topic Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS RP pics taken with RF Extender 2.0 come out blurry

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 14:04:37 GMT

In trying to take photos of a bald eagle in the top of a pine tree…about 100 yds away, every single image was out of focus. Absolutely nothing is in focus…the eagle, NONE of the pine branches/needles. I’m using a Canon RP with the RF 100-400 coupled to my just acquired refurbished (by Canon…purchased direct from Canon) RF Extender 2.0. I removed the Extender and shot the same eagle/same location with probably just a 1 minute delay to remove and cap the extender. Using just the RF 100-400…every image is SHARP…can be blown up to see just the eagle’s head…image is still SHARP. The RF body recognizes the lens and the extender.

Yes, AF switch is on.

Is there a chance the refurbished extender is faulty?

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 01:49:33 GMT

Is the problem poor focus or motion blur? What was your shutter speed? Was the image in focus when you were viewing it in the viewfinder or rear LCD?

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 02:10:00 GMT

ISO 6400, F18 (800mm…400mm lens +2.0 extender), 1/1000 sec shutter, in lens stabilizer on, resting on roof of non-running car. Yes’ it looked in focus in the viewfinder (I’m to used to using a viewfinder…maybe I would notice out of focus condition more if I used the larger LCD?

I took more than a dozen images using the 2.0 extender…they are ALL out of focus the same.

As I said , without the extender…the images are tack sharp.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 02:37:41 GMT

Additional info with 2.0 extender on: uncropped image=26mp, cropped to 4mp…everything out of focus.

Without 2.0 extender, no setting changes, same lens @400mm, 26mp…cropped to 2mp…image is tack sharp.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

deebatman316 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 02:46:06 GMT

Why F/18? You will have diffraction with a small aperture and the problem made worse by the 2x extender. Also why ISO 6400?

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 02:49:10 GMT

Can you post the two original images to One Drive or Dropbox so we can examine them?
Based on what you just posted it sounds like you are enlarging the image too much. I don’t know about the RF 2X extender, but the EF 2X extender image quality isn’t great; additional “enlargement “ by cropping really degrades the image.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 03:00:34 GMT

Actually, I didn’t pick the settings, the RP did…typical socked in, getting ready to snow, flat light western base of the Rockies weather. Were it spring, summer, or fall weather…settings would be better. I’m assuming the camera picked the fastest shutter speed, for the maximum ISO I set in the camera.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 03:06:44 GMT

SORRY…Don’t know what I did that caused it to Identify this as a solution, or how to change it back.

Don’t know how to post an image to either one of those. I just take photos for my own enjoyment.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 03:57:12 GMT

Sorry everyone…just discovered a camera setting error…This RP is my first Canon…been shooting Nikon since the 70’s…and somehow missed the f-stop setting I had on the RP…should have realized that the 100-400 5.6-8 when zoomed to 400mm coupled with the extender 2.0 makes the f stop f16, NOT the f18 setting I somehow had set for the Fv mode I am using. Hopefully the eagles will be back feeding on the roadkill deer tomorrow, so I can try a few more images with the extender, using a more appropriate f stop. We’ll see then… I’m betting I screwed up somewhere, rather than this Canon refurbished extender being the problem.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

FloridaDrafter — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 04:02:32 GMT

@Tims32ford wrote:

SORRY…Don’t know what I did that caused it to Identify this as a solution, or how to change it back.

Don’t know how to post an image to either one of those. I just take photos for my own enjoyment.

It may be an accident, but if you want better insight into your problem, it is the right answer going forward. By examining your Raw images, with EXIF data, we can get a better handle on how to help you 🙂

The image sharing sites that John (jrhoffman75) mentioned are pretty easy to use and up to a certain MB limit, free to use. Just be sure that EXIF data is included and that after uploading the images, they are shared so we won't have to have a password to download them.

We will be happy to help you figure this out, for better or worse. Please don't hesitate to ask questions.

Newton

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 12:06:49 GMT

@Tims32ford wrote:

Sorry everyone…just discovered a camera setting error…This RP is my first Canon…been shooting Nikon since the 70’s…and somehow missed the f-stop setting I had on the RP…should have realized that the 100-400 5.6-8 when zoomed to 400mm coupled with the extender 2.0 makes the f stop f16, NOT the f18 setting I somehow had set for the Fv mode I am using. Hopefully the eagles will be back feeding on the roadkill deer tomorrow, so I can try a few more images with the extender, using a more appropriate f stop. We’ll see then… I’m betting I screwed up somewhere, rather than this Canon refurbished extender being the problem.

I don’t have an R series camera, but I am assuming that it works like all the Canon cameras I have owned when a telextender is attached - the camera reports the effective f/stop. The indicated f/16 or f/19 is really f/8 or f/9.5. Diffraction would not be a significant issue at those apertures.
If you can't post the files could you at least post screenshots of both images so we can at least see what you are experiencing?

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:33:56 GMT

Would love to…could I just load the images into the gallery here on the community? It looks to me that members only load their nice images there. If not, tell me how to get them uploaded somewhere an inept person like me can do.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:37:24 GMT

You could upload to gallery and we can see if it helps explain your situation.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:45:42 GMT

Will do…but I sure hate to upload a couple bad images to gallery…among all the beautiful images. Will do right now.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:52:25 GMT

Something else to try. With the 2X on the camera set the zoom to 100mm. How does that look compared to 200mm on the lens w/o the extender.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 14:02:00 GMT

Will try this when it gets light here in western Montana. I did take several images of the same subject at 100mm and 400mm with this lens when I got it from Canon (refurbished also) about 3 weeks ago… the images were all sharp…of course before I got the refurbished extender 2.0. I tested it because the first refurbished lens I got from Canon…a RF 24-240mm would not focus on anything further than about 30ft…lens was determined by Canon service as having a defective USM motor/drive, and replaced by Canon.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 14:06:28 GMT

Hey, went on to gallery, tried to see how to upload images…can’t seem to see how to upload them….of course trying to do this from my iPhone…images were transferred from my RP to my iPhone gallery.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:27:59 GMT

Very interesting! Did as you suggested… in Fv mode, everything on Auto…cannot tell the difference between 200mm without the extender and 100mm on lens with th extender 2.0…also did that at 400mm without the extender and 200mm on lens with the extender…well, barring slight differences in zoom, and slightly different exposure. Did the same experiment using manual mode using fixed 1/125 sec shutter letting the camera pick ISO and f-stop on some tall grasses outside, about 30ft away…same result. Stumped, I am.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:33:00 GMT

I think what you are seeing is just the limitations of the lens and 2X extender at the limits. I am assuming at 400mm by itself the lens is OK but maybe not so sharp if you zoom in.

Re: RF Extender 2.0 problem?

Tims32ford — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:49:03 GMT

Just took image of the tall grasses about 30ft away, with extender and lens at 400mm (800mm equivalent)…grass blades are sharp until cropped down to about 5mp…image taken of top of pine tree about 120yds away with same lens combo…looks good until I crop…gets rather out of focus cropped to 5mp. Guess I have to get my skills up on getting closer to the eagles.