Originally Posted by JJphoto
I set up my feeders and hide with the 1.4X in mind so I haven't used the 2.0X very much. I bought them both at the same time thinking I would use them equally but it just hasn't worked out that way. Mostly because I have been successful with the 1.4 so I haven't adequately explored the possibilities with the 2.0X.
I can tell you that the 2.0X doesn't yield as many sharp images as the 1.4X ( at least to my standard of sharpness) and this is especially true when it's wide open (ie f/5.6). In post processing you can tell the 2.0X image needs more work most of the time.
If you have enough light to stop down to f/8 or f/11 and still maintain a high shutter speed it can produce some good images with the 300 2.8 lens.
Most of the birds I shoot are moving but not flying, the songbirds seldom sit still around the feeders. They are constantly looking around and shifting position and they are at close range so a high shutter speed is mandatory. On these gray winter days I am using fill flash and still have to use ISO 1600.
I think the 2.0X Version II can do well under the right conditions but the 1.4X is no doubt sharper. It appears the version III 1.4X is not much better than version II on the current lenses.
From what I have seen the version III 2.0X is better than the version II on the current supertele. lenses but I will be waiting for the new version lenses to see howthey both perform.
Joel
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