Need NIKON Teleconverter help please...

[RustyTheGeek]

Hi everyone,

Anyone with Nikon teleconverter experience please give me some advice so I can be the expert for a buddy. His wife and daughter share using a Nikon D5100 with two kit lenses, 18-55 and 55-200. The daughter wants to shoot the moon (no pun intended) better than she can with just the 55-200 lens by itself on a tripod and asked Dad (my buddy) what he thought she could do. Their family is NOT a photographer family. This camera kit is a major kit in their eyes. So there's no way a big fast Nikon lens is even on the radar. I suggested a 1.4 TC but before I send him the specific TC he should get, I figured I would get some opinions from ACTUAL NIKON SHOOTERS first.

So the question is: which TC would you suggest for this little entry level Nikon kit with basic Af-S lenses? I assume with this type of user and existing camera gear a Kenko is the best way to go but I don't really know Nikon that well. (Assuming that even matters in this case.) Thanks guys!

 

[dcm]

I think you are out of luck. Checked a few references and the story sounds similar to using a TC on a Canon Rebel with the kit zoom (55-250). There is no teleconverter available from Nikon for these slower kit zoom lenses. From the Nikon site

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/h7ruielh/using-teleconverters.html
http://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/en_US_Comp_chart.html

Not sure about other vendors but Ken Rockwell has a few posts that might shed some light

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/tc.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/kenko.htm

You might check on the Nikon Rumors site for some people that know a bit more about Nikon gear compability.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I think you are out of luck. Checked a few references and the story sounds similar to using a TC on a Canon Rebel with the kit zoom (55-250). There is no teleconverter available from Nikon for these slower kit zoom lenses. From the Nikon site

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/h7ruielh/using-teleconverters.html


From the link you provided.

"Nikon currently offers teleconverters in 1.4x, 1.7x and 2x magnifications. These AF-S teleconverters utilize the Nikon f/mount, and are compatible with all Nikon film-based SLRs and DSLRs (FX and DX formats), as well as the Nikon 1 cameras when using the FT-1 F Mount Adapter."

I see nothing that says the lenses, cameras and TC are not compatible.

Autofocus is another matter, You may not be able to autofocus, but for moon shots, its manual focus in any event.

 

[tolusina]

....The daughter wants to shoot the moon.......and asked Dad (my buddy) what he thought she could do....

Maybe suggest a completely different route.
Be a pal to the family, schedule and plan a proper shoot using your gear, work it like a class with you as the prof.

Suggest using "The Photographer’s Ephemeris"
It'll run directly in most PC browsers for free
http://app.photoephemeris.com/?ll=16.768800,-3.007300&center=16.7688,-3.0073&dt=20151203164500%2B0000

There are inexpensive Apps for both Android and iOS, links to iTunes and Google Play on the home page
http://photoephemeris.com/

 

[dcm]

I think you are out of luck. Checked a few references and the story sounds similar to using a TC on a Canon Rebel with the kit zoom (55-250). There is no teleconverter available from Nikon for these slower kit zoom lenses. From the Nikon site

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/h7ruielh/using-teleconverters.html
http://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/en_US_Comp_chart.html

From the link you provided.

"Nikon currently offers teleconverters in 1.4x, 1.7x and 2x magnifications. These AF-S teleconverters utilize the Nikon f/mount, and are compatible with all Nikon film-based SLRs and DSLRs (FX and DX formats), as well as the Nikon 1 cameras when using the FT-1 F Mount Adapter."

I see nothing that says the lenses, cameras and TC are not compatible.

Autofocus is another matter, You may not be able to autofocus, but for moon shots, its manual focus in any event.

That statement only applies to bodies, it doesn't mention lenses. Further down there is a discussion of lens compatibility (f/2.8 or faster) and a discussion of which bodies can AF with slower lenses (not the 5100). As you note this isn't a problem if you intend to MF.

The second link lists lens compatibility (55-200 is not listed) with this notice: "NIKKOR lenses not listed cannot be used with the AF-S Teleconverters. The rear elements of NIKKOR lenses not listed can contact and damage the Teleconverter element and must not be attached."

 

[RustyTheGeek]

....The daughter wants to shoot the moon.......and asked Dad (my buddy) what he thought she could do....

Maybe suggest a completely different route.
Be a pal to the family, schedule and plan a proper shoot using your gear, work it like a class with you as the prof.

Suggest using "The Photographer’s Ephemeris"
It'll run directly in most PC browsers for free
http://app.photoephemeris.com/?ll=16.768800,-3.007300&center=16.7688,-3.0073&dt=20151203164500%2B0000

There are inexpensive Apps for both Android and iOS, links to iTunes and Google Play on the home page
http://photoephemeris.com/

That's a great suggestion tolusina. And I appreciate the vote of confidence! (Now if only I knew something about photography other than how to buy expensive Canon gear!! LOL! ) Kidding but I honestly have done very little astrophotography. And what I have done I was pretty disappointed in except the time I stuck my camera on a guys' telescope camera adapter and then it looked pretty cool. Still, I'll give it some thought...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The second link lists lens compatibility (55-200 is not listed) with this notice: "NIKKOR lenses not listed cannot be used with the AF-S Teleconverters. The rear elements of NIKKOR lenses not listed can contact and damage the Teleconverter element and must not be attached."

Good point! I've always been unimpressed with Nikon TC's. Its a rats nest of lens compatibility. I'd always suggest AF-G lenses for the best compatibility, but they are more expensive.

It might cost less to buy a used third party long telephoto lens, but even 600mm is not long enough as far as I'm concerned. I've sold my Nikon DSLR's, but kept several lenses and a couple or three 35mm film bodies, including at least one that will autofocus.