Extension tubes and filters

[littlebrony]

Ok another new question

what would be a good brand to use?

and what works best - a filter or extension tubes?

i am sorry i really have no idea! i wish cameras were easier to use!

[joele]

good write up here.. http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/macro-extension-tubes-closeup.htm

[littlebrony]

thanks - off to have a look ....

[littlebrony]

ok so i had a look and it doesn't really make it easier in choosing! I have the 60 mm 2.8 lens

[dbax]

well I've never used filters for macro work so I can't really compare. I do used extension tubes and find then very easy to use and versatile with the three different sized tubes. I just wonder if introducing extra glass in front of the lens might degrade (soften) the image somewhat? I don't know, just wondering.

[kiwi]

What are you actually trying to do ?

[littlebrony]

kiwi

take photos like this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sakuraaya/sets/72157594174383246/?page=4

if you actually click on them - the focus is a bit hit and miss but i would like to master that style of work.

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day LB

May I offer my 2-bob's worth :cool:
Firstly, I have looked at the linked images - whoever belongs to them has done them very well
I have used both extension tubes & Close-Up Lenses for many years [filters is the wrong title - they are lenses that screw into the filter ring of the main lens]
Each of these 2 items are very different, they have differing costs & results

Firstly, Close Up Lenses
They come in varying diameters, cost about $1/mm of diameter ie- 55mm dia = $55-ish
They are an inexpensive way to get into good close-up photography, tho they are not as good as a dedicated macro lens [costing $600+]

Close Up lenses come in several "strengths" called Dioptres
a +1 lens focuses the camera lens to 1metre
a +2 lens focuses to 1/2metre
a +3 lens focuses to 1/3metre [see the pattern?]

The beauty of Close Up Lenses is that the focus is fixed by the close up lens - not the mms of the camera lens ... I use mine on my big zoom lens that normally could not be used for close ups. So I can get flowers, spiders etc from 1/3 metre away from them, and using the zoom at 200mm - 300mm - 400mm etc to change the size if the subject

Now Extension Tubes
You will have noticed that as you focus a camera lens, the lens moves slightly forward away from the camera [not talking zoom here, just focus]
Thus, in order to change the focus from infinity to closer, the lens is moved away from the camera body
Extension tubes are designed to do this, a bit greater than the 'regular' focus movement
Now, when the extension equals the mm of the lens, the size of the subject is exactly life size, ie 1:1 .... so 40mm of extension onto a 40mm lens equals 1:1 image size

You cannot successfully use extension tubes on a zoom lens - as soon as you zoom to change the image size, you change the mms of the lens, thus changing the focus ... and it becomes a drama

Does this help at the moment?
Please come back with more Qs as they arise
Regards,Phil

[crafty1tutu]

I have the Kenko macro extentions tubes and I love them. Before I bought my Canon 180 mm 3.5 L macro lens I used them with an old 70-200 Canon lens and found them excellent. I still sometimes use them with the 180 mm lens as well. You can view some of my photos on Flickr with the extension tubes at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83646071@N00/sets/72157618658111342/ and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83646071@N00/sets/72157618658088004/

[Indigo]

I don't have a macro lens as yet and I use the Kenko extension tubes with my nifty fifty,
I enjoy experimenting with the different magnifications,
I use manual focus and move the camera backwards or forwards slightly
until the focus is just right, great for stationary objects.

Cheers
Indigo

[flyfisher]

I too have used the Kenko tubes and they can be purchased reasonably cheaply and are quite effective for macro work.

[wmphoto]

Going to revive an old thread rather than start a new one...........

I just picked up a set of screw in macro lenses (+1, +2 , +4) and thought I would add the results of my first test shots. All of these were taken with all 3 lenses (+7). The statue is about 90mm tall and the crystal at the end of the staff is about 10mm. These photos have not been cropped, they are as taken.

1/2 sec, F20, 55mm, ISO 800
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5014191573_1d05b638a2_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014191573/)
DPP_3218 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014191573/) by wozza1607 (http://www.flickr.com/people/wozza1607/), on Flickr

1/50 sec, F4.5, 84mm, ISO 800
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5014191137_8eedb34efa_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014191137/)
DPP_3217 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014191137/) by wozza1607 (http://www.flickr.com/people/wozza1607/), on Flickr

1/80 sec, F5, 109mm, ISO 800
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5014191799_7abe16c313_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014191799/)
DPP_3219 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014191799/) by wozza1607 (http://www.flickr.com/people/wozza1607/), on Flickr

As you can see from the last image, above 100mm is really starting to push their limits.

1/2 sec, F4.5, 55mm, ISO 800
This is a handheld capture of one of my fish (about 160mm long)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5014798134_c5166aa330_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014798134/)
DPP_3216 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5014798134/) by wozza1607 (http://www.flickr.com/people/wozza1607/), on Flickr

So far I'm happy with these early shots and the lenses, but will do some more testing.

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day Warren

Thanks for sharing your results with us ~ they are pretty typical for +7 close up lenses
While these lenses are very useful to lots of us, [and I use my +3 regularly], when you stack them together you will experience some color aberrations ... as seen around the edges of the crystal (3rd pic)

Keep on going - it looks like you're having lots of fun with it
Regards, Phil

[wmphoto]

Two more shot at +5 using the 55 - 250 lens (both handheld captures). Images have not been cropped, all up I'm pretty happy with the lenses for $80.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5020121178_27ac64c9e5_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5020121178/)
Grevillea (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5020121178/) by wozza1607 (http://www.flickr.com/people/wozza1607/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5019514479_8b31d2d000_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5019514479/)
Bee (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozza1607/5019514479/) by wozza1607 (http://www.flickr.com/people/wozza1607/), on Flickr