Which teleconverter?

I just acquired a AF-S Nikkor 300mm 1:4D ED lens for use on my Z6 FTZ adapter. I'm delighted with it and would like to add the correct 1.4x teleconverter but the information I read has me completely confused. This one is discontinued - and yet appears to be on the Nikon website - this one I can find reviews for but no commercial information etc. etc.

Can anyone tell me the correct model designation for the converter I need.

--
Ed Form

I believe that all of the Nikon tele-converters list the lenses that are supported. Check the Nikon website. In the USA -> nikonusa.com

Hi,

I'm not sure if the newest TC-14 III would work with your lens, so I would get the TC-14 II version, which should be available for around 200GBP used.

You would need the TC-14E II as the III is not compatible.

The TC-17E II, TC-20E II and III are also compatible.

EvPa said:

You would need the TC-14E II as the III is not compatible.

The TC-17E II, TC-20E II and III are also compatible.

https://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/...eleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html

Click to expand...

Thanks EvPa and thejohnnerparty and Luftwalk as well, that table you pointed me to is what I needed to find.

edform said:

EvPa said:

You would need the TC-14E II as the III is not compatible.

The TC-17E II, TC-20E II and III are also compatible.

https://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/...eleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html

Click to expand...

Thanks EvPa and thejohnnerparty and Luftwalk as well, that table you pointed me to is what I needed to find.

Click to expand...

Right, that 300mm/f4 AF-S (before the PF version with VR) has an aperture ring, hence not a G lens. The TC-14e III is not compatible with AF-S lenses with an aperture ring.

All other TC-nnE teleconvertors are compatible, including the TC-14e and TC-14e II, just not the III.

I still own that 300mm. Optically it is excellent, but AF is on the slow side. With a TC on a Z body, it is probably mainly for static subjects.

shuncheung said:

edform said:

EvPa said:

You would need the TC-14E II as the III is not compatible.

The TC-17E II, TC-20E II and III are also compatible.

https://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/...eleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html

Click to expand...

Thanks EvPa and thejohnnerparty and Luftwalk as well, that table you pointed me to is what I needed to find.

Click to expand...

Right, that 300mm/f4 AF-S (before the PF version with VR) has an aperture ring, hence not a G lens. The TC-14e III is not compatible with AF-S lenses with an aperture ring.

All other TC-nnE teleconvertors are compatible, including the TC-14e and TC-14e II, just not the III.

I still own that 300mm. Optically it is excellent, but AF is on the slow side. With a TC on a Z body, it is probably mainly for static subjects.

Click to expand...

What would be the difference in utility of a TC14E over a TC14E-II? I ask because the TC14E is freely available at about £85 - the Mk II is three times as much and hard to find.

edform said:

What would be the difference in utility of a TC14E over a TC14E-II? I ask because the TC14E is freely available at about £85 - the Mk II is three times as much and hard to find.

Click to expand...

The TC-14E and TC-20E are the original teleconverters Nikon introduced in 1992 to work with the then brand new AF-I lenses. Later on the new AF-S lenses have a wrinkle finish on the barrel, and Nikon changed the TCs to the II version also with that wrinkle finish to match the lenses. Optically and mechanically, there is no difference between the original and the II versions. By now, the original versions are likely to be over 20 years old and perhaps more beaten up.

The 1.7x TC was introduced later in the wrinkle-finish era. Therefore it is named TC-17e II, but there is no earlier version. To date, that is the only 1.7x TC model Nikon has made.

The two III versions, 1.4x and 2x, have new optical formulas. In particular, Nikon reduced some of the mechanical coupling from the TC-14e III so that it can no longer work correctly with AF-S lenses with an aperture ring. (Yes, I have tried that.)

See the TC-14E on the left. It says AF-I teleconverter. The TC-14E III on the right says AF-S teleconverter and is missing some of the mechanical couplings.

edform said:

I just acquired a AF-S Nikkor 300mm 1:4D ED lens for use on my Z6 FTZ adapter. I'm delighted with it and would like to add the correct 1.4x teleconverter but the information I read has me completely confused. This one is discontinued - and yet appears to be on the Nikon website - this one I can find reviews for but no commercial information etc. etc.

Can anyone tell me the correct model designation for the converter I need.

Click to expand...

Thanks to all who replied to this thread. I picked up a TC14E-II and payed just shy of £200 as one poster suggested I would.

It works spectacularly well - I can detect no loss of focus speed over the 300 F/4 on its own.

My biggest issue, apart from the fact that it's astonishingly heavy, is the extremely narrow DOF - clearly displayed in this image taken at F/16...


AFS Nikkor 300mm 1:4D ED with Nikon AF-S TC-14E II focus distance 4 metres.

My last long lens before the Z6 setup used for this image was the zoom on my Sony DSC-RX10-IV, which has notably more depth of field at the corresponding equivalent focal length. So, I'm on a pretty steep learning curve to imprint the depth details in my head to allow me to frame properly.

--
Ed Form

ilanifer said:

The TC-14E is refusing to work on my Z7

Click to expand...

I believe that the model needed is TC14E-II

edform said:

ilanifer said:

The TC-14E is refusing to work on my Z7

Click to expand...

I believe that the model needed is TC14E-II

Click to expand...

Again, there is essentially no difference between the original TC-14E from 1992 and the newer TC-14E II. The only difference is the outside finish, as I mentioned earlier (8 months ago).

However, any TC-14E is probably 20+ years old and may easily have some issues.

The latest TC-14E III is for G (and E and P) lenses only, i.e. no aperture ring. The 300mm/f4 AF-S introduced in year 2000 has one and therefore not quite compatible with the TC-14E III.

shuncheung said:

edform said:

ilanifer said:

The TC-14E is refusing to work on my Z7

Click to expand...

I believe that the model needed is TC14E-II

Click to expand...

Again, there is essentially no difference between the original TC-14E from 1992 and the newer TC-14E II. The only difference is the outside finish, as I mentioned earlier (8 months ago).

However, any TC-14E is probably 20+ years old and may easily have some issues.

The latest TC-14E III is for G (and E and P) lenses only, i.e. no aperture ring. The 300mm/f4 AF-S introduced in year 2000 has one and therefore not quite compatible with the TC-14E III.

Click to expand...

Since this question keeps on coming up, I tested my combo:

300mm/f4 AF-S with aperture ring + TC-14e version1 + FTZ + Z6. That combo works just fine with AF and can take pictures, but AF is very slow as expected.

See this post for more info: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63404324