Macro using extension tubes

[xyz123]

Hi

i found this on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Extension-Tube-Macro-Ring-for-Canon-EOS-5D-20D-30D-400D_W0QQitemZ170146481392QQihZ007QQcategoryZ43454QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


it is so cheap.... is it a good idea to try this? i'm only beginning. so, not very sure about this.
pls help.

 

[advrider]

try... it will increase your working distance but at the expense of light. no harm

 

[ExplorerZ]

Hi

i found this on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Extension-Tube-Macro-Ring-for-Canon-EOS-5D-20D-30D-400D_W0QQitemZ170146481392QQihZ007QQcategoryZ43454QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


it is so cheap.... is it a good idea to try this? i'm only beginning. so, not very sure about this.
pls help.

do note that most of the "cheaper" extension tube will disable camera metering/focusing.

 

[advrider]

just play around at f5.6 to 8. you will be fine.

 

[xyz123]

just play around at f5.6 to 8. you will be fine.

saw somewhere that it must work with lens that has the aperture ring.....

 

[zj2000]

don't do it.... without electrical contacts you can't AF (not that it's important) and you can't control the aperture either.... good luck shooting macro wide open.... if you really need extension tubes get the triplus / kenko ones tat have electrical contacts....

 

[xyz123]

don't do it.... without electrical contacts you can't AF (not that it's important) and you can't control the aperture either.... good luck shooting macro wide open.... if you really need extension tubes get the triplus / kenko ones tat have electrical contacts....

thanks for your advice. where can i get the kenko and triplus ones in singapore? costs?
i'm also considering close-up filters as a start....

:dunno:

 

[advrider]

don't do it.... without electrical contacts you can't AF (not that it's important) and you can't control the aperture either.... good luck shooting macro wide open.... if you really need extension tubes get the triplus / kenko ones tat have electrical contacts....

dont need electrical lah. do manual better. aperture control at the ring. just set to f.56 to around 8. then do manual focus on the insect. much better with more control. the AF is quite troublesome, sometimes cannot focus. use a monopod and you are good to experiment.

 

[advrider]

thanks for your advice. where can i get the kenko and triplus ones in singapore? costs?
i'm also considering close-up filters as a start....

:dunno:

if you are really into it, then get a dedicated macro lens. dont waste $ on close up filters.

 

[xyz123]

if you are really into it, then get a dedicated macro lens. dont waste $ on close up filters.

test out first, not sure yet.
maybe, like some one mentioned, use a magnifying glass, put in front, and try first..
what abt extension tubes?

 

[zj2000]

thanks for your advice. where can i get the kenko and triplus ones in singapore? costs?
i'm also considering close-up filters as a start....

:dunno:

about 180 - 200 i think... can get at cathay photo

 

[zj2000]

dont need electrical lah. do manual better. aperture control at the ring. just set to f.56 to around 8. then do manual focus on the insect. much better with more control. the AF is quite troublesome, sometimes cannot focus. use a monopod and you are good to experiment.

well since the link he posted is for EF mount i would think he's using canon.... EF lenses do not have aperture rings...

 

[zj2000]

test out first, not sure yet.
maybe, like some one mentioned, use a magnifying glass, put in front, and try first..
what abt extension tubes?

maybe you can tell us which lens you intend to use the tubes with...

 

[advrider]

test out first, not sure yet.
maybe, like some one mentioned, use a magnifying glass, put in front, and try first..
what abt extension tubes?

it is ok. think about it. macro lens not just can use as macro. they can be used for portraits as well. around $500 gives you a good macro. why spend $120 on filters that don't give very sharp images ?

 

[2.8photography]

it is ok. think about it. macro lens not just can use as macro. they can be used for portraits as well. around $500 gives you a good macro. why spend $120 on filters that don't give very sharp images ?

yup, exactly.
macro lenses give much higher qual images, and sharper too. although u may be tempted by the min focusing distance with close-up filters, there is quite a bit of compromise in qual. get a dedicated macro lens, if u are really in to macro, and even if u arent, macro lenses are great for portraits, cos they have a suitable focal length for that. so its sth like a 2 in 1 lens.
and btw nowadays they come at great prices ;p

 

[xyz123]

maybe you can tell us which lens you intend to use the tubes with...

oh yes. forgot to mention. i intend to use with ef 50mm f/1.8 mkii

 

[dw2chan]

you can start with the extension tubes and then if you really get into macro photography...pick up a macro lens later. then you can combine the two for even greater magnification

 

[xyz123]

yup, exactly.
macro lenses give much higher qual images, and sharper too. although u may be tempted by the min focusing distance with close-up filters, there is quite a bit of compromise in qual. get a dedicated macro lens, if u are really in to macro, and even if u arent, macro lenses are great for portraits, cos they have a suitable focal length for that. so its sth like a 2 in 1 lens.
and btw nowadays they come at great prices ;p

oh... i really didnt know that i could use macro lens for portraits. what would be a good focal length to use?
currently, i have a 50mm f1.8. thought that this is good enough for portraits...
thanks

 

[xyz123]

you can start with the extension tubes and then if you really get into macro photography...pick up a macro lens later. then you can combine the two for even greater magnification

ya, that's what i thought. but some brothers here suggested going straight into dedicated macro lenses.... really not sure lor. extnsion tubes' quality should be better than close-up filters' quality right? since the formal doesnt have any optics in it... heard ext. tubes take away about 1 f-stop. my 50mm f1.8 should be able to compensate back for the light loss right? maybe say effectively still get f2.8. still not too slow..

 

[dw2chan]

you can use a macro lens for portrait. pretty much a macro lens is a normal lens. the only difference is that you can focus on objects closer to the lens. for example (a bad one..but i have these two lenses so i know their closest focusing distances) a 70-200 2.8IS closest focusing distance is 1.4m. so anything under 1.4, the lens cannot focus on. whereas a 100 macro, the closest you can focus is 0.31m.

the only thing that will make this lens bad for portrait is the autofocusing speed. it's much slower than a normal lens. so you'll have to learn to use the manual focus to get it semifocused and then let autofocus fine tune it

i believe extension tubes will affect image quality. probably not as much as a closeup filter, but it still wont be as good as a dedicated macro.