Canon EF 1.4x II extender

Used on my 70-200 f4 IS and Canon 40D, this converter has given very good results. The trick is to use it with the 70-200 zoomed all the way out to 200. Used this way, the images are very sharp.

Lends flexibility to existing compatible lenses. Lighter than getting a dedicated long telephoto lens, great image quality.

Image quality degrades when lens is not at full telephoto - no zooming. Pricey!

I already have the 2x extender and bought this one on impulse after hearing good things about it. I thought I would keep this and sell the 2x extender but now I am not so sure. Most people are under the impression that the 1.4x extender is far superior to the 2x. Technically that's probably true but only because it's logical. The greater the magnification, the greater the quality loss so the obviously the 1.4x should give better results. Surprisingly I don't find that to be true. The results certainly aren't noticeably superior to the 2x initially. The only lens I own that is compatible with these extenders is the 70-200 f2.8L IS so my test results are based purely on that.

If you shoot wide open with either of these extenders then the quality can be disappointing, especially on the APS-C sensor SLRs (350D, 400D, 30D etc). But stopping down just one stop makes a massive difference in quality.

Let me put it simply... these extenders DO NOT substitute a good lens i.e. a 200mm lens with a 2x extender will not get the same quality as a 400mm lens but the quality is still good, especially when stopped down.

If, like me, you have an APS-C sensor SLR (i.e. not the EOS 5D or EOS 1Ds etc) then remember that even without an extender, your camera is only using about 50% of an L series lens' optics. The outer part of ALL the L series optics are wasted on the smaller sensored cameras. That isn't normally a problem as you avoid things like vignetting etc but remember that when you add an extender (especially the 2x) then your camera will only end up using something between 15% and 25% of the total optical surface. That is a HUGE task to ask of any lens, even an L series lens! So, quality is bound to suffer, it's only logical!

If your lens is f4 or faster then AF will still work well with the 1.4x attached. Surprisingly the AF doesn't really suffer and is not really much slower with the extender in place. Likewise, if you have an f2.8 lens, AF still works great with the 2x attached. Image Stabilisation is not affected regardless and works fine.

I also tried 'stacking' the two extenders together with my 70-200 lens. That gave me an effective 900mm lens in 35mm terms on my Canon 350D. Surprisingly the quality was actually quite good. I expected it to be rubbish but it really is impressive. Naturally AF won't work so manual focus is necessary but the IS still worked fine. Those of you still shooting film with an EOS 3 or an EOS 1 will still be able to use AF even when these extenders are stacked (Wow!!!) Interestingly the 1.4x extender MUST go next to the camera body when 'stacking' simply because of the way it is made. It is impossible to use them any other way. You cannot stack two 1.4x extenders together, only two 2x extenders or a 1.4x and a 2x.

Both extenders are now water and dust resistant which is good. Build quality is absolutely 100% perfect. Just remember that these extenders only work with selected L series lenses, make sure you check before buying. I have just got the 24-105mm f4L IS and it does NOT work with the extenders (not that I care).


To summarise, the 1.4x extender is as good as money can buy and the results are certainly very good. Just don't make the mistake of thinking it is a substitute for an additional lens. The price may seem steep for what you get but all that money is invested in top quality optics.

Build quality
Optical quality
Water and dust resistance
Excellent resale value
Stackable with 2x extender
The best extender money can buy but not a substitute for a longer lens.

Even though it is top quality I still feel the price is just a tad steep

Canon 2x Extender II
Teleplus teleconverter (Absolute JUNK and a complete waste of money... don't even think about it!)

Not needed (yet)

Purchased with to go with 70-200 f2.8 (on my 10D) to shoot wildlife. Gives me excellent 'reach' in a relatively light, compact package and minimal loss of quality from an excellent lens. A monopod, at a minimum, is required for sharp images in most situations due to weight and magnification

very minimal loss of image quality, light & compact

not inexpensive

Canon EF 70-200 f2.8

no experience

This converter worked extremely well with my 200 mm 2.8 and 70-200 2.8. Pictures were very sharp and I am extremely pleased with the converter.

Size. Sharpness

None

200 2.8; 135 2.0; 100 2.0; 70-200 2.8; 28-70 2.8

None needed.

Optical quality is up to par with its previous counterpart. AF speed is undiminished-much better than the previous version.

AF speed of attached L lenses is essentially unaffected. Razor sharp photos.

none

previous 1.4x L converter.