Nikon Teleconverter and Nikon 105mm micro lens

DJBee49

PB-PM.

This is getting confusing! There seems to be different and incomplete information on this subject from Nikon. Here is the information on the European Nikon website about the TC1.4 III

Compatible lenses: the AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III is compatible with a wide range of Nikon’s AF-S NIKKOR lenses, including: AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF ED¹, AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VRII, AF-S VR NIKKOR 200mm f/2G IF-ED, AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II, AF-S VR NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED, AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR, AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR, AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4G ED VR, AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR, AF-S NIKKOR 70–200mm f/2.8G ED VR II, AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70–200mm f/2.8G IF-ED, AF-S NIKKOR 70–200mm f/4G ED VR, AF-S NIKKOR 200–400mm f/4G ED VR II, AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200–400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR², and the AF-S NIKKOR 80–400mm f/4.5–5.6G ED VR².

Note the little *1 after the 105mm f2.8 entry. There is no reference on the page as to what this refers to- at least I cannot see it. However, you have stated that you did find it and that it refers to an inability to AF, so I am a little puzzled by your comment above.

As I have said before, my manual (printed) for the TC1.4II, TC1.7II and TC2.0III clearly states that the TCs are compatible with the 105mm f2.8 but not with regard to AF, " AF cannot be used" (TC1.4II) and "Autofocus cannot be used with the AF_S Teleconverter TC-17 II and TC-20 II." Exactly the same is stated in the TC 2.0 III manual.

Whilst I have only used the 105+TC1.4 for close-up work and not the other two, I have not found Nikon's information to be fully correct on the bodies I currently use (D810 and D500). A more accurate statement from Nikon might be that AF does not operate at very close distances with the 1.7 and 2.0. AF seems rather poor on this lens anyway at very close distances, even without the TC attached and is certainly not brilliant with the TC1.4.

As always with macro work (as you indicated), focus is much better achieved manually anyway. I have found all three TCs to AF satisfactorily with this lens at non-macro distances but the IQ with the 1.7 and 2.0 is not brilliant in my limited experience.

You are quite correct though in stating that the TC 1.7 and 2.0 do not allow the AF to work at true macro distances. I had not tried this before and this is certainly not properly functional. This no doubt explains Nikon's assertion that the AF does not function with the TCs but it does work at non-macro distances, for me anyway.

In the end all the printed (mis?)information is secondary to what actually happens in practice, so I shall continue to occasionally use the TC 1.4 II that I own, with the 105 f2.8 at macro distances, mostly using manual focus, and were I to be pushed again, I would use any of them at non-macro distances, confident that the AF would work, even if the IQ on the 1.7 and 2.0 would not be impressive!

PB_PM

All that I have posted is from Nikon's Global site, as linked in both my posts. The fact that Nikon cannot even get it's facts together shows it is just a cluster.

WestEndFoto

Why don't you buy what you want from B&H and send it back if you don't like it?