On Sat, 24 Oct 1998 09:36:35 -0500, randolph@pond.com (Joe Passante) wrote:

>I read the thread concerning use of a converter for this lens. Since I
>plan to rent a Nikkor 300 f2.8 next week I thought I would do some
>comparisons between this prime lens and my 80-200 with a 2x Tamrom
>converter. Aside from shooting slide and using a tripod and cable release
>what else should I do?

Fergit it...! ;-) Unless you just want to confirm that A) the 80-200,
good as it is, and really surprisingly good as it is on the
TC14/14B/14C converters, isn't, for some reason, very good on 2X
converters; and B) the Nikkor 300mm f2.8 is one fine lens...! ;-)
(BTW, the 300 f2.8 is good on the TC300/301 2X converter...;-)

> Also, I don't have a test target to shoot. What would be good subject
>matter so that I can more easily compare the 300 prime with the 80-200-
>teleconverter combination at 300mm?

Any distant, detailed horizon line, but only under VERY GOOD
air conditions... 300mm is long enough to be hard to test - air
problems easily predominate. Sometimes just before sunset,
just after sunrise, or during "crystal-clear-air" days, conditions
are good enough for meaningful results. BTW, inadequate tripod
technique can also spoil results (avoid shutter speeds around
1/8-1/30, preflip the mirror, weigh-down the lens or damp
things by other means [a monopod attached to the camera can help]),
or just shoot hand-held, using fast enough film to give you a
very high shutter speed...