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Canon Extender EF 2×11 Review
Accessorise with Canon!
Having spent many an hour telling myself I don’t need the new Canon 5D Mark 11 DSLR I came mightly close to buying one this morning. I was steadfast in my resolve but there can be no denying it is a matter of when rather than if. What annoys me is the new battery grip you have to buy, I am sure this will have riled many a 5D owner but like me I am sure the improvements will help us to get over it.
For about £2,200.00 less I bought an extender instead! Rather than buy online I did the good thing and paid £30 more from a shop on the high street 
So why an extender? Well I use amongst others a monster zoom lens, the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM and this extender increases its focal length by two times which means the lens becomes effectively a 200-800mm f/9.5-11.
Don’t presume that you can stick this on any of the Canon lenses, you cannot. It should also be noted that unless you are going to attach it to one of their top end lenses the results are likely to disapoint because any abberations the lens might already have will be multiplied by the extender, twice in this case or 1.4 times if using the other model in the series, the Canon EF 1.4x Converter. Picture sharpness will suffer on a cheaper lens so it is worth bearing in mind that unless you are using one of the pro range of lenses it may prove to be a waste. What this does mean however is that you can extend quite considerably your lens’ focal length in a relatively cheap way without spending thousands on a prime lens of a similar reach. What you gain in price you lose on your lens apperture setting which is narrowed by two stops. Autofocus is a no-go so you should consider the type of shots you expect to take with it.
The build quality is excellent and despite its size compared to the 1.4 converter I had no problems using it handheld on a 5D with a 100-400mm lens attached.
Ah brother of the white lense, CANON truly is an addiction and I fear you will eventually succumb to the 5Dmk2. I am quite happy shooting a APSC Canon (40D) but given half a chance would go full frame. I personally wouldn’t have gone for a x2 extender but if you already have a x1.4 then why not, particularly if it’s as a consolation gift for not purchasing the 5Dmk2
December 30, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
Kevin,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for taking the time to comment. As yet I haven’t had chance to test it properly but already I am doubting its ability to put me off a Mark2. The upgrade is selling very well in England and has received some great reviews so watch this space!
Your site looks great, I look forward to reading it.
Kind regards
Miles
December 30, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
LOL, I was expecting Kevin to weigh in with his tuppence worth. What I know of cameras is lethal, i.e. I wouldn’t know a flash from my elbow if my life depended on it. I’ve learnt to trust Kevin’s judgement in these matters though, so congrats Miles
December 31, 2008 @ 1:42 am
Xenny,
Looking outside my window right now at 8.30 am I reckon I’ll need a flash if it gets any darker and more miserable
Miles
December 31, 2008 @ 8:32 am
Thanks Miles, the 5d mk2 is a tad too expensive down here in sunny South Africa, my major concern in going full full frame is that I lose my landscape lense (Sigma 10-20) and what for now is my zoom lense (Sigma 17-70), hoping to replace that with Sigma 24-70 or een better Canon 24-70L, though thats a pipe dream, for now.. The nifty fifty and 70-200 f4l would work quite nicely on FF.
December 31, 2008 @ 10:05 am
Kevin,
I know what you mean. I think Sigma do a 12-24 which fits a 5D. I looked at those but went for a Canon 17-40 instead which is more than enough for me. I would definately look at the 24-105 though, it’s a hell of a lens and the first one I bought with the 5D.
Your photographs are excellent Kevin and I look forward to seeing what you post in the coming months.
Regards from a freezing England.
Miles
December 31, 2008 @ 10:32 am
I love my 40D and its fast fps rate that let me capture difficult shots of fast moving ball sports such as hurling along with my EF 70-200LIS.
Having read comments above I wonder if I should be going FF. Problem is I do not properly understand what difference FF offers in end-product terms (i.e. the photographs produced) over my 40D? Appreciate any help here.
May 22, 2009 @ 5:31 pm
Dermot,
Welcome to the site. I use the 5D which is a full frame camera. What you get with a full frame is a larger sensor equal to that of a 35mm film camera (24×36mm) unlike a non full framed sensor or ‘cropped’ as you might sometimes hear. The 40D will have a sensor size of 16-24mm or smaller and although you can use the same lenses as a full frame you will have a smaller field of view. If you were to compare identical photographs taken by a FF and a cropped sensor the later will appear to have been taken with a longer focal length.
Wide angle lenses gain extra width on a FF and should you decide to go to a FF you cannot use the EF-S range of lenses which is another reason I went straight to a 5D, I didn’t want the expense of replacing lenses.
When all is said the 40D is still a hell of a camera.
Hope that helps.
kind regards
Miles
May 22, 2009 @ 7:46 pm