Pro Learning Center
70-300mm/1.4X
Teleconverter
Guide
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70-300mm/1.4X Teleconverter guide Enjoy Extreme Telephoto Photography at 420mm! |
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You can enjoy various types of photography with a genuine telephoto zoom, especially
sports and wildlife. You can even shoot macro photography, and capture tiny objects
and intimate pictures of flowers. Once you become accustomed to this telephoto
versatility you'll never go back to anything else. |
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| The Tamron 70-300 Di zoom lens and 1.4X teleconverter combination allow you to enjoy real tele photography. This set enables you to cover from 70mm medium telephoto all the way to 420mm ultra telephoto. That's a 6X zoom ratio in one lightweight and compact combination. You can easily enjoy everyday snapshots, extensive landscape, sports, portraiture and nature. | |||||||||
| Angle of View | |||||||||
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| 70mm | 100mm | 135mm | |||||||
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| 180mm | 300mm | 420mm | |||||||
Usually the focal
range of 70-200mm is used as a telephoto zoom. The 300mm focal range is called
an "extra" telephoto lens. It is ideal if you want to make faraway objects larger
and closer in pictures. It also provides for more blurred backgrounds so that
your subject is separated from distracting backgrounds and seems to "pop" out
of the image. By using Tamron's 1.4X teleconverter with the 70-300mm extra telephoto
zoom lens, the focal range becomes 100-420mm "ultra" telephoto zoom. Even when
using the teleconverter, high quality images are maintained throughout the entire
focal range all the way up to 420mm. For best results, a tripod is recommended. |
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70mm is a medium
telephoto range. This range is useful for portraits. With a telephoto zoom, you
can get sharp images with beautifully blurred background. This is a wonderful
effect for both candid and posed portraits. |
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300mm is an extra telephoto range. This range
works well for sports and wildlife photos. |
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420mm (70-300mm lens + 1.4X
teleconverter) is an ultra telephoto range. You can get closer than 300mm and
it is ideal for smaller wildlife like birds. At the focal range of 420mm, you
can get the effect that front and rear spaces are compressed in a picture. It
really creates a specific focus in the picture. This is a genuine ultra zoom telephoto
effect. |
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| How to use 1.4x Teleconverter | |||||||||
The teleconverter increases the focal length of the
master lens by 1.4X. It makes the aperture value one f-stop slower. That is, the
70-300mm F/4-5.6 becomes a 100-420mm F/5.6-8 with the teleconverter attached.
Note: Because there seems to be the tendency for camera shake with extra telephoto
zoom lenses, using a tripod is recommended. |
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Mounting the teleconverter: Line-up the mounting mark on the lens to the red dot on the Teleconverter and rotate to fit. Then attach the lens/converter to the body as you would mount any other lens. |
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 Lens Mounting Mark |
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Holding the camera: To get the best results, keep the camera body steady. Stand comfortably with your elbows close to your body. Look into the finder while pressing your forehead against the camera. By using both hands and your forehead together, you create a sort of tripod effect that can reduce camera shake when you must handhold the camera. Once you master the basics of holding your camera, your image quality will improve. |
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Clear sharp images without camera shake: When you take pictures while handholding a 35mm SLR camera, the rule of thumb is that the shutter speed should be equal to at least 1 over the focal length. That is, when using a 420mm lens, you should be sure to use a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second or faster. Otherwise, it is suggested to use a tripod. There are program settings on many new cameras that let you tell the camera to shoot at the highest shutter speed possible. If your camera does not have this type of program mode, then use the "shutter priority" mode or "manual" mode and set your camera to a speed of 1/500 of a second or faster. |
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Using a tripod : Use a tripod as often as you can. Tripods are very necessary accessories for successful telephoto zoom photography. Added stability takes away camera shake and improves image quality. This is because the shutter speed may become slower than recommended when you use the extra telephoto zoom lens. |
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Use
Manual Focus and Focus
aid: It is not always easy to bring an image into focus when the F-stop of the master lens is over F/6.3 (the threshold of the camera's autofocus capabilities). Sometimes it is better to use the camera in manual focus mode. Additionally many cameras have a focus aid function that confirms the focus is correct. This is indicated in the camera's viewfinder. |
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Note:
When you use a teleconverter, sometimes
AF does not work correctly in dark places or on objects where the contrast
is
low. In this case, switch to MF and bring into focus manually. |
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Film Tip: High-speed film reduces camera shake. Use high-speed film such as ISO400 and ISO800 when using a teleconverter or telephoto zoom lens without a tripod. Use higher shutter speeds (like 1/500 sec.) to get the best results without camera shake. |
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Photographing subjects in bright places: It is better to take pictures in bright places while you are getting used to using a telephoto zoom lens with or without the teleconverter attached. It is easier to get high shutter speeds outside in sunny weather. The shutter speed will become increasingly slower on a cloudy day, increasing the potential for camera shake. |
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| Macro Photography | |||||||||
Close-up is amazing with the macro
function! It rivals genuine macro photography | |||||||||
The Tamron AF70-300mm telephoto zoom
lens has a close-up function called Macro. By switching to macro mode, subjects
as close as 37.4" can be shot within the focal range of 180-300mm. In this
range, you can enjoy wonderful 1:2 ratio (that is, half life-size) close-up macro
photography of flowers, insects and other small objects. |
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Get even closer by using the AF1.4X
Teleconverter When the 70-300 lens and 1.4X teleconverter are used together, the macro capability is increased to an incredible 1:1.43 magnification. Yet the Minimum Object Distance (MOD) emains the same (37.4"). This means your subject will be nearly life-size on the film (for example, a half dollar coin will almost fill the viewfinder). |
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Shot at 1:2 macro at 300mm |
 Shot at 1:1.43 macro at 420mm |
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Tamron Teleconverters: Standard vs. SP-Which do I need? Teleconverters, either 1.4X or 2X, are efficient tools to add focal length to the photographer's arsenal. However, universal-type teleconverters have certain limitations in performance when used with ultra-telephoto lenses of 200mm or longer as compensation of chromatic aberration alone becomes highly critical in this focal length range. The new PRO-series teleconverters are specifically designed and optimized for use with such ultra-telephoto lenses to deliver maximum resolution, contrast and color rendition without degrading any aspect of the master lens performance. The 1.4X teleconverter will increase the focal length of the master lens by 1.4X and make the lens one f-stop slower. The 2X doubles the focal length of the master lens and makes the lens two f-stops slower. In addition to increasing focal length, both teleconverters allow greater magnification in macro since the Minimum Object Distance (MOD) of the master lens does not change when used with the teleconverters. The 1.4X teleconverter can be used with both AF and MF lenses. AF will be retained if the master lens is F/4.5 or faster. AF will be retained with the 2X teleconverter if the master lens is F/4.0 or faster.
The SP AF PRO-series teleconverters, with a newly designed optical construction (4-group/5-element for 1.4X and 4-group/7-element for 2X), are designed to be used with lenses that are F/2.8 and of focal lengths of 90mm or greater. This would make the use of the SP teleconverters ideal for the Tamron SP90mm F/2.8 macro, 70-210mm F/2.8 and 300mm F/2.8. Relative illumination is significantly improved resulting in better overall contrast and resolution across the entire image field. In addition, chromatic aberration and astigmatism are better compensated for by virtue of the use of higher-grade glass materials and more sophisticated design techniques than used in universal-type teleconverters. When used with lenses with smaller maximum apertures (F/4 and F/5.6, for example), there will be little difference in image quality as compared with the standard Tamron teleconverters. When used with lenses wider than 90mm, the SP teleconverters can actually comprise image quality. Tamron Standard Teleconverters The standard Tamron teleconverters extend the focal length by a factor of 1.4 or 2 respectfully and sustain the same light loss factors as the Pro-series. Though using a teleconverter on wide-angle lenses is never really recommended, these converters can be used with lenses that are wider than 90mm and are ideal for all lenses that are not F/2.8's. |
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Tamron
SP Pro-Series Teleconverters