The EOS-1D X & f/8

[AprilForever]

Chuck's answer seems like a cop-out to me... Many are the times before I got my 300 2.8 I wished that my 300 f4 would autofocus with the TC 2x (and the taping trick never would work!).

The exchange Canon offered here (more AF points and what-not) just doesn't seem to cut it...

[lol]

Pardon my ignorance, but why won't there be an autofocus past f/8? I currently have a 60D, if I set the aperature at F/11 to take a lanscape picture with my Canon f/2.8 17-55mm, will it also not have autofocus?

The AF works with the lens wide open. For about everything other than current 1D bodies, that requires the lens to be f/5.6 or faster. Third party lenses push that to f/6.3... when you set a smaller aperture, that only takes effect when you take the shot. The focus is done wide open (f/2.8 or whatever).

[Stu_bert]

I would be very surprised if by the end of 2012 there is not another Canon body which can AF at f/8 - it was one of the decisions for me skipping the 5D MK II and getting a 2nd-hand 1Ds MK III...

Out of interest, has anyone seen a comparison between a TC 2x and Genuine Fractals?

Over at Deep Green Photography there's a simple comparison on an existing 500mm f/4 IS between the MK II and MK III TCs. The 2x looks good, especially at f/11, but of course it depends on your preference...

[neuroanatomist]

Many are the times before I got my 300 2.8 I wished that my 300 f4 would autofocus with the TC 2x

You're not alone.  Last year, on top of a mountain in New Hampshire, I ran into Lillian Stokes (who's pictures fill a popular birding guide), and she mentioned that although she has a very nice 500mm f/4L IS, most of her shooting on her 1D IV is done with a 300mm f/4L IS and a 2X TC, because the combo gets her close to 800mm-equivalent, has AF, and is light enough to carry on hikes up to mountaintops.

[Lee Jay]

Shooting action at f8? No thanks. 

I shoot VERY high speed action (200+mph model aircraft) at f/9 all the time.  It's a perfectly practical thing to do in direct sunlight.

This R/C plane was going over 200mph, and this was shot at f/9, ISO 400 and 1/2000th.

http://photos.imageevent.com/sipphoto/aircraft/aamairshow2011/20D44665.jpg

[arttocrma]

Shooting action at f8? No thanks. 

I shoot VERY high speed action (200+mph model aircraft) at f/9 all the time.  It's a perfectly practical thing to do in direct sunlight.

This R/C plane was going over 200mph, and this was shot at f/9, ISO 400 and 1/2000th.

http://photos.imageevent.com/sipphoto/aircraft/aamairshow2011/20D44665.jpg

that's 70-200 + 1.4 tc and 20D

Max wide open is f/5.6 (if your lens is 70-200 f4)

You can use any aperture

and still sunny (can use low iso with high speed shutter)

but in wildlife that want wide aperture and high ISO with high shutter speed

i think f/4 lens with 1.4 tc is the less image quality for wildlife photographer

this only my opinion.

[NXT1000]

no focus at f8, wow this is a step back.

[Lee Jay]

Shooting action at f8? No thanks. 

I shoot VERY high speed action (200+mph model aircraft) at f/9 all the time.  It's a perfectly practical thing to do in direct sunlight.

This R/C plane was going over 200mph, and this was shot at f/9, ISO 400 and 1/2000th.

http://photos.imageevent.com/sipphoto/aircraft/aamairshow2011/20D44665.jpg

that's 70-200 + 1.4 tc and 20D

Actually, that's 70-200/2.8L IS + two 1.4x TCs (one of them isn't visible to the lens and therefore doesn't end up in the EXIF data).

[Justin]

no focus at f8, wow this is a step back.

Yup. Hard to slice this any differently. Even Westfall, a Canon rep can't explain away this backward step (the other being the MP downgrade, despite the better explanations for that decision).

[dilbert]

Many are the times before I got my 300 2.8 I wished that my 300 f4 would autofocus with the TC 2x

You're not alone.  Last year, on top of a mountain in New Hampshire, I ran into Lillian Stokes (who's pictures fill a popular birding guide), and she mentioned that although she has a very nice 500mm f/4L IS, most of her shooting on her 1D IV is done with a 300mm f/4L IS and a 2X TC, because the combo gets her close to 800mm-equivalent, has AF, and is light enough to carry on hikes up to mountaintops.

Hmm, 300 f/4L IS + 1,4x TC (f/5.6+AF) on a 7D is 672mm. Not quite the same as 780.

The 300 f/4L comes in at 2.6lbs. 2xTCv3 is 0.72 gives 3.3lbs

The 100-400 f/4-5.6L is 3lbs.

The 400 f/4L DO IS allows for 400*1.4*1.6 (896) at f/5.6 but is 4.3lbs lus 0.49 (1.4xTCv3) = 4.8lbs.

Wonder how the 200-400+TC will fit into the above...

[AprilForever]

no focus at f8, wow this is a step back.

Yup. Hard to slice this any differently. Even Westfall, a Canon rep can't explain away this backward step (the other being the MP downgrade, despite the better explanations for that decision).

I bet poor Chuck feels bad about this!

[Quackator]

The basis for AF metering has been widened, which will increase precision and
speed dramatically. This comes with the dowside that a certain minimum aperture
is needed. I am not sure what the percentage of wildlife photographers with long
lenses *AND* converters is among the 1D series user, but I'm willing to bet that
the improvements in AF speed and precision will be welcomed by more people than
there are people weeping about f=8.0.

[NXT1000]

This may soon be addressed if the 7D2 is APS-H and the 1D4 is still available.

that is impossible, the low end slr will always be APS-C, 1.6x. which support the EF-S lens.

[NXT1000]

Pardon my ignorance, but why won't there be an autofocus past f/8? I currently have a 60D, if I set the aperature at F/11 to take a lanscape picture with my Canon f/2.8 17-55mm, will it also not have autofocus?

When you view in the viewfinder, the aperature is always widest possible, F2.8 in your 17-55mm, that is why it is so bright, even if you set the exposure to F11. When you press the trigger, the mirror goes up and lens aperature will set to your setting F11 and take the picture, it goes back to f2.8 again after. Ready for you to take the next shot.

But if you put extender, the widest aperture will no longer be f2.8, but f5.6 for 2x extender.

[NXT1000]

Yup. Hard to slice this any differently. Even Westfall, a Canon rep can't explain away this backward step (the other being the MP downgrade, despite the better explanations for that decision).

Why would they do it? face recognition is a plus?? wider cross sensor is a plus?? That make up more than ability to use extender? I cannot understand canon. They said the native ISO is 105K, right, give me a break, if i can use 6400 ISO on any situation, i will be so happy already. Meanwhile, we still do not know what nikon and sony up to, canon domination of sport photography is truely coming to an end. Not to mention this is a vapour release, marketing exercise, we have to wait 1/2 year for the release, when can people actually buy that? 1 year later? Because it will goes first to journalist for olympic in London.