I am planning to order a Tokina 10-17mm wide angle lens from B&H for use with my Nikon D2x in an Aquatica Housing.

Which of the two Kenko 1.4x teleconverters should I order? B&H lists two teleconverters(1.4x Teleplus Pro 300 DG or the MC4 AF 1.4 DGX) with a price difference of about $100.00.

I have searched the posts here at Wetpixel and have not been able to discern which teleconverter is the one everyone is using.

Also, do you use a dome shade with this lens/teleconverter combination when using the Aquatica 6' dome port?

Thanks.

Hi,

Not sure about the Aquatica stuff...

I have the 1.4x Teleplus Pro 300 DG and use it with a Tokina 10-17mm on my D2Xs-works well!

I've been using it in one of the new 4" Zen domes-it is much easier to light with a small dome. You also get more of the magnification effect -as the subject is closer to the lens.

Hope that helps

Adam

The newest Teleplus Pro 300DGX just has new updated firmware for EXIF and will not focus if the lens is slower than f4. I'd go and try it to see if it will focus since at 17mm, the 10-17 is at f4.5.

I use the 1.4x Teleplus Pro 300 DG with a Tokina 10-17mm too. No problem on my D300. No problem either with the 10.5mm

I have this one, and the tokina 10-17....it seems to work ok, although I havent got it wet yet, if you want me to test anything out regarding focus at any f stops, let me know. I tested it at 10 and 17mm and it focussed fine. I dont have the 6" dome yet, but fits in the 8" port fine with the 0.55" extension ring.
I also tried it with my 60mm Nikkor AF-S (above extension ring is required to make it all fit)... focus is a little different (theres a type of stutter as it focusses) but it still gets there ok

I can confirm autofocus works at apertures smaller than F4. It can just get more difficult to auto-focus, especially with telephoto lenses. Results will vary based on your camera model. It's fine with my Tokina 10-17mm.

The MC4 AF 1.4 DGX has 4 elements in 4 groups, while the 1.4x Teleplus Pro 300 DG has 7 elements in 4 groups - hence the massive price difference.

Conventional wisdom from a long time ago says avoid 4-element TCs, go for 7-element TCs. My old teleplus 4-element TC from the mid 1980's were very soft in the corners, ok, very soft is under-stating it - that I sold it like a week after purchasing it.

My current Kenko 1.4x Teleplus Pro 300DG performs much better.

Caveat - I have not tried the new MC4. And also I have not tried mating my 300DG with my Tokina 10-17 for underwater works - using the lens as is.

Thanks for the information everyone.

I have ordered the Kenko 1.4x Teleplus Pro 300 DG.

I should have the lens and teleconverter in a couple of days, just in time for a trip to Bonaire next month.

G'day Wetpixie's,
I'm wondering if anyone has done any further testing of the newer Kenko MC4 AF 1.4 DGX Teleconverter.
Just wanting to make sure before lashing out on a TC that I get the right one. The main lens I want one for use with is the
Tokina 10-17 but I'd like to try it on the Nikon 60mm AF-S too.

Is the DGX a definite improvement on the DG for use with the 10-17mm?


Cheers,
Jim.

I had great results with the DGX version on a recent trip to Bonaire.

Not sure about how much better the one teleconverter is over the other, but again I am pleased withe the results obtained with the DGX version.

Has anybody found and purchased within the last month the new 7 element Kenko 1.4 Pro 300 DGX for Canon EOS? Still Not available through B&H nor Adorama. Only place I see is on EBay from Hong Kong. Prefer to buy from reputable vendor in US. Thanks for anybody that replies (you can message me instead of reply post).

Bo

Quick update from my last post.

There seems to be a discrepency on the Kenko 1.4 TE between the THK Photo Products website and the Kenko International website about the number of lens elements and grouping on the new DGX series.

The big photo guys in NY still have it on back order and raised their prices and I decided to purchase mine from Hong Kong (Ebay) for $35 less and free shipping.

Bo

Hi Bo,
have you had a chance to try the new 7 element TC out yet?

Cheers,
Jim.

Hi Jim,

I just received the Kenko 1.4 TC 300 Pro DGX for Canon EOS from China last week (took only 10 days with free shipping). The Kinko International website specifications are correct and the unit has 5 elements in 4 groups.

This makes sense considering the limited barrel length of the 1.4 TC. 7 elements be too long and not allow the back of the Tok 10-17 FE to fit. It is a very close fit of glass elements already. The 2X TC has enough barrel length to allow 7 elements in 5 groups.

I have not had a chance to try it in the housing and in the pool. Topside it works very promising and a new perspective of CFWA.


Bo

Please do!
Steve

It appears the DGX is identical optically to the previous DG convertors, the change is only in the electronic connectors allowing correct exif information. This from the Kenko products page:
'The DGX Teleplus converters have updated circuitry to record exif data more accurately. In the exif exposure data (meta-data recorded with a digital picture) DGX converters record the equivalent aperture and focal length of the lens setting plus tele-converter. Optically and mechanically they are the identical to the prior high-quality DG series converters.'

Hi Scubysnaps,
I received some info that the new DGX still doesn't fully communicate with the D90. What is your experience,
does the exif data show the correct aperture data etc? If it's no different optically and there's no exif improvement I may as
well save $100AUD and get the DG.

Also I realize now it's the 300 Pro type not the MC4 AF type that folks are using whether they be DG or DGX. Correct?

Cheers,
Jim.

Thanks Bo,
Looking forward to seeing your UW images with it.


Cheers,
Jim.

Jim Can you share more information about this problem with the D90?

Sorry I haven't read this post or had time to been on here for quite some time..been diving , I wasnt aware that the aperture setting could affect the ability of it, the teleconverter says its for the Nikon AF on the box, not the AF-S, it focuses quickly on the Tok10-17 but stutters/hesitates when trying to focus too much on the Nik60mm AF-S, I have found it manually focuses with it fine, when I get a chance I will try it with diferent aperture settings and look at the EXIF data which I havent done so yet either. I was told the focus point selectors on the D90 would only work if I used the Nikon TC 14E II with the macro, which I would be very tempted to exchange with the kenko for the £150 more, if the focus isnt working once I change the aperture more...but nowhere I have found actually stocks the TC14E II so I can test it, Amazon wiould be the best option for their easier return policy, but brownie points are also limited at the moment! Hope all that helps

Hi Bill,
a friend sent me an email with a customer review from Adorama but for the life of me I can't find the review myself on the Adorama site.
The review stated "......Need to set exposure to -.7 to compensate, camera (D300 and D90) not aware of this teleconverter........."

I can't see any reviews on any of the DGX 1.4 Teleconverters and have emailed my friend to confirm.

Hence I'm very interested in what Scubysnaps exif data tells on his D90 when using the Kenko.


Cheers,
Jim.

In my metadata it records a focal length of 24mm on all photos (maybe a 100?) (divide that by 1.4 and you get 17mm, I reckon I must have zoomed out on some of the shots, not sure though), I was using 10-17 tokina, it doesnt mention I was using the TC.....in regards to what lens is used, all there seems to be is the tokina 10-17 f3.5-4.5, the aperture range seems to be from f6 to f22 in my collection.
On a few macro shots I used it on it records a focal length of 82mm on my Nikon 60mm...but wait there! the data tells me my lens is a 240mm f11 (lens is 60mm f2.8)???
Hope that helps, if you want me to try any other ways to inspect the data, just let me know

Hi Bill,
it appears the review I was sent was for a DG series Kenko TC.







Thanks Paul,
I guess that shows the camera is aware of the TC and the added length and effective apertures even if it does appear to give some odd figures.

Cheers,
Jim.