Wren's Ox Blood

Photographed with a 55mm Micro-Nikkor f/3.5 AI lens on a Nikon D2Xs with a TC-16A teleconverter interposed. The TC-16A is compatible with only a small number of Nikon cameras. It was introduced during the 1980s when AF became popular and Nikon were a bit behind the pace. The TC-16A provided automatic focus on older AI lenses to reassure Nikon users and persuade them not to jump ship. In use it extends focal length and reduces lens speed. You never want the second, and you don't always welcome the first. I'm not convinced of its value on the 55mm Micro-Nikkor which at f/3.5 isn't exactly fast to begin with. Plus, automatic focus is hardly necessary for macro work and can even be an outright hindrance.