How good should a 1.4 Teleconverter be?

ASkip

Hi,
I'm new to the forum. I hope this is the right kind of place to ask... For Christmas I got a new Nikon 1.4 Teleconverter to add to my Nikon 300mm f2.8 lens for taking surf pictures when it's overcast. All the reviews indicated that it should have little effect on the clarity of the photos. but I'm really disappointed, there are blurry parts. <edited out boring details>
I stared at the TC some more. It has a rubbery gasket on one side that collects dust and spatters it across the glass when I wipe it with my microfiber cloth. so unless I blow it off every time I use it, the dust moves around and I suspect this is contributing to the blur I see in pictures.
Should a 1.4TC be perfect (when it's clean)? or might there be some slight softening and should it be uniform?
Thanks.

pathfinder

Are you shooting with a tripod? Or handholding?

What shutter speeds are being used?

ian408

Show us an example of a shot you think exhibits the problem.
If you could also supply the camera settings that would also be a great help
too.

Generally speaking, your TC shouldn't require any special treatment prior
to use. If you're having to clean it every time, something's not right. Perhaps
there is a camera store with qualified repair folks who might look at it for
you?

ASkip

ian408 wrote:

Show us an example of a shot you think exhibits the problem.
If you could also supply the camera settings that would also be a great help
too.

Generally speaking, your TC shouldn't require any special treatment prior
to use. If you're having to clean it every time, something's not right. Perhaps
there is a camera store with qualified repair folks who might look at it for
you?

Can I paste a link to a private gallery photo? this is one of the first pictures I took with the TC on:
http://ascip.smugmug.com/gallery/4080940/1/237741552#237741544-O-LB
Shutter speed is 1/200th. f7.1. handheld.
Normally I use a monopod. and shoot at at least 1/1250 and f5.6 for surf.
This is cropped but the picture was almost full frame. Head is fuzzy, board edge is ok. hand at bottom of frame is ok. R on board is fuzzy sorty of. It's like the lens has astigmatism. Happens in many pictures with the TC on. Could be just motion blur, but I don't see it in pictures without the TC. Sure I get blurry pictures wihtout it on occasion, but they're evenly blurry.

or there's this picture from Sunday:
http://ascip.smugmug.com/gallery/4150202#243402511-O-LB
The guy's head is like fuzzy. The shutter speed is 1/3000. His head cannot be moving that fast. it irks me. maybe I'm just too picky... all the pictures have been USM'd.
thanks.

gus

Askip , with the first photo...did you make a typo & you ment 1/2000 & not 1/200 as written ?:

Scott_Quier

gus wrote:

Askip , with the first photo...did you make a typo & you ment 1/2000 & not 1/200 as written ?:

No, he didn't as the SmugMug info shows it to be 1/200.

Looking at that shot, I see his left hand is in sharp focus but his head isn't. From the distance you were shooting, I would hope that the DOF (especially at f/7.1) would be sufficient to keep it all in focus.

I'm not expert enough to say that your TC is causing a problem, just barely good enough to know that there is a problem here somewhere.

ian408

I'm inclined the think you have focus set to auto and the camera picks something
other than your subject.

Try changing to a single focus point. Maybe center point.

1/200th is too slow for a hand-held shot with that focal length (my opinion).

ASkip

ian408 wrote:

I'm inclined the think you have focus set to auto and the camera picks something
other than your subject.

Try changing to a single focus point. Maybe center point.

1/200th is too slow for a hand-held shot with that focal length (my opinion).

I agree, 1/200th is too slow. I didn't notice, it was a bright sunny day.
I leave the camera in fixed aperture mode all the time, single point of focus, in the center. Normally I focus on the surfer's feet or chest.

Thanks for all the input everyone.

pathfinder

A good Nikon 1.4 TC should not extract very much image quality with a good Nikon 300f2.8 lens at all.

In the first image the only part that is sharp is the surfers left hand - even though the board is not really blurred, it is not sharp like his hand. Focusing issues seem likely here, not camera movement, even with too long a shutter speed of 1/200th. Subject movement could also play a role.

But when shooting long glass without a tripod for support, one must be very careful about their judgments re optical quality. It is always interesting how much better long lenses can be, when properly secured on a good tripod.....

ian408

Just a quick comment on stability for long shots surfing.

If you're going to be there a while, a tripod isn't such a bad thing. Bring a
towel to keep over the camera. The later helps keep blowing sand & spray
as well as direct sunlight off the body/lens. When I do shoot surf, it's usually
with a monopod. I guide the lens with my left hand on the lens hood and my
right for camera control. Same comment about the towel applies.

Hope that helps.