Noise from 300mm f4/PF VR with TC-14EII

<p>When I use the 300mm f4/PF VR with TC-14EII, the exposure is much more noisy than without the TC-14. This is obviously due to the mechanical transfer of aperture setting through the TC-14, which does not meet any resistance in the PF lens. This is the only lens I have where I can use the TC-14 so I wonder if I easily can remove the physical aperture transfer mechanism and how I can do it (from which side and which screws), or is this risky business?</p>

<p>I don't have any E lens that matches the TC-14E II, but I am a bit surprised that after detecting an E lens, the camera body would continue to attempt to close the aperture via the TC's mechanical lever. Maybe someone with the 300mm E lens such as Ilkka can answer.</p>

<p>Taking the mechanical connection out from the TC-14E II seems to be a drastic step. Can you possibly glue it to the end so that it doesn't move. Hopefully everything you do is reversible. Should you want to sell that TC-14E II some day, it would be much easier to sell one that is fully functional.</p>

<p>I can't really hear any extraneous sound when I'm using the 300/4 E with TC-14E III and D810. When using the DOF preview, if the lens + TC is wide open there is no sound, suggesting the camera does not activate the aperture lever. If the lens is stopped down then there is a clicking sound but it is very quiet compared to sounds that the camera emits when the mirror is moved and shutter is actuated. When using a G lens, you can hear the sound of the mechanical aperture control mechanism when pressing DOF preview even with the lens set wide open. From these observations I would guess that with the 300/4E + TC-14E III the camera's mechanical aperture control mechanism isn't moving. I don't have a TC-14E II to test. I might also depend on the camera body.</p>

<p>Hmm, interesting. My body is a D7000, and the difference in sound is quite significant. I cannot imagine it should be anything else than the aperture lever. But it seems like the DOF preview button does not use this. It is smooth and silent and seems only to come from the aperture blades.</p>

<p>Jon, I have access to a 300mm/f4 PF in the last couple of days, and I have both the TC-14E version 1 (essentially identical to version 2) and TC-14E III. I even tested the combo on a D7000.</p>

<p>With the D7000 + TC-14E (either version 1 or 3) + 300mm/f4 PF AF-S VR, I hear no abnormal aperture close-down noise. I even tested f45 on the lens (f32 with the 1.4 TC brings it down to f45). I think your experience is atypical, and therefore I wouldn't modify your TC-14E II. In particular, that modification (removing the aperture transfer mechanism) will greatly impact its usefulness on a lot of lenses.</p>

<p>I use the 300mm PF with the TC-14e (version 1) and don't have any noise issue.<br>

Last time I used the combo was yesterday, even added 36mm of extension tube between the camera and the TC.</p>