Use your 2x!

McFly

McFly

Well-known member
A fellow photog (who I used to work with) told me that his chief told him he needs to start shooting in 2x.

Confused.. I asked why.

The reason: Because you 'can get closer.'

Still confused... I asked if the chief just meant he should use it for certain shots.

Apparently not. He wants him to use it ALL THE TIME.

I am of the mindset that it's an option and a tool, to be used by the user when felt necessary.
 
I once had a chief that sent a memo out ordering the staff to use only filter 4 outdoors and 1 indoors. A few on the staff were rather green and rather than explain what 2 & 3 do he thought it easier to just send the memo not to use them. I said OK, filed the memo in the circular file and went on my merry way using the camera and all the features that come with it.
This guy sounds like an idiot who overheard a bit of advice taken out of context and ran with it.
 
Sounds like "New Manager Syndrome" to me... I know because I tried some of the same stuff. I got a shiny new title and a trip to NPPA summer camp. I was the CP and, by God, we WOULD shoot NPPA style.

"TIGHT SHOTS! TIGHT SHOTS! TIGHT SHOTS! TIGHT SHOTS! TIGHT SHOTS!"

Human nature being what it is, the only mesurable result was that nothing changed.

Lesson learned, wisdom gained.
 
Just wondering if anyone else notices the clarity go down while shooting 2x?

I think it is worth it for the tight shots, but if I have no need to be in all the way I want to be able to go out all the way.
 
Lets see,when you double your focal length you also double your F-number, leaving you with 1/4 the speed. So you lose a lot of light gathering capability and focus is much more difficult,depth of field is shallow. There are times when this is desirable,but all the time??Also when you flip it in your adding more glass to the equation ,so you may see a drop in the resolving power. Using a long lens also produces a flat image with no strong feeling of depth(telephoto compression).Also any shake or movement is amplified.Try moving closer or macro.Save the 2x for the long, standoff shots. Sounds like he's in a "permissible circle of confusion".:confused:
 
Just don't pan while on 2X.
I absolutely HATE IT when I see people pan on extender.
Everything's too compressed...and the "field" is often too narrow to pan.
Hell...I hate using PANS, period.

I'll never forget a piece of advice my 1st news director told me waaay back. I had just shot my first PKG--and it had tons of pans/zooms.

He told me it sucked...and in a half-joking-but-more-serioius tone he told me:

"Unless you're gonna show me a pan-up from some Playboy Playmate's p*ssy to her big t*tties...I don't want you panning or zooming. Capiche?"

I crack up every time I think back to that.
But it DID have an effect on me. I rarely pan or zoom to this day.
 
McQueen said:
Lets see,when you double your focal length you also double your F-number, leaving you with 1/4 the speed. So you lose a lot of light gathering capability and focus is much more difficult,depth of field is shallow. There are times when this is desirable,but all the time??Also when you flip it in your adding more glass to the equation ,so you may see a drop in the resolving power.
Click to expand...
Actually it's the reverse. A 2x extender has a "filter factor" of 2 stops, so you divide your non-extended aperture by 2; thus an f/8 becomes an f/4, an f/11 turns into f/5.6, etc. Focus is more difficult because the Depth of Field is shallower, a direct function of the larger aperture.

If by "drop in the resolving power" you mean the shot is more likely to look muddy then that's true as well. By chucking in the 2x you're shrinking the area of the lens you're shooting through PLUS adding more glass, so any occlusions/dirt/flaws/etc. will have a greater effect on your image quality.

Often times the quality of the Bokeh suffers as well.

That said I often use the 2x extender for the very reason that I have to open the lens and get a shallower DoF. Sometimes you cannot dim the lights and it's better to use the extender than the shutter. You'd have to shoot at 1/250 for the same loss of light, which could cause "strobing" in moving backgrounds.
 
LuccaBrazzi said:
"Unless you're gonna show me a pan-up from some Playboy Playmate's p*ssy to her big t*tties...I don't want you panning or zooming. Capiche?"
Click to expand...
Hrm....

It's impossible to pan up. But I am more interested in the idea that he would allow you to shoot such a thing, as long as you tilted up. :)
 
Here is my interview with Drew Carey
Nose.jpg


one of the local PIOs at a presser

50310098.JPG


Shot an entire interview this way.
eye_close_up.jpg
 
If you have the dual filter wheel, try moving back the ND one number....really helps it sharpen up when using the extender. Can work if you are stuck on the classic 1,2,3,4 wheel as well.

While I find good results aiming for F5.6-F4 for most shoots normally, you really have to try for at least 5.6 or more closed to knock down the picture breakup with an extender.

That being said, I have used the extender at night with a bit of gain and it hasn't looked too much worse than if I had it normally. (Anyone else find that the J17.7 has some really crappy looking pics anything more than F2.8 and more open? I had a professional lens previously that looked a LOT better wide open)
 
You are 100% correct, Mr. Marty McFly, it IS an option and a tool to be employed judiciously and wisely by the user......unless, of course, you've been handed the Panasonic HVX-200, like us, which DOESN'T HAVE AN EXTENDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course, I'm not bitter.............
 
Having the 2X on at night cuts your low light ability down big, too. At night, I'd only use the 2X (if I had one) for breaking news.
 
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