just got AFA 1.7x and it works well with M lenses, but it doesn't provide full features with A lenses. When an A lens is connected it flashes up 'MF' not 'AF'. It *does* still autofocus, but it thinks it is manual focus so can't select AF-C. Also multisegment metering is not selectable and P-TTL flash just fires at maximum. Is this the same as yours, or is mine broken?
12-04-2010, 07:07 AM   #13
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Works great with the Tamron AD-2 SP's - the 90/2.5, 180/2.5, 300/2.8, 70-210/3.5 and the 80-200/2.8.

You can also stack the Tamron AD-2 140 TC with the AFA 1.7 with satisfactory results.

H2
12-04-2010, 07:32 AM   #14
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Mine more or less has a permanent home on the A* 300mm f2.8.

I will occasionally use it on the D-FA 100mm macro where it is so good I actually sold my Sigma 180mm f3.5 macro lens because I had no need of it.
12-04-2010, 02:03 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by rumpole Quote
I just got AFA 1.7x and it works well with M lenses, but it doesn't provide full features with A lenses. When an A lens is connected it flashes up 'MF' not 'AF'. It *does* still autofocus, but it thinks it is manual focus so can't select AF-C. Also multisegment metering is not selectable and P-TTL flash just fires at maximum. Is this the same as yours, or is mine broken?
Either yours is broken or the lens is not in A

An a lens will let both P-TTL flash and auto exposure through the camera Focus is semi auto by this I mean you close focus manually and then the TC takes over. AF-C should work just fine same with AF-S
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