In article <4g3p9q$rkb@mars.hyperk.com>, glh@srv.net says...
>d_ruether@hotmail.com wrote: (about various 2X's with 80-200mm f2.8 AF)

>>I have used and like both the Nikkor TC200/201 and the Vivitar
>>2X Macro Converter. I have not used the other two. Be aware that
>>performance suffers at apertures wider than about f5.6, and does
>>not approach the level of performance you would get without the
>>converter until around f11. Since you lose two stops with the
>>converter, this makes for some mighty small apertures for
>>photography, which limits the usefulness of 2x
>>converters in most applications.

>I'll say amen to that. I own a TC-200, primarily for use with my
>300mm f/4.5 Nikkor, and it is really, really bad wide open. >Unfortunately by the time I stop it down enough to get a decent image, >the required shutter speed is typically so slow that my tripod is not >steady enough for an acceptably sharp picture.
>Presumably one of the 1.4x teleconverters might provide better image >quality with this lens? Any recommendations? (I don't own any lenses >longer than 300mm and hence am reluctant to buy one of the >longer-than-300mm TCs just for this lens--but if it was clearly >superior, it might still be a lot cheaper than a 400+mm lens.)

Unfortunately, converters and Nikkor 300mm's don't seem to get along very well together - with some exceptions: the 300mm f2.8's (and maybe f2?) and the unusual f4.5 ED non-IF. (1.4x's are better than 2x's, but still not great wide-open on most of the 300mm's.) The TC300/301's aren't noticeably sharper than the TC200/201's, but do get along better with long lenses in terms of illumination and maintaining speed (not losing more than two stops....). If you can find one, the TC14C is wonderful, and a bit better than the TC14B on most lenses they both fit (and it works VERY well on the 80-200mm f2.8 by f4). The 300mm's like yours (non-ED) seem to vary a bit - I have seen really good ones which
I could not tell from the f4.5 EDIF's. I have no idea why the Nikkor 300mm f4-4.5's mostly aren't wonderful on converters, especially since the 400mm f5.6 is (but is a little slow, though....). This 400mm focal-length area is lacking a really high-quality, inexpensive lens. (The off-brand ones I have tried were not wonderful, to be charitable.) The 500mm f8 older Nikkor (even with TC14B [not C]) is good as a longer inexpensive lens, and 200mm and under is cheap and easy, and the 75-300mm and 100-300mm zooms are good and affordable (but aren't good
on converters, either), but the 400mm f5.6 Nikkor ( f a s t ! ;-) is
W A Y overpriced relative to the similar 300mm ED Nikkor, and is not affordable for most people.
Hope This Helps