Canon EF 1.4x III Extender Review | Using Canon 7D II & Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 II 

Haha. I went through all of this myself a couple of years ago. This is what i recommend : 1) do not use an extender with this lens on a aps-c body, it's not worth the hit in Image quality, slower autofocus and forced ISO, the light is already dull in the UK, and f8 is just too slow! 2) Purchase Reikan focal, excellent piece of software. All lenses and lenses + extender combinations need to be carefully calibrated on a DSLR, if you don't do it then you are most certainly not getting the best out of your gear. 3) If you really want to use that combo, i would suggest getting a full frame camera, we have a tendency to always want more reach, but the results from a full frame sensor are just so much more pleasing, i did some Careful comparing between my 7d2 and 5d4 with that same lens and 1.4x and the 5d4 just blows away the crop sensor, you can hardly see a difference with the 1.4 attached on the 5d4. 4) i would recommend keeping your 100-400II for a great walk around lens and if finances let you : getting a used 300 or 400 2.8, these beasts are razor sharp and work much better with extenders. 5) I have learnt over the years that you get much better results learning to approach your subject, than getting a longer focal length. Keep up the great work. Cheers

Hi Espen. I finally bit the bullet and bought a used Canon 500 f4 version 2 to replace a version 1 I bought which had a focus fault and couldn't be repaired under guarantee. I have the canon 100-400 version 2 (razor sharp) but don't use my extenders with it. On the other hand the 500 mm is stunning with the 1.4X and the 2X on my 80d and 5d4, and if you are static then having both is fantastic for most situations. With the 500 + 1.4 + 80D then I can get out to effectively 1120 mm at f5.6 and 1600 mm with the 2X at f8, all with autofocus! It's the way to go so that's the way a big chunk of my retirement savings has gone! I just hope I am still wealthy in time.....🤔😀

I have the 7D2 and use the Canon 400mm f/5.6.When I added the 1.4x to it I found my images to be soft. I use Reikan Focal to keep a check on all my lenses. All other lenses were fine on the 7D2 and all combinations of lenses and the 1.4x were fine on other bodies, mainly my full frame 6D, but when I used the 7D2, 1.4x and 400mm together, Reikan Focal could not get proper focus within the -20 to +20 micro adjustment range - it suggested I needed -30. I took my 7D2, 1.4x and 400mm lens to a well known Glasgow based service centre and they found the extender and lens to be fine but the sensor alignment of my 7D2 was off. Even with that fixed now, I need a micro adjustment of -19 to get proper focus! So, given that my camera, extender and lens are all serviced and in "perfect" working order and that they still need such a large micro adjustment, I wonder if this combination is just too much for the crop sensor so if anything of yours is slightly out then pin sharp focus is not going to be achievable. The only softness problem I now have with this combination is due to atmospheric distortion with me trying to use it to shoot subjects that are simply too far away.

I'm more of a landscape photographer than wildlife. However, I do occasionally shoot birds etc. I tested my 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 II on my 5Dsr with and without the 1.4x III extender. With a tripod, no wind, I found the extender did a fantastic job. I compared cropped shots with no extender to non-cropped with extender and found the extender rendered images that were just as sharp. So, yes, under certain conditions with full frame Canons, the extender potentially works well. However, good to know that it's not as useful for fast moving objects.

I have an identical setup and the same results as you. Borderline not sure I want to use the extender at all. After watching this I decided to calibrate the lens with the teleconverter. Definitely improved and great results for closer subjects and good results further away. As you said I'm not going to put it on and forget it but It's a useful tool when needed.

Very informative, I had the extender and used it on the 5D Mark IV but since owning the 90D I no longer use / have it. Apart from losing 1 stop I had very good results on full frame. I've calibrated the 100-400 II on both 5D Mark IV and 90D - you can use the micro adjustment feature within the camera or simply send it to Canon.

Thankyou for that. I purchased the 1.4 v ll and found on the 7D ll and 400mm it was soft but after I calibrated with Focal I got much better results, think that the one big advantage is the shot that is just a little to far away but with the extender that little extra reach does the job I also removed it for BIF but birds in water or perched had good results. Russ.

I just subscribed recently, although I've been watching your videos for about a month now. I really appreciate your passion for wildlife and nature -- it is the same passion that drove me into photography some 45 years ago. I was a journalist for more than 30 years but set my camera aside for more than a decade after I became an editor. Film was too expensive for a journalist after we began raising a family. I got back into photography after two layoffs ended my career, and now I spend my Sunday afternoons traipsing through local forest preserves, photographing insects, wildflowers, birds (mostly waterfowl) and whatever critters I can find. I've been doing this now for about five years and, while I enjoyed my time shooting images for a newspaper, I am much happier celebrating God's awesome artistry in his creation. Anyway, I wanted to pop in to let you know I admire your work and am grateful for your videos. You share not only your passion and skill, but your heart for what you do. That should inspire others to do the same. Best to you!

Not sure why you'd want to use this TC on a Canon 7D II to shoot at f/8 at extreme ISO levels. Any fast action requires a faster shutter and that means higher ISO which deteriorates clarity or sharpness. The other thing is you MUST microfocus your camera for all lenses to correct for any back or front focus issues and this is no exception to this unless you shoot mirrorless. Might have been done before making this video. For sports action, I use the TC 1.4x III on my 70-200mm 2.8, including my 400mm 2,8 and works at f/4.0 great and very sharp images. I also use the 1DX2 which provides lower noise content over the 7Dii. I do have the 7Dii and use the Tamron 18-600mm for my general photography.

I just ordered one to pair with my 100-400ii + M6 Mark.II kit. The M6 Mark.ii handles higher ISO better and it also has 32.5MP so in theory the sharpness fall off shouldn't be as noticeable due to the increase in pixel density (it will still be there, but hopefully the results will be better). One thing the M6 Mark.ii struggles with is AF since it relies on purely Dual-Pixel AF, but if the subject fills the frame more, it has more to lock on to so again, in theory the extender should provide that extra reach to smaller subjects closer and improve AF performance. Once I have a chance to use it, I will update this comment on my findings in real world application since theoretical performance is not indicative of real world performance. At the very worst at least I'll have it for when I inevitably buy a full frame camera some day lol. Update: Based on my limited usage so far, AF acquisition is a hair slower, but it's ability to lock focus is better for sure. Although relatively unscientific, out of 50 shots I am able to get closer to 45 shots w/1.4x and before it was closer to 40 shots in the same conditions. Overall sharpness is almost indistinguishable to the naked eye at F/8 as well. I think it was a worth while investment.

You pretty well nailed it with everything you said Espen. When I used my 7D ii I very rarely used the 1.4x unless the light was absolutely perfect. Now I am using my 5D iv more I very rarely take the 1.4x off. I think may aim is to get a 400mm f2.8 and use with the 1.4x I think that would be a great setup.

Using the 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS II with the EF 2x II and 5DS, the results were a bit disappointing. Was thinking to try with the EF 1.4 III, but I’m a bit concerned now. Though, most think highly of the 1.4 III and 100-400 II combination. Will get the 300mm 2.8L IS in few days. Perhaps the 2x II and 1.4x III will work much better when the lens is better too.

i used the 1.4x (III) and 2x (III)on my eos R6, i can not see any quality loss. on a 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6 L Is ii

Espen, I have noticed very similar results with my 7D Mark II. In contrast, the 100-400mm lens plus the 1.4 X Tele converter works very well when using the Canon 5D Mark IV, 1D, and 1 DX Mark II. Not only is the overall performance much faster, but also the number of sharp images increases dramatically. I’ve performed a similar test using my 500 mm f/4 L IS II lens. The autofocus performance with and without the teleextender are noticeably much better when using the 5D Mark IV, 1DX, or 1DX Mark II than when using the 7D Mark II. Although the crop sensor provides higher resolution than the full frame sensor at the equivalent field of view the overall image quality, sharpness, and detail are much better using the 5D Mark IV, 1DX and 1DX Mark II.

Espen, I think you need to calibrate your lens and tc, I do not have sharpness issues with a FoCal calibrated system with this lens and tc setup.

Hi Espen, I have calibrated my Canon 80d with the 100-400 mk ii, both with and without the extender. It does make a difference and once done you don’t have to repeat the process every time you fit the lens/extender. I use Reikan FoCal software, which automates the entire procedure on a Mac or Windows PC, although you can do it for free using a ruler or other scale at a 45 degree angle at a suitable distance. Not all cameras are supported by FoCal, although having used the software on a friend’s 7d ii, it will tell you the adjustment needed which you then do manually. Worth doing whichever route you take. By the way, I have no affiliation with Reikan. Love the vlog, keep up the good work! 👍🏻

I run the EOS R with the 2x extender and sometimes I use a canon spacer and use both the 1.4 and 2.0 extender with the 100-400 its quite a setup. When I have them all connected its great for video I find the photos not so great though

Great video, I’m thinking about one but I may not after listening to you. However I have a 5,6&7 d so I may just do they. There is a chart you can download to calibrate your lens

I use the 1.4 and 2x (both mark3 versions)on my 70-200 on a 5D3. The Northrups suggest that at 400 with the 2x the 70-200/2.8 is sharper than the 100 to 400. I think they work best on full frame bodies .

Great review I was thinking of buying an extender but think I will save my money. Thanks for the honesty!

I was looking forward to your conclusions, mainly to counter check my own, great video. I don’t have the 7D2, I have the 80D and 5D3, but I found pretty much the same conclusions. I will say the drawbacks are a bit less on the full frame, I really think it’s a result caused by the reduced light and contrast more than anything. Cloudy days are a definite no go for crop sensors and BIF, and marginal on my FF. I did micro adjust both cameras to the lens and to the lens + extender. I noticed a decent increase in sharpness on the 80D and maybe a slight improvement on the FF, but overall still a slight Decrease in sharpness with as opposed to without on aps-c. They are still both very good tho, with the FF barely noticeable and not really sure if it’s wishful thinking or real. Each camera is going to be different tho depending on if it is or is not actually in need of adjustment and by how much. I use FoCal as a lazy way to AFMA, works well. The 80d, which is newer than the 7D2 and 5D3, has like 21 AF points available with the mkiii extender...seems most cameras newer than the 80D work more AF points at f8. So, personally, I say it’s worth it for FF to get close to that crop factor reach, but not really worth it fo a crop sensor in most cases because in post cropping to the equivalent seems just as good.

A very useful and balanced review. I think I will hold off till Spring/Summer then and rethink (I have similar setup to you and do not fancy losing shots to F8 in low-light)

I have read it matters the order you attach the extender, supposedly Canon recommends attending the extender to the lens then attaching lens + extender to the camera. It base something to do with the camera recognizing the lens.

don’t forget, the APS-C sensor size affects lens size AND aperture. The camera companies only talk about lens reach. So when your 400 at 5.6 becomes f8 with the 1.4X added, it becomes even darker when you switch from full frame to the APS-C body. Probably closer to f11. No wonder you can’t get good shots on dull days - or of moving subjects. Tony Northrop has an excellent video comparing full frame to crop bodies and spends quite a bit of time showing how the aperture is smaller as well.

Liked the video. Have used the Canon 1.4x III extender on the Canon 7D Mark II. Had similar frustrations using the 100-400mm II lens with that combination. Bought a refurbished Canon 80D. Supports 27 AF points at f/8. Great combination for BIF with the 1.4x extender and the 100-400mm II lens. Shoot manual mode f/10, 1/2000-3200 depending on light, with auto ISO. Just got the Canon 90D. Has the Spot AF like the 7D Mark II for stationary birds. The 80D was great for wildlife. 90D with its 32mb sensor requires sharp lenses like the Canon 100-200II or the Canon 70-200mm F2.8.

I’d never recommend using an extender on a crop frame camera. I’m not surprised you found it un sharp. That’s why you’re friend found it sharp on his 5D

I've had a very similar experience with my Nikon 200-500 f5.6 and the Nikon 1.4 TC on my d500 crop body, the hit in sharpness is pretty bad, almost to the point where I think I'd probably be better just cropping in post. At least then I don't have to take the af and iso hit. Great videos btw 👍

The best way to solve low light photography is to set your IOS on AUTO on your camera and as to sharp photography well i got a canon 70/300 MM EF 4/5.6 L lens and I have This lens since 2016 and most of my photos are SHARP all the time also I recently brought a canon 400MM EF 5.6L Lens

... 100-400 II with a 1,6 crop sensor should give some longer reach than 100-400 II + 1,4 ext. with a full frame (moreover, with uncertain quality of extender).

Thank you for your reviews. I almost bought one. No I don't have to.

I was going to ask if you had done AFMA with the extender.. Please do. I use the Canon 100-400 mk2 + 1.4 ex III. Before I used it on my 800D and now on my 90D. I'm not a pro.. but I love to shoot birds... I always leave my extender on..I find my results quite acceptable

I find it struggles in auto focus when trying to take photos of flying red kites just purchased it. One bit of advice I like is don’t keep it on all the time

Hej Espen. I use the 7D Mark ii and the Canon 400 5,6 L. I also have the Canon 1,4 Mark iii extender. I agree with your findings, but i have discovered that with AF microadjustment all the way to -20 i have much better sharpness when using the extender. Maybe you should try that??

One more information: Usable AF-points are dependent on body AND lens, for details there are lists from Canon available (see manuals from the bodies as far as I remember) My conclusions from using long Canon lenses and extenders for decades now (all on FF&film bodies): - 1.4x is superior to 2x (sharpness) - Max aperture of lens is critical, the wider the better Both together: 4.0 with an extender 1.4 is the "slowest" combo without visible compromises. I very rarely use 2x with lenses like 2.8 70-200 or so. I would love to have the 100-400 II as walk around lens, but sadly I do not own it. This lens is great. A crop body is some help for close framing, but I left crop sensors as FF became affordable.

Would be interesting to see the test on a full frame.... Thanks for the review....

Hi Espen I think you have a front focus issue. In your comparison without and with the extender at 7'06 it seems to me that the piece of wood in the foreground is sharper than that just behind where you likely placed your focus point. I would definitely check by playing with the maf. Best Regards

I have the same set up as you, a great review and so very helpful, thanks.

When I got my Canon 5DS I rented some teleconverters to test against the Kenko ones I already had. I got the Kenko TCs with the 100-400 Mark I lens I used to have. That was supposed to be a good combination. Then I sold that lens and replaced it with the Mark II version. After testing various combinations, I found shooting without the extender and upscaling produced just as sharp images as using the TC in the center of the image. At the corners, using the TC produced more CA and the image was softer. So I didn't see any reason to use an extender. Just as good or better results were achieved by cropping and resizing instead. Maybe I got dud teleconverters, but I rented from a well-known reputable company, so I don't think so.

Are you turning off IS when shooting from tripod with 1.4x? That does the trick from me. No sharpness issues.

hello Espen! the 100-400 ii and the 1.4 iii are a great combo but you need fast shutterspeed.

This is why photographers need to be comfortable with MANUAL FOCUS

My motto. There will always be a bird too far away. Either get closer or don't shoot.

Thank you very much, an exemplary review.

Did you calibrate the 7D MK ll and the 100-400mm lens with the tele extender using the 7D MK ll Micro Focus Adjustment before trying it?

I use the Canon 90d. I have the 1.4 extender. I am seeing in most videos, they really focus on AF. I would gather most AF is slow. I have used in MF mode but not experienced enough to use the extender on things that are moving. I find the lens great for AF but not so much with the extender. I use version 1 of this lens and am happy with it.

The Canon website states that the EF 1.4x iii is not compatible with the Canon EF 100-400 ii. It will work but the EF 1.4x ii is a better option.

Sometimes i think,this is David Beckham or Jimmy Somerville with a camera😉

Hi Espen, In my experience the 7d2 and 1.4x iii are not good companions, for the obvious reasons you have mentioned. I now use 5dmk4 and 5dsr and 99 times out of 100 will use the 1.4x iii along with my 500 f4 mk2, as far as I can see there is little to no loss in IQ using this combination. As for AF calibration to me it is a must especially if you are capturing images of small birds as you need to know accuratley where your point of focus is, there are many ways of doing this, someone mentioned Focal but for my money all you need to find is a fence with barbed wire. Pick a point on the fence to focus on use your widest aperture get at an angle of 30-45 degrees pace out the distance roughly (or a distance that you are happy with) camera on tripod, manually turn the focus ring to make it de-focus, then use AF to the chosen spot and take a shot (best done using a remote release to minimise vibration) zoom in at the result and look at the barbed wire infront and behind point of focus to see where the shot is sharpest, adjust accordingly via the MA menu then manually de-focus the lens the other way and repeat the process, you will soon see that adjusting the Micro Adjustment will zero in on the point of focus. Its not rocket science and you cannot harm anything by doing it if it all goes pear shaped disable MA in the menu and you are back where you started. It does make a difference to composition as you know that what ever point your aiming at the focus will be sharp all you need to do then is ensure you have sufficient DOF to capture the entire subject, which with birds can be a little daunting if you AF on the eye you may find that the beak or tail feathers may not be quite as sharp as they should, it depends on how the bird is orientated. Sometimes it is better to move the point of focus away from the eye to ensure you get all the bird sharp. Hope all of this makes sense ! I did a blog on this subject back in 2017 it can be found here : layzeephotography.blogspot.com/2017/08/auto-focus-micro-adjustment-afma.html

Hi Espen, I have some questions. Is canon 7D mark ii still worth buying in 2020? Which camera would you suggest? What do think about 90D? should I go with 7D ii or 90D?

It's quite useful information.

Its sad about the sharpness. I have a 6D mk2 with the same lens. I bought a 1.4ii but sold it on because of the lack of sharpness. Its sad that this hasent been sorted out.

nice presentation. Q: you noted you were having trouble getting sharp images at 560mm and when fast moving subjects are in order, you preferred not using the extender. However, in both cases you didn't suggest why. (you did say you tried a few things, but didn't say what you tried.) A: Fully extended images not sharp - in comparison to what? Are you using a shutter speed 2xs the focal length (900mm on crop sensor (so Tv 2000)? and the results are less sharp than 2xs the shutter speed at 400mm (640mm on a crop sensor Tv 1300)? [any less than those shutter speeds the lack of sharpness is likely user error] B: Trouble capturing fast moving subjects - is the autofocus not fast enough? Does it hunt? thanks

Good video buddy we seem to be scratching our heads over similar things lol 😂

I have short question, is better to choose canon 100-400mm + 1.4x or sigma 150-600mm for wildlife and some birds shoots ?

Hi ty for the video they are really good. me and my wife have just started photography 7 months ago i have the 6dmk2 with the same lens, 100-400 mk2 was thinking of saving for the 2x. I mainly do early morning and evening photography a wildlife but struggle with low light. Was thinking of getting 150-600 sigma lens instead, any advice would be amazing which do you think would be best. Regards bobby.

Get yourself a big prime and bang it on it ‘ eg 400 2’8 sharp and fast a beast of a lease

Is this extender worth it over the II?

i have a canon 1.4mm extender (same one )mark II but its back lens came out , do you know how to fix it ?

have you tried the 2x to compare? Was it less sharp than the 1.4?

I remember seeing a video from Tony Northrup where he tested the extender and the IQ without the extender cropped was actually better than with the extender. If you don't mind the weight, why not get the Tamron 150-600mm or Sigma.

When we look for videos on this topic we want to see results not 10 minutes of comments

Between 90D and 7D2, which one will ya recommend?

Look at explorecams and typ 100-400 ii 1.4 iii extender those images are EXTREMLY SHARP

Hi the 1.4xlll is it ok with the canon 400 mm 5.6?

Is this good with f2.8 400mm canon primes

You got over £4.000 worth of photographic equipments

Hi Espen, I`ve just found you review and channel, looking for a price on the extender I want to sell..haha.... your review is excellent, and as I have the same setup ,found exactly all you said. It is not worth it for me ,even that I'm only amateur the loss of sharpness and speed is too much.I'll be watching your channel ! cheers ..@truepics48

10 минут бубнежа. Примеры где?

Basically it's useless