Anyone have experience with Sigma's

John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
edited September 1, 2005 in Accessories
2X extender?
TIA
My Smuggy

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Comments

  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    John Mueller wrote:
    2X extender?
    TIA
    Yep. I have used one with my Sigma 70-200. Didn't like it and haven't used it again. Just slowed down the lens too much for me.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    John Mueller wrote:
    2X extender?
    TIA
    I am currently testing the DG version on the 70-200 EX DG. f5.6 is fine in sunlight, but it seems to do something odd to the background, I will post some tests soon.
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    OK, see if this link works for you:

    http://limbik.smugmug.com/gallery/765894/1/33840345
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    It seems that...
    limbik wrote:
    OK, see if this link works for you:

    http://limbik.smugmug.com/gallery/765894/1/33840345
    ... this TC screws up the bokeh pretty hard.headscratch.gif

    Thanks for taking the efforts testing and sharing!thumb.gif
    Cheers!1drink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    Nikolai wrote:
    ... this TC screws up the bokeh pretty hard.headscratch.gif

    Thanks for taking the efforts testing and sharing!thumb.gif
    Cheers!1drink.gif
    You bet! 1drink.gif
    It is rather dissapointing. It almost makes it look crosshatched or something in the background, very distracting. I'm still waiting to get my hands on a 1.4x DG and I will post those results, but at the moment I'm debating if I really want to keep the 2x.
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    Hmmmmmm
    thanks guys.
    Maybe Ill go with another Canon 1.4 and try stacking them.ne_nau.gif
    My Smuggy

    Cincinnati Smug Leader
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    John Mueller wrote:
    Hmmmmmm
    thanks guys.
    Maybe Ill go with another Canon 1.4 and try stacking them.ne_nau.gif
    Woah, now there's an idea eek7.gif
    What lens are you using John?
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2005
    limbik wrote:
    Woah, now there's an idea eek7.gif
    What lens are you using John?
    300L f4.0 IS and I would like to try with my 135L f2.0
    My Smuggy

    Cincinnati Smug Leader
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 29, 2005
    If anybody has the Canon EF 2x II TC, I'd love to see similar tests with the Canon lens.
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited August 29, 2005
    Just as a note, I have the 1.4x DG and I don't think it does nearly the ruining that the 2x does. If it ever stops pouring out, I'll try to run a quick sample for you with my 100-300mm.

    I have a friend who has both and he only pulls out the 2x when he needs real reach.
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]

  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 29, 2005
    Does the sigma 2x TC work on the Canon 70-200? I would test it if i had one, as I am now wondering if it is the TC distorting the bokeh or if this lens just has particularly unpleasant bokeh and magnified by the 2x is more obvious. headscratch.gif

    -update-

    I took a few good looks at the raw images again and realized two things:

    First, yes it seems that this TC does do strange things to the bokeh and I tried to formulate exactly what is happening to cause this, but alas I am no engineer.

    Then I realized that I have serious doubts about Adobe Camera Raw as it seems to bring out or create those large cross-hatches in the image. Originally I attributed it to the jpg compression, but that should be minimal at the settings I use and as I suspected I could see it pre-compression.
    I am new to the raw format, and may be totally wrong, but is the software converting the raw file the most likely source for this problem? Any ideas, or tips for getting the best output from my raw files?
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited August 30, 2005
    limbik wrote:
    Then I realized that I have serious doubts about Adobe Camera Raw as it seems to bring out or create those large cross-hatches in the image. Originally I attributed it to the jpg compression, but that should be minimal at the settings I use and as I suspected I could see it pre-compression.
    I am new to the raw format, and may be totally wrong, but is the software converting the raw file the most likely source for this problem? Any ideas, or tips for getting the best output from my raw files?
    Now that is something I've never heard before.

    headscratch.gif

    The only time I've seen noise or something bad introduced when converting from RAW is when you push a little too hard. Like +2 stops in exposure, that will bring out some serious noise. But this cross-hatching, I've never heard of it. Can you post a sample somehow? Take the same photo jpg and raw, then show us the raw result?
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]

  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited August 30, 2005
    The link that I posted earlier contains 2 images that were both taken RAW and converted to jpg. I thought it had something to do with the jpg, but when I looked at those same images via adobe camera raw, the effect is visible in the background. I am currently testing Capture One to see if it comes out any different, but it is a lot to digest.
  • JamesJWegJamesJWeg Registered Users Posts: 795 Major grins
    edited August 30, 2005
    Harryb wrote:
    Yep. I have used one with my Sigma 70-200. Didn't like it and haven't used it again. Just slowed down the lens too much for me.
    PM me if you want to sell it, I have need for it in a high light situation.

    James.
    http://pics.jamesjweg.com
    http://www.jamesjweg.com
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2005
    Will Canon's EF II 2x TC work on the Sigma 70-200 f2.8?
  • gluwatergluwater Registered Users Posts: 3,599 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2005
    limbik wrote:
    If anybody has the Canon EF 2x II TC, I'd love to see similar tests with the Canon lens.
    This [thread=17722]thread [/thread]has all the pictures except the last one taken with a Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS with a Canon 2x II TC on a 20D shot in RAW and processed with ACR then sharpened in CS2.

    I have never noticed any wierd background effects like you have. The only negatives about the 2x TC are that it is slow to AF in low light and it greatly reduces the sharpness of your shots. Besides that it works well.

    Nick
    Nick
    SmugMug Technical Account Manager
    Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
    nickwphoto
  • limbiklimbik Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2005
    gluwater wrote:
    This [thread=17722]thread [/thread]has all the pictures except the last one taken with a Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS with a Canon 2x II TC on a 20D shot in RAW and processed with ACR then sharpened in CS2.

    Nick
    Thanks! Nice shots, thats exactly what I was looking for thumb.gif
    I'm still trying to get to the bottom of my raw conversion issue, I'll post those questions in the software forum.
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