Tamron 1.4x teleconverter Canon 1.4x converter Olympus 1.4 teleconverter

Ideal for getting an extra-close image of exciting birds beyond the normal capability of your telephoto or zoom lens, a converter, sometimes called a teleconverter, magnifies your lens another 40 percent with a 1.4x converter, or it doubles the magnification of your lens with a 2x converter. Hence, it will turn your 300mm telephoto lens into an equivalency of a 420mm lens using a 1.4x converter, or a 600mm lens using a 2x converter.

The best teleconverters maintain high optical standards that minimize chromatic aberrations and provide rugged, dust-proof and water-resistant models. Even so, some photographers prefer to be purists and only trust the quality of their lens, sans converter.

Some photographers shy away from converter lenses except in extreme cases: It’s easy to add a converter to your telephoto if you have a little extra time while photographing a given bird or flock of birds. Photographers who do utilize a converter tend to prefer using a 1.4x when necessary, and shy away from the extreme of the 2x converter, which tends not to work as well in maintaining sharpness and detail.

When using a 1.4x converter, the amount of light your camera sensor receives is reduced. you lose one stop of light (aperture), so if you are using an f5.6 aperture lens, you cannot use the f5.6 aperture, but must use the f6.5 at best. That’s not usually a big compromise, especially considering that everything in photography has a give and take element to it, especially regarding lighting. A 2x converter will reduce the f-stop option by 2 stops.

It’s worth testing the limits of your lenses by adding a converter to your equipment options. When you are photographing at a stationary location and have a break in the action, it’s a simple matter of attaching the converter between your lens and camera to take a few higher magnification photos in addition to the photos you already recorded.

Interested? B&H Photo offers the broadest selection of converters for all brands of lenses at https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Teleconverters/ci/278/N/4077634487