[mikeSF]

Strange, I bought a Tamron F 1.4 TC to use with my Tamron 70-200/2.8 and discovered that while the TC is mounted, I cannot disengage the focusing motor to manually focus. The clutch ring does not pull free of the AF mechanism resulting in sluggish and uneven turning. When I asked about this via the Tamron customer service website, the response was that they do not recommend the use of teleconverters with digital lenses and cameras. Gee, I wish I had known this before I bought the darn thing. Be warned everyone, TC's are for FILM cameras.

The message from Tamron is below and now I wonder if this is some automated response because it really did nothing to address my question at all (it refers to "AF issues"; my question is about MF).




________________________________________

Hi Mike,

We do not recommend the use of teleconverters with digital lenses/cameras, as you may experience image quality or auto focus issues. For more information, please see this service update: Teleconverter Service Updates

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me!


Regards,

Customer Service
Tamron USA, Inc.
10 Austin Blvd.
Commack, NY 11725
631-858-8400

[Northern Soul]

That's a standard response to a TC query. They haven't read your message aside from the word teleconverter I reckon.

Reminds me of the story of the person who complained about standards on a Pullman sleeper and received back their own letter with "send this S.O.B. the bed bug letter" written on it.

[mikeSF]

if that is the case, how am I to understand the, "if you have any other questions, please dont hesitate to contact me"? I still have the same question...if I ask again, will I get the same canned reply?? Arrgh, robots!

[blackcloudbrew]

That's odd. I have a kenko 1.5 TC that does SDM and works fine with the Tammy 70-200. I'd give it another shot with Tamron.

[pacerr]

We do not recommend the use of teleconverters with digital lenses/cameras

Seems a reasonable corporate-policy answer to me. Could be inclusive of 40-year old items.

Considering some of the, umm . . . un-tutored? . . . questions we see even here in this limited conclave of experts for the finest brand of camera, not to mention the fact that I haven't noticed any claims for Di-coatings on the TC's, any attempt to answer questions piecemeal would consume most of their corporate man-hours in an unending quest to satisfy all comers.

Seems simple enough to try a comparison for yourself, or believe others reports, given the highly personal and subjective nature of "satisfactory results with TC's". Wouldn't wanna make opinions on PF irrelevant now, would we?

OTOH, if you really want someone to actually read a query, try a scan-able subject line like . . .oh, "Best lens for goats in XXX-rated photos?"

H2

[Bramela]

Personally, I think it is a corporate "safety first" response. I reckon they are just covering themselves and their reputation.

I have the same TC and find it is very useful. AF and exposure varies a little from lens to lens, but overall, I recommend it's use.

[mikeSF]

thanks for the replies.

pacerr, i have almost no idea what you just said. ???

the point is my question has nothing to do with image quality, it is a problem with grinding gears when i try to manual focus. I'll throw the question back at Tamron. it's all good.

[mikeSF]

i would love to find someone who owns this TC and also the 70-200 and ask if they can manual focus it without grinding. anyone? thx!

[Ahren]

i would love to find someone who owns this TC and also the 70-200 and ask if they can manual focus it without grinding. anyone? thx!

I actually have the same Tamron TC and 70-200. Have never used in manual. (not much a manual focus person.. )

When I get a chance I will try it and let you know.

[Ahren]

Just manage to try it as well the 70-200 with TC. It is strange as it is as what TS described. It works OK with AF but MF does not seem to work even with camera set to MF

[mikeSF]

i got an actual reply from Tamron today stating:

"The teleconverter is not compatible with the 70-200 F/2.8 lens and we cannot provide support for its use. I would recommend discontinuing use of the teleconverter with that lens as they are not compatible. "

But now I am confused. What products are intended for use with their TC's??

[Lowell Goudge]

from the sounds of it, you are discussing a screw drive tamron 70-200F2.8, and a screw drive TC.

Let me ask a simple question then, when you go to Manual focus, are you putting the lens into MF or the camera into MF or both.

I don't know tamron lenses well enough, I only have the 28-75/2.8, and on that lens, the focus collar is always turning.

On my Sigma 70-200F2.0 (non DG non macro) the focusing collar has a clutch, but I also find that when turning just the lens collar and TC (camera not attached) the drive is rough and catchy,

It almost seems like the TC works fine in AF mode, but is not meant to be driven back the other way from the lens.

Since , on the sigma any way, the clutch on the lens is only for the focusing collar and not also disengaging the screw drive, I think the correct statement would be that AF TCs are not intended to be used in manual mode, not that TCs are not intended for DSLRs.

[farfisa]

I had the lens once, but not the TC. The clutch alone wouldn't disengage the screw drive, you have to switch to MF on the body, but I guess since you've probably tried the lens without the TC you would have noticed that already.

So is it that the screwdrive coupling between the lens and the TC is still engaged? Does it feel the same when you try it off the camera? It should spin freely if it's not engaged with the one in the body. But then again, I thought the clutch "should" actually put the lens in MF mode when I had it, not just decouple the focus ring from the AF mechanism

[mikeSF]

... I think the correct statement would be that AF TCs are not intended to be used in manual mode, not that TCs are not intended for DSLRs.

tamron said it, not me: "We do not recommend the use of teleconverters with digital lenses/cameras"

I had the lens once, but not the TC. The clutch alone wouldn't disengage the screw drive, you have to switch to MF on the body, but I guess since you've probably tried the lens without the TC you would have noticed that already.

yes, ive had the lens for a year and shoot MF with it all the time. The TC grinding issue is specific to the TC. I would agree with lowell that there seems to be no issue in AF mode using this device, but wont work in MF. Even if i want to force the gears in MF mode and try to focus, it is grabby and inconsistent enough to prevent easy manual focusing.

it's all good, i will quit using the TC and stick to cropping my pics, lol.
thx for the replies.