I have AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED and I need TC 2x with Autofocus.

Amajed · Feb 28, 2016

Hi, I've been searching around and could not find anything.

is it possible to attach a TC 2x on AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED without losing AF?

my understanding that TC 2x won't work with the lens's auto focus, right?

I need working distance to be able to shot insects before I scare them away, mostly will be shooting around f20 with a flash, so the light won't be a problem, the only problem is Auto Focus, is there a solution for this?

help me out please, thanks

Leonard Shepherd · Mar 1, 2016

Adding to those who say AF works with a 2x, my experience is AF can work, rather than will work.

You have to approximately pre-focus first and then AF works fine. I do not regard this as a hardship.

If the lens is at infinity focus and you want 2:1 with a 2x the AF may just hunt, or the AF time limit may cut in before AF has been acquired.

With a static subject, no wind, a tripod and time on your side liveview manual focus is a good option, but that is not the way the OP wants tp photograph.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

Leonard Shepherd said:
Adding to those who say AF works with a 2x, my experience is AF can work, rather than will work.

You have to approximately pre-focus first and then AF works fine. I do not regard this as a hardship.

If the lens is at infinity focus and you want 2:1 with a 2x the AF may just hunt, or the AF time limit may cut in before AF has been acquired.

With a static subject, no wind, a tripod and time on your side liveview manual focus is a good option, but that is not the way the OP wants tp photograph.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

OK, so I printed an eyesight test board and placed it on my wall, I put the cam on a tripod with the macro lens and tried to get the best focus possible to see the small litters, after that I started playing with the small dial next to the viewfinder and it turned out to be a little bit out of focus, next thing I was able to look very good throw that viewfinder, still not an easy task to achieve a perfect focus, but at least now I know the viewfinder is fixed, but god I feel like dizzy and headache from just fixing that dial.... maybe I need to see an optometrist or something.

oklaphotog · Mar 1, 2016

Amajed said:
I did try leaning in and out using a fixed focus, the problem is I don't trust my eyes when I do that using a viewfinder, and live view is not an option in a sunny day.

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Guidenet · Mar 1, 2016

No Text just a laugh and Craig being ornery.

Michael Benveniste · Mar 1, 2016

Amajed said:
Sounds complicated, and sadly I understood nothing -_-! why does the D800 make a better diffraction limit? is it because of the higher pixel count? and if that so, does that mean a 7100 will have a better diffraction limit since it has more pixels on a little area than the D750? or I'm thinking in the wrong direction here?

Diffraction places a limit on the "real" resolution which can be recorded in a any given area of a sensor. An FX sensor has more area than a DX sensor, so for the same field of view, when you are diffraction limited you will record more resolution on an FX sensor than a DX sensor.

At f/20, there's no real resolution advantage to using a D800 over a D750; I just happen to own the former.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

Michael Benveniste said:
Amajed said:

Sounds complicated, and sadly I understood nothing -_-! why does the D800 make a better diffraction limit? is it because of the higher pixel count? and if that so, does that mean a 7100 will have a better diffraction limit since it has more pixels on a little area than the D750? or I'm thinking in the wrong direction here?

Click to expand...

Diffraction places a limit on the "real" resolution which can be recorded in a any given area of a sensor. An FX sensor has more area than a DX sensor, so for the same field of view, when you are diffraction limited you will record more resolution on an FX sensor than a DX sensor.

At f/20, there's no real resolution advantage to using a D800 over a D750; I just happen to own the former.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

Guys, is it possible that I have a bad lens? is there a way to test the lens to make sure it's sharp enough? a method that can make sure that a given lens has no problems on in term of sharpness/IQ?

D500 001 · Mar 1, 2016

Maybe you could set up on your tripod, focusing within 6 inches of a paper currency (using live view) and see how things look in the detailed portion.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

ok so I shot these two images, both are raw files, one with manual focus, other with auto focus.

the manual focus is better, but is it really the best I can do?

image without editing what so ever, I just cropped it and convert it to jpg using lightroom.

if u need the raw file let me know and tell me how to upload it.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

D500 001 said:
Maybe you could set up on your tripod, focusing within 6 inches of a paper currency (using live view) and see how things look in the detailed portion.

StillLearning · Mar 1, 2016

That's pretty good start. Back when I was trying macro I did use the Nikon TC 1.4X II with the D200. Paperwork said the AF wouldn't work but it did to an extent. Manual override worked better though. It was challenging to balance between DOF and optimal resolution.

Amajed · Mar 1, 2016

StillLearning said:
That's pretty good start. Back when I was trying macro I did use the Nikon TC 1.4X II with the D200. Paperwork said the AF wouldn't work but it did to an extent. Manual override worked better though. It was challenging to balance between DOF and optimal resolution.

Yours looks a bit closer to mine, a bit better tho, so, does that mean our fly is just a bad fly

?

where I live, there are no good flies around, I need to look for bees, they are better target I think.

John Michael Winterbourne · Mar 1, 2016

So it does - the TC16A I mean. But only "sort of" - if you're going to chip in with that sort of almost off topic quibble, I think you owe it to the less-up-to-speed forum members to say that the last two or three generations of Nikon cameras need a modified TC-16A to work. The most recent cameras that an un-modified TC16A will work on are the D2 series. Still as good as they were a couple of digital generations back; but it's unlikely the OP is asking about cameras from that era?

One way or another, you've given the impression that an original TC16A would work on a modern Nikon DSLR; but it won't. The "modification" I've mentioned is very simple in theory but hard - and way beyond my own soldering skills - to do in practice. There is a quite nice Eastern European school of putting modified TC16As on Ebay, and they've built up quite a good rep of satisfied customers. They tend to sell in the 175 GBP range, though.

But it does work- my experience was with a Tamron 300/2.8 on a D2x. Get the focus almost right manually, and then let the internal AF in the TC16A take over.

Anyone interested in what's involved the modification, searching on "Foolography TC16A" should do the trick.

StillLearning · Mar 1, 2016

Amajed said:
StillLearning said:

That's pretty good start. Back when I was trying macro I did use the Nikon TC 1.4X II with the D200. Paperwork said the AF wouldn't work but it did to an extent. Manual override worked better though. It was challenging to balance between DOF and optimal resolution.

Click to expand...

Yours looks a bit closer to mine, a bit better tho, so, does that mean our fly is just a bad fly ?

where I live, there are no good flies around, I need to look for bees, they are better target I think.

As I mentioned before it is a balancing act between having as much in focus and diffraction with limits the quality of the image.

F29 does tend to degrade but the other side shallow DOF it even harder on an image .

Focus stacking is almost impossible with live insects. This one was not dead but recovering a short stay in the the freezer. Window of opportunity was about one to 2 minutes before he flew away. I would have loved to have a 24mp camera instead of a 10mp one at this time. The fly was 3/8 inch long. Bees are bigger. As are butterflies which I prefer.

D500 001 · Mar 1, 2016

Amajed said:
ok so I shot these two images, both are raw files, one with manual focus, other with auto focus.

the manual focus is better, but is it really the best I can do?

image without editing what so ever, I just cropped it and convert it to jpg using lightroom.

if u need the raw file let me know and tell me how to upload it.

So now you are getting there, well done. That is pretty crisp on the eye parts that you are interested in getting, good progress. The aperture was at f/9, might want to go down a bit more, 13-22 will get a bit more depth of focus.

Lighting is key, and then post processing. Google "macro rigs" to see what others are doing to handle the lighting.

--
Enjoy the good light while ya can............

D500 001 · Mar 1, 2016

This at f/22, see the added depth that is in focus. Your lens without a TC will get very nice shots after you have more experience, stick with it.

And a crop from above.

--
Enjoy the good light while ya can............

BobWorrell · Mar 1, 2016

D500 001 said:
This at f/22, see the added depth that is in focus. Your lens without a TC will get very nice shots after you have more experience, stick with it.

And a crop from above.

--
Enjoy the good light while ya can............

Nice shot, but whatever its eating is disgusting looking.

StillLearning · Mar 1, 2016

That is the plus about having more MP. You don't have to get as close and deep into diffraction territory so more is in focus.

StillLearning · Mar 2, 2016

Went to my archives and reprocessed the 2 images with more resolution. Again 24mp would have done wonders over the 10mp originals.

I have AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED and I need TC 2x with Autofocus.

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