70-200 F2.8 GM II sample shots with TC 2x?

SimonV · Jan 26, 2025

Has anyone here ever tested their 70-200 F2.8 GM II lens to see how it works with TCs? I've read and watched a lot of content about it but one thing reviewers rarely do is take the same exact subject with and without the converter and compare the cropped version to the TC one. It's hard to compare if the non-TC shot is of a tree and the TC-version of a bird.

I did one such experiment when comparing the 100-400 GM and the 70-200 GM II without a converter (I'm currently considering purchasing a 2x TC since the 1.4 TC is such a small difference), and after upscaling the 70-200 @ 200mm was as sharp if not a bit sharper than the 100-400 @ 400mm.

From past experience every 2x TC degrades the image too much, even with lenses like the Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR II which is touted as one of the best lenses to use with TCs. I've heard talk about the newer mirrorless TCs being even better though, so I'm curious. I'd be using the TC mostly for wildlife photography so it would make the 70-200 even more versatile.

However, I find that spoken opinions rarely helps with things like this, so if anyone has any samples they've taken with the 70-200 2.8 GM II + 2x TC I'd be interested in seeing them! Even better if they're at full resolution, images that are at most 2000px don't really help when judging image quality.

PWPhotography · Jan 30, 2025

Arcimboldo said:
fboss said:

SimonV said:

fboss said:

When I had the 70-200 GM II, I rented both the 1.4 TC and 2.0 TC, and did a lot of testing. Overall the images from with 1.4x cropped were at least as good , and in some cases slightly better than with the 2x. I bought the 1.4x and used it a lot with this lens. (and ended up getting the 200-600mm which of course is in another league from 400mm )

Click to expand...

I assume you mean you upscaled the 1.4x images to match the 2.0x? You wouldn't happen to still have some sample shots? Would be really interesting to see.

Click to expand...

Yes I did.

Some quick examples (I can share the RAW files later this week, if you want).

I used a tripod and/or took multiple pictures for each and kept the best one.

280mm f/4.0

400mm f/8 (took the best of the series, with others at f/5.6, etc. )

280mm (1.4x) on the left, 400mm (2x) on the right

Click to expand...

I absolutely came to the same conclusion back then - sorry, I have thrown away the test images. I suspect that people liking the 70-200 GM II with the 2x TC mainly shoot genres where you don't need border, let alone corner, sharpness. I do landscapes, and even the 1.4x is just acceptable.

FWIW, however, the 300 GM works great with the 2x, even in the corners. So, the takeaway is probably that zooms are a bit too weak for the 2x, although that might change when Sony finally comes out with a 2x Mk II.

Yes, I also did such test from 70-200 GM II with 1.4x TC and 2.0x TC. I have to agree mainstream opinion that with 2.0x TC IQ is not that good, acceptable in relative small size when you don't want to carry 100-400 GM or 200-600 G in some trips. 300 GM+2.0x TC works really good that has better IQ @600mm/F5.6 than 200-600 G bare lens @600mm/F6.3 in my side by side test - sharper in corners and clearly better in contrast.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/55485085@N04/albums

UncleVanya · Jan 30, 2025

AeroPhotographer said:
I have a Sony 1.4x. It is inferior to upsizing my Sony 100-400 and 70-200 f4 macro. But it allows closer macro focus with the 70-200 and I find that worthwhile. Closes is 0.5x without and 0.75x with. And it increases macro working distance 1.4x, which is also worthwhile.

I’m going to retest but in my use on the 70-200/4 g II using the 1.4x seems sharper than upscaling even with longer shots.

SimonV · Feb 1, 2025

A few more samples with better light for those interested. Still getting similar results, the 200mm + 2x TC gives more detail, a bit less contrast. Distance maybe about 15m.

400mm @ F5.6, heavily cropped (not 147mm as the file says, again the base file I used when aligning the shots)

200mm @ F2.8, heavily cropped (not 147mm as the file says, again the base file I used when aligning the shots)

The following were maybe at 5m or a bit more. Even at closer distances there seems to be clearly more fine detail with the TC.

400mm @ F5.6, heavily cropped

200mm @ F2.8, heavily cropped

The difference is not massive with most subjects, but if you need the 400mm reach, the loss of detail when upscaling or cropping a 200mm shot will definitely be noticeable.

fboss · Feb 1, 2025

SimonV said:
A few more samples with better light for those interested. Still getting similar results, the 200mm + 2x TC gives more detail, a bit less contrast. Distance maybe about 15m.

The following were maybe at 5m or a bit more. Even at closer distances there seems to be clearly more fine detail with the TC.

The difference is not massive with most subjects, but if you need the 400mm reach, the loss of detail when upscaling or cropping a 200mm shot will definitely be noticeable.

This matches my observations and results.

At 400mm equivalent, on a high resolution body (>= 42MP) : 1.4x is best, followed by the 2x, then no teleconverter.

On the 300mm GM, the 2x may be the winner but I haven't seen comparison shots between 2x and 1.4x cropped.

daran · Feb 9, 2025

fboss said:
On the 300mm GM, the 2x may be the winner but I haven't seen comparison shots between 2x and 1.4x cropped.

Center crops:

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70-200 F2.8 GM II sample shots with TC 2x?

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