topic Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II in EF & RF Lenses

Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

beckszumba — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:49:33 GMT

Hi I have a canon 6D Mark ii. I just bought a 1.4 sigma teleconverter for my 150 - 600 sigma contemporary lens. I am having a hard time getting it to focus on a subject. Is this normal or is it not compatible with my camera?

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

shadowsports — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:56:55 GMT

Greetings,

I have the 150-600c with TC-1401, and a 6D2.

What AF mode are you using?

What are you trying to focus on? How far way is it?

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

beckszumba — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:29:51 GMT

Hiya. I’m using Spot mode. Photographing birds and usually between 5 and ten feet away.

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

kvbarkley — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:34:08 GMT

That might be too close. I don't know what the teleconverter does to the minimum focus distance, but that is pretty close to the minimum focus distance of the 150-600!

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

MikeSowsun — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:35:15 GMT

You are probably too close to the subject. The Sigma 150-600 has a minimum focus distance of 280cm = 2.8m = 9.19ft = 110in = 9′2 1/4″ ft

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

shadowsports — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 14:43:01 GMT

@beckszumba,

kvbarkley, Mike and I all believe the same. You don't need your TC to shoot birds 5-10 ft away, (honestly even 20) with a 150~600 FL.

This is why my first 2 questions were AF mode and distance. Also recommend you get a good tripod or stabilizer for birding. Disable IS

The Sigma C is an excellent match for the 6D2. You also want to be sure you are running FW 2.00 at minimum.

Ver.2.00

2018.09.10

It has ensured compatibility with Canon’s in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function, which enables correction matching the optical characteristics of the attached lens. *
It has corrected the phenomenon that abnormal images appear or operation errors occur when Canon’s in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function is enabled.
It has improved the AF speed in certain combinations with some cameras.

* Compatible cameras:
EOS-1D X mark II, EOS 5Ds, EOS 5Ds R, EOS 5D mark IV, EOS 6D mark II, EOS 80D, EOS 8000D(EOS Rebel T6s, EOS 760D), EOS 9000D(EOS 77D) , EOS Kiss x8i(EOS Rebel T6i, EOS 750D), EOS Kiss x9i(EOS Rebel T7i, EOS 800D), EOS Kiss x9(EOS Rebel SL2, EOS 200D)

Tweaks to AF performance were introduced beginning with this version. v2.03 is latest. It won't hurt to go straight to it if you are running an older version.

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

Waddizzle — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:24:15 GMT

Do not use the teleconverter for this scenario.

Any distance to the subject that is under 10 feet, or 3 meters, will be too close. This is assuming that you are zoomed all the down to 150mm without a teleconverter. If you are zoomed all the way out to 600mm, then I would expect that minimum focus distance of 3 meters to increase. How much it might increase is not specified by Sigma.

I am uncertain if Spot AF is even compatible with the teleconverter and this lens. I recommend using a single focus point. The center AF point.

Finally, check the focus limiter switch on the lens.

Re: Canon 1.4 teleconverter:

beckszumba — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 17:02:59 GMT

Thank you. I just updated my lens. Do I also need to update my camera firmware?

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

shadowsports — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 19:05:49 GMT

The camera will function just fine without a FW update, but at this point there is no reason not to update the camera to 1.1.1. (released in 2021) It contains all of the previously released updates. 1.0.4 was important functionally, I skipped 1.0.5 which corrected a vulnerability, but someone had to be physically connected to exploit.

v1.1.0 (also meaningful) improved connectivity with NFC devices and Camera Connect. The latest, v1.1.1 didn't add any functionality, but improved menu navigation and language display. Might as well grab it. It may very well be one of the 6D2's last updates.

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

ebiggs1 — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 16:42:57 GMT

" I just bought a 1.4 sigma teleconverter for my 150 - 600 sigma contemporary lens. "

As others have advised to stop using the tel-con if you are that close to your subjects, but I will further that advise and say ditch the tel-con completely. Stop using it period. I have one. Can you get good photos with it? Yeah, you can but the penalty it brings is not worth it. A much better approach if you are not doing so now is to get a post editor. Canon offers you DPP4 free of cost and it will enhance your birds shots a thousand time better than that tel-con does or can.

What are the drawbacks the tel-con brings? First it reduces your aperture by a stop at each focal length (FL). Second it reduces the lens IQ by some amount. The first one means you will need more light to properly expose in a situation where you already want a faster shutter speed (SS). The second hits the lens IQ and that is a problem if you intend on cropping the image some or a lot.

Here is what I suggest you do.

Change your file format to large Raw. Don't use jpeg anymore or ever again. U/l the Raw files in DPP4 which will be seamless and actually no different than most likely what you do currently. The amount of editing ability is greatly enhanced on a Raw file than on a jpeg. You can go as far with it or as little as you wish.

Use Av mode never use, " I’m using Spot mode.". Probably try f8 as a starting point. You can set upper and lower SS. Set ISO to Auto ISO and set upper and lower limits for it. Use One Shot focus and just the center focus point. Do not use Ai-servo. This is the set up I use for birding

If the birds are sitting still or moving slightly a tripod may help but if they are moving about or flying the tripod will not help. In fact it will make it nearly impossible to get good bird shots. A monopod might be a good idea to try. I hear advice to turn off IS, or OS in the case of a Sigma lens, but I have never seen any difference or benefit so I leave it on all the time. And I have tested it a lot!

Hey, let me know if this helps you. You can come back and u/l some examples.

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

ebiggs1 — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 16:48:43 GMT

One more thing if you don't know how to do all the settings I suggest consult your camera manual. The fact you said you use, " I’m using Sport mode.", leads me to believe you are pretty new to photography. We were all there once and photography is a learning experience for sure.

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

shadowsports — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 18:50:58 GMT

DPP is truly good, but the issue he'll have is what drove me to Photolab. No 3rd party lens support.

Some correction is better than no correction (😉), but he'll need Lr, DxO, CaptureOne, etc to get lens optimization for a Siggy or Tamron.

Now of course I'm 100% canon glass, but I like DxO so much after nearly 6 yrs, I can't go back.

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

ebiggs1 — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:23:54 GMT

"DPP is truly good, but the issue he'll have is what drove me to Photolab."

Rick my continued insistence recommending DPP4 is one, it is free. Two, DPP4, still whether it knows your lens or not, still knows your Canon camera. This means DPP4 is the only software that knows how to convert Raw files exactly the way Canon intends. Even my favorite Adobe Photoshop uses an Adobe routine not Canon's.

The problem with DxO is it is money orientated. I suppose they all are but DxO seems more so. This tends to sway their judgement, IMHO, as always of course. I have it it. I never use it.

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

shadowsports — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 18:23:05 GMT

Ernie,

Please help me understand what you mean by "The problem with DxO is it is money orientated. I suppose they all are but DxO seems more so". Curious, what makes you feel they are more revenue oriented than others? One time fee for each version annually with a loyalty program that gives a nice discount when you buy the next version.

Isn't this identical to Affinity, Topaz, CaptureOne and others?

Re: Sigma teleconverter and lens won't focus on EOS 6D Mark II

ebiggs1 — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:26:29 GMT

Rick,

"Isn't this identical to Affinity, Topaz, CaptureOne and others?"

I have no idea if it is or not I don't use any of those. I use Photoshop and Lightroom and have ever since there was PS and LR. PS originally came out on a stone tablet you know?

As to DxO software again I have no opinion except the way DxO does its reviews which I feel are biased towards Nikon. Plus they don't, won't, disclose how they are done unless that has changed recently. I have friends that feel the same way and actually they brought it to my attention. That has colored my opinion. And has carried over to the not using their software. I have it. I have looked at it. I don't use it and don't understand why anyone would. However I guess some like it and more power to'em if it floats your boat. It offers nothing special and certainly not even close to PS. Look Photoshop haters can never get over the fact that PS is the industry standard. It is found and used in every top professional photography shop and business in the world. All other software is compared to PS.

I put DPP4 in second place not because it is better than PS but because it is free and is very capable to the level of what it does. DPP4 is the only one that can claim it understands precisely how Canon interprets a Raw file. That's worth a lot right there. It is not Photoshop, however.