Kenko 2X Teleplus PRO 300 DGX AF

 
Lens Reviews / Kenko Lenses i Not yet tested
2x $170
average price
image of Kenko 2X Teleplus PRO 300 DGX AF

(From company literature) The PRO 300 series of Kenko Teleplus teleconverters are designed specifically to be used with telephoto lenses. They work best with prime lenses of 100mm or more and zoom lenses with a widest focal length above 50mm. The KENKO TelePlus PRO 300 AF 2.0X DGX converter has the effect of multiplying the focal length of your lens by 2.0x, turning a 300mm lens into an equivalent 600mm lens.

The PRO 300 AF 2.0X DGX converter has genuine Gate Array IC (Integrated Circuitry). It means the converter’s unique circuitry maintains signal integrity between the camera body and lens. The telephoto optimized 7-element design is made using high quality multi-coated optical glass supplied by Hoya Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of optical glass.

Full AF operation with the TelePlus PRO 300 AF 2.0X is possible using camera lenses with open apertures of F2.8 or brighter. Please be aware that AF will work properly only if there is enough light and contrast on the subject to activate the camera’s AF sensors. (Manual focusing may be necessary when using lenses with smaller open f-stop values than that given above.)

The DGX TelePlus converters have updated circuitry to record exif data more accurately. In the exif exposure data (meta-data recorded with a digital picture) DGX converters record the equivalent aperture and focal length of the lens setting plus teleconverter. Optically and mechanically they are identical to the prior high-quality DG series converters.

PRO 300 2.0X DGX are available for Canon EOS (EF, not EF-S) and Nikon AF.

Kenko 2X Teleplus PRO 300 DGX AF User Reviews

6.0/10 average of 2 review(s) Build Quality 6.5/10 Image Quality 6.5/10
  • 4 out of 10 points and not recommended by digitalshot52 (1 reviews)
    Works with Canon 70-200 F2.8L
    Locks Canon 5d Mkiii if trying to use micro focus on 300 F4L

    Explained in numerous e-mails to Kenko repair facility in Huntington Beach Ca. it caused my Canon 5d Mkiii to lock, using Canon 300 F4 L while micro adjust is on. Canon 70-200 F2.8 works fine. Was told to send in for a chip update, after numerous e mails where they asked what color dot, which is ( Blue ). No one from company calls when they say they will, so I have to call, since e mails go unanswered. Now, after 1 month, they say, they won't help me. No one will tell me why it causes camera to lock. After e-mailing Japan, Huntington repair, no one has answers. Just ignore. Yesterday, I was told they thought mine had a yellow dot. No info on their company site. Camera and lenses show complete compatibility, and when asked why they don't list any issues, get no response. As a consumer, I told them I'm very frustrated, but no one ever has answers.

    reviewed November 24th, 2015 (purchased for $100)
  • 8 out of 10 points and recommended by sjkip (26 reviews)
    Good magnification; works well; adds little or no softness or distortion
    A bit difficult to use; does not autofocus on many zoom lenses

    I would recommend this TC only to those who would have the patience to use it properly. Most people would probably be better off with the 1.4x model, which is much easier to use.

    With a long lens like the Nikon 70-300, the effective focal length can be so great that holding for a sharp image becomes a real problem, unless you use a tripod. On my Nikon D7100, I can't push the ISO high enough without noise to allow me to shoot fast enough for reliably sharp hand-hold images. But when I can hold it steady, it doesn't seem to reduce resolution or add distortion, as far as I can tell, and I get great long shots.

    I have tried it with the 70-300 lens on my Nikon D610, with the higher noise-free ISO of that full frame camera. Yes, that works better, and more of the shots are very sharp, hand held.

    But I use it mostly on my Nikon 18-140, as a lighter, more flexible substitute for my 70-300. On my D7100 it will occasionally autofocus with the 18-140, but not reliably.

    So anyone who's unwilling to manually focus might not like this TC, unless the photographer uses it with a lens having a wide enough aperture, especially one with a wide aperture and long focal length. I wish I could afford one of those.

    One minor fault, possibly with my particular copy, is that it occasionally fails to transmit information to the camera to get an exposure. I think it might need to be fit onto the camera very tightly. But it might be some defect in the connection itself or circuitry. I don't know; I just re-shoot those images.

    You can use this one and the 1.4x version in tandem, and I sometimes do that, just for fun. Of course, it won't autofocus, except with a lens having a very wide aperture, like my 50mm f/1.8, yielding a sharp lens with an effective focal length of 140mm. But this apparently does not work with DX format lenses or, for some reason, even on my 60mm macro FX lens.

    Anyhow, this gadget is fun to use and cheap. So why not?

    reviewed March 31st, 2015 (purchased for $144)