Can I use a Kenko teleconverter with my D5500 and Tamron SP AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 VC USD lens? Terry Vick, via email
Jason says... Most 70-300mm telephoto zooms can’t be used with teleconverters, because the rear lens element isn’t recessed and fouls on the protruding front element of the teleconverter. The Tamron 70-300mm is an exception and can be used with a Kenko 1.4x or 2x teleconverter. There’s likely to be some degradation in sharpness but the major catch is that with a 1.4x or 2x teleconverter, the widest available aperture at 300mm is reduced to f/8 or f/11 respectively. In both cases, autofocus becomes impossible on the D5500, which doesn’t support autofocus with f/8 lenses. You’ll also find that you’ll need bright lighting to enable sufficiently fast shutter speeds, unless you massively increase your ISO setting.