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Canon EF Extenders / Teleconverters

The range of Canon 1.4x and 2x lens extenders

The teleconverters (TC) will multiply the focal length of any EF lens used with them by either 1.4x or 2x.

So, a 300mm lens beomes a 420mm with a 1.4x TC and a 600mm lens with a 2x TC.

Sounds great, but it comes at the cost of reduced maximum aperture and slowing of AF performance (typ. 50% for 1.4x and 75% for 2x). The latest versions of the extenders are designed to reduce this, but there will always be some performance cost with an extender.

Maximum available aperture is reduced by 1 stop for 1.4x and 2 stops for 2x, so an EF 300/2.8 becomes 420/4 or 600/5.6

There are several versions of the converters in circulation, with the MKIII versions exhibiting the best optical characteristics, and lowest degradation of image quality (the extra glass in the lens unit will always have some effect)

Not all lenses can work with an extender. The list below shows suggested lenses that will work.

Note that apart from specialist lenses such as the tilt-shift TS-E range, teleconverters are designed for use with longer telephoto lenses. They also have the 3 extra electronic contacts for proper electronic communication with the extender. [See more details in the article about the EF lens mount]

EF Extender versions

1.4x EF Extender

Version Date Groups Elements Size (mm) Weight Construction Photo
Canon Extender EF 1.4x 10/1988 4 5 67.6 x 27.3 200g Canon ef extender 1.4x block diagram Canon ef extender 1.4x
Canon Extender EF 1.4x II 03/2001 4 5 72.8X 27.2 220g Canon ef extender 1.4x II block diagram Canon ef extender 1.4x II
Canon Extender EF 1.4x III 12/2010 3 7 72.0 x 27.2 225g Canon ef extender 1.4x III block diagram Canon ef extender 1.4x III

2x EF Extender

Version Date Groups Elements Width Weight Construction
Photo
Canon Extender EF 2x 10/1987 5 7 67.6 240g Canon ef extender 2x block diagram Canon ef extender 2x
Canon Extender EF 2x II 03/2001 5 7 52 265g Canon ef extender 2x II block diagram Canon ef extender 2x II
Canon Extender EF 2x III 12/2010 5 9 72.0x 52.7 325g Canon ef extender 2x III block diagram Canon ef extender 2x III

MkII versions improved lens coatings, optical design and added environmental sealing

MkII versions updated electronics, optical design and coatings to minimize ghosting, flare and chromatic aberration. Added 'Fluorine coating' to aid cleaning.

EF extender compatibility guide

Lens Lens with 1.4× AF with 1.4× IS with 1.4× Lens with 2× AF with 2× IS with 2×
135 mm f/2L USM 190 mm f/2.8 Yes 270 mm f/4 Yes
180 mm f/3.5L Macro USM 252 mm f/5 Yes 360 mm f/7.1 No
200 mm f/1.8L USM 280 mm f/2.5 Yes 400 mm f/3.5 Yes
200 mm f/2.0L IS USM 280 mm f/2.8 Yes Yes 400 mm f/4 Yes Yes
200 mm f/2.8L II USM 280 mm f/4 Yes 400 mm f/5.6 Yes
300 mm f/2.8L USM 420 mm f/4 Yes 600 mm f/5.6 Yes
300 mm f/2.8L IS USM 420 mm f/4 Yes Yes 600 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes
300 mm f/2.8L II IS USM 420 mm f/4 Yes Yes 600 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes
300 mm f/4L USM 420 mm f/5.6 Yes 600 mm f/8 f/8 only
300 mm f/4L IS USM 420 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes 600 mm f/8 f/8 only f/8 only
400 mm f/2.8L USM 560 mm f/4 Yes 800 mm f/5.6 Yes
400 mm f/2.8L II USM 560 mm f/4 Yes 800 mm f/5.6 Yes
400 mm f/2.8L IS USM 560 mm f/4 Yes Yes 800 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes
400 mm f/4 IS DO USM 560 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes 800 mm f/8 f/8 only f/8 only
400 mm f/5.6L USM 560 mm f/8 f/8 only 800 mm f/11 No
500 mm f/4L IS USM 700 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes 1000 mm f/8 f/8 only f/8 only
500 mm f/4.5L USM 700 mm f/6.3 f/8 only 1000 mm f/9.0 No
600 mm f/4L USM 840 mm f/5.6 Yes 1200 mm f/8 f/8 only
600 mm f/4L IS USM 840 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes 1200 mm f/8 f/8 only f/8 only
800 mm f/5.6L IS USM 1120 mm f/8 f/8 only f/8 only 1600 mm f/11 No f/8 only
1200 mm f/5.6L USM 1680 mm f/8 f/8 only 2400 mm f/11 No
70–200 mm f/2.8L IS USM 98–280 mm f/4 Yes Yes 140–400 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes
70–200 mm f/2.8L IS II USM 98–280 mm f/4 Yes Yes 140–400 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes
70–200 mm f/2.8L USM 98–280 mm f/4 Yes 140–400 mm f/5.6 Yes
70–200 mm f/4L IS USM 98–280 mm f/5.6 Yes Yes 140–400 mm f/8 f/8 only f/8 only
70–200 mm f/4L USM 98–280 mm f/5.6 Yes 140–400 mm f/8 f/8 only
100–400 mm f/4.5–5.6L IS USM 140–560 mm f/6.3–8 f/8 only f/8 only 200–800 mm f/9–11 No f/8 only
100–400 mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II USM 140–560 mm f/6.3–8 f/8 only f/8 only 200–800 mm f/9–11 No f/8 only
200–400 mm f/4L IS USM
(without built-in extender 1.4×)
280–560 mm f/5.6 Yes [unsure] 400–800 mm f/8 f/8 only [unsure]
200–400 mm f/4L IS USM
(with built-in extender 1.4×)
400–800 mm f/8 f/8 only [unsure] 560–1120 mm f/11 No [unsure]
TS-E 17 mm f/4L 24 mm f/5.6 No 34 mm f/8 No
TS-E 24 mm f/3.5L 35 mm f/5.0 No 50 mm f/7.1 No
TS-E 24 mm f/3.5L II 35 mm f/5.0 No 50 mm f/7.1 No
TS-E 45 mm f/2.8 65 mm f/4.0 No 90 mm f/5.6 No
TS-E 90 mm f/2.8 125 mm f/4.0 No 180 mm f/5.6 No
Notes
Autofocus: Yes - AF works.
f/8 only - AF works only with EOS bodies that can AF at f/8.
No - AF does not work.
Image stabilization: Yes - IS works.
f/8 only - IS works only with supported EOS bodies (typically EOS bodies from after 1995).

Note that not all camera bodies AF systems work with f/8 lenses. These ones do:

  • Canon EOS-1D X (with firmware version 1.1.1)
  • Canon EOS 5Ds and 5Ds R
  • Canon EOS 5D Mark III (with firmware version 1.2.1)
  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II[11]
  • Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
  • Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
  • Canon EOS-1D Mark III
  • Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
  • Canon EOS-1D Mark II
  • Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
  • Canon EOS-1Ds
  • Canon EOS-1D
  • Canon EOS-1V
  • Canon EOS 3

An extender (2x) and shift lens

The photo is from some testing of the TS-E17 lens at Northlight Images.

TS-E17mm lens and 2x extender

The 34mm focal length is not mentioned in the image EXIF data and the original (incorrect) aperture is recorded.

The 1.4x III version is best with the TS-E17 and TS-E24, with a useful 34mm on the TS-E24.

The loss of image quality with the test above suggests that even with the 2x III extender, results will not satisfy critical work at any large amount of shift.

Used Canon Lenses
• UK: MPB | Park
• USA: B&H | Adorama
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