Technical Pages
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If you've ever tried to photograph action from an auditorium stage from the 15th row with the Nikon 950's 3x zoom or tried to get that macro shot at an arm's length, you'll appreciate the added 2x boost the Nikon TC-E2 Teleconverter provides.
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The TC-E2 as shipped. (Actually mine came in one of those oversize BUYCOMP.COM boxes with about an acre-foot of styrofoam peanuts) |
| Packed in a black velour pouch with a padded bottom and drawstring, it's pretty clear it's a Nikon lens before you even open the bag. |
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Here's its unbagged. There are a pair of lens caps, a screw-on 28mm cap fits over the threads and a 62mm cap fits into the larger end. |
| Here's a look at the teleconverter with the front cap removed. |
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Installation is a simple in concept but takes some practice. The converter threads right into the 28mm lens on the 900 series cameras, but this lens is large and relatively heavy. It's an operation that you'll want to have down well before you try it in the field. 1. Remove the rear lens cap (LC-ER1) from the back of the teleconverter and screw it right onto the threads of the lens of your Coolpix 900/s, 910, 950 Note - installation on the Coolpix 700 requires that a UR-E1 step-up ring (purchased separately) be added between the teleconverter and the camera. |
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Looking down from the top, you get a more accurate picture of the size. Still pretty scary, when you compare it with a "convertorless" 950, below. You can also feel the weight when you go to shoot. A little practice with this much mass, and you'll feel like you just removed your workboots when you shoot with a "bare" 950. I sure hope the swivel mount is up to the task of bearing this much weight. Only time will tell. |
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2. If you have a 950 - Turn on the camera in Manual mode, press Menu button and scroll to the LENS option. Press the shutter release, select the TELEFOTO option from the LENS menu and press the shutter release again. This configures the camera to limit the zoom travel from full zoom to about halfway to avoid vignetting the image. This may sound like a constraint, but actually with the teleconvertor installed, you'll be spending most of your time at the zoom end, otherwise you wouldn't need it... Right? Without this feature active, if you extend the zoom to full wide, you would get a nice view of the walls inside of the lens Something like this:
I suppose it could be a useful effect under the right circumstances. |
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Note: The Teleconverter is compatible with the Coolpix 900/s & 910 cameras, but they do not have a special "TELEFOTO" option to limit the zoom travel. You'll just need to avoid the wider end of the zoom range to prevent shadowing at the corners of the image. Sorry! :( |
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3. Next, remove the BIG 62mm lens cap on the front of your camera, and you're ready to shoot. |
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Product Information: www.nikon.com
This vignette
effect is fine if you want that "Big Game" hunter effect.
To avoid it, select TELE lens from the LENS menu to restrict
the zoom range.