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Kenko extension tubes question

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BryanMcKinney

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I am wondering if I use all 3 tubes if I get to 1:1 size like a dedicated Macro or not. If not what would be good lenses to consider for bugs and flowers and such.

I was looking at 3rd party lenses like the tokina 2.8 100mm or a sigma because the Nikon 105VR is quite pricey.

I'm hoping my 70-200VR with the tubes will do the job though!

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'This is me!'

'If I get to heaven someday I'm asking God for a photo pass!'

Please visit my galleries at:
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BryanMcKinney said:
I am wondering if I use all 3 tubes if I get to 1:1 size like a
dedicated Macro or not. If not what would be good lenses to
consider for bugs and flowers and such.
Click to expand...
The longer your lens, the more extention you will need to get to 1:1. You can get 1:1 if you use all 3 on a shortish lens like a 50mm, but definitely not at 200. Another disadvantage is that with the tubes attatched you can't focus very far away at all. If you happen to see something a couple meters away that you want to capture, you have to stop and take the tubes off in order to get a focused picture. You also lose light with the tubes. A dedicated macro is definitely easier to use.
BryanMcKinney said:
I was looking at 3rd party lenses like the tokina 2.8 100mm or a

sigma because the Nikon 105VR is quite pricey. I have the Sigma and am really pleased with it.
Click to expand...
--
Joanna
http://keemra.smugmug.com
 
I believe the tube set gets you to 1:1 with a 50mm yes, beyond that it's not quite as much.

BTW if you don't mind going manual (not too difficult for exposure, smot people manual focus anyway) you should definately check out some old Micro Nikkors in the 50 range, my 55 3.5 PC from 1975 has a higher resoltuion than my D70 sensor, no flare and it cost less than a 50 1.8 !
 
I personally haven't used extension tubes, but I felt it was simpler to just get a true macro. My Tamron 90mm 2.8 is arriving today!!! I've heard & read very good reviews on this lens. It also has $100 rebate making it $399 at B&H. Rebate ends at the end of April though.

Ryan
 
BryanMcKinney said:
I am wondering if I use all 3 tubes if I get to 1:1 size like a
dedicated Macro or not.
Click to expand...
hi bryan.
to get to 1:1 with tubes you need (mm) extension / focal length (mm)

so with the 70-200 @ 70 on 68mm tube set (kenko come in a set of 3 tubes, 12mm, 20mm, 36mm, which are stackable to 68mm) will give you;
68mm/70mm = 1:0.97 - darn close to 1:1
BryanMcKinney said:
If not what would be good lenses to
consider for bugs and flowers and such.
Click to expand...
flowers, most the shorter to medium macro lenses are fine, flowers are'nt gonna run away if you poke a lens in their face ;)
55mm, 60mm, 90mm, 105mm, all lenses are top quality, cant go wrong there.

For bugs, 105mm is workable, but skittish bugs can up and leave, so me 150mm or 180mm gives you more working distance. (Cost becomes a factor too)
BryanMcKinney said:
I was looking at 3rd party lenses like the tokina 2.8 100mm or a
sigma because the Nikon 105VR is quite pricey.
Click to expand...
Tokina 100mm is a SWEET lens :))
BryanMcKinney said:
I'm hoping my 70-200VR with the tubes will do the job though!
Click to expand...
It will work very well indeed.

The longer your f/l with tubes or closeup filters, the more you blur backgrounds (all things being equal eg subject distance, aperture)
The benefit of tubes is not only macro work.
They help your long zooms focus closer too.

Have used mine for reptiles, curious wildlife that moved into the minimum focusing distance etc.

Good luck there
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin
the Photo Muse: http://kevin-theron.blogspot.com/
 
I like the look of the tokina 100 and the sigma 150 macros, I will price hunt and of course keep my eyes open for a used Nikon 105VR which would be sweet!

But as all things I get I put days and weeks of research in before I ever take the plunge!
--



'This is me!'

'If I get to heaven someday I'm asking God for a photo pass!'

Please visit my galleries at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bmmckinney/collections
 
I bought the extension tube set from Kenko. They are nice for getting some close up work. But, there are limitations...light loss, very limited focusing range and short subject to camera working distance at smaller focal lengths.

I find putting a tube or two together on my 70-300 gets me decent closeups for flowers and such (within the limitations above) but it is not near 1:1. To get 1:1, the length of the tube needs to be equal to the focal length of the lens. I can get there easily with my 50mm lens but I am very close to the subject.

The tubes are useful to me because they are not expensive, retain all focusing, metering, etc and I don't have a desire to do enough true macro to justify a several hundred dollar lens for it. But, if you want to do a lot of true macro, I would suggest looking at a macro lens instead as you might find the tubes limiting.

--
Stujoe -
http://www.DigitalPhotoPeople.com

.
 
Sorry in advance for the thread jack but my question might help the OP. I have the Tamron 90mm which is a wonderful lens and the only complaint I have is it is not an internal focus. And correct me if I am wrong but if it did have internal focus then I could get larger (compared to real size) images.

Will extension tubes help with this issue? What other benefits might I see with tubes on this lens as its focus distance is quite close as it is?

While I am in the process of a thread jack I might as well throw another one in. I also have the 80-200 2.8 which has a min focus distance of about 6 feet. Is there a way to figure out what this new min distance would be?

:)
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalnikonman/
 
Bear in mind that many insects are quite small and will not fill the frame, even at 1:1. The full set of Kenko tubes (68mm) when used with the Sigma 105 will give a magnfication just over 2x. Results with the Tamron 90 should be similar.

There are formulae on the internet for all of this stuff, for example:

http://xoomer.alice.it/ripolini/Close_up.pdf

However, they tend to be based on simple, theoretical, single-element lenses so a practical method of seeing the effect of tubes is to make up a cardboard tube of the appropriate dimension and simply hold the tube and lens in front of the camera.

David
DigitalJeff said:
Sorry in advance for the thread jack but my question might help the
OP. I have the Tamron 90mm which is a wonderful lens and the only
complaint I have is it is not an internal focus. And correct me if
I am wrong but if it did have internal focus then I could get
larger (compared to real size) images.

Will extension tubes help with this issue? What other benefits
might I see with tubes on this lens as its focus distance is quite
close as it is?

While I am in the process of a thread jack I might as well throw
another one in. I also have the 80-200 2.8 which has a min focus
distance of about 6 feet. Is there a way to figure out what this
new min distance would be?
Click to expand...
 
DigitalJeff said:
Sorry in advance for the thread jack but my question might help the
OP. I have the Tamron 90mm which is a wonderful lens and the only
complaint I have is it is not an internal focus. And correct me if
I am wrong but if it did have internal focus then I could get
larger (compared to real size) images.
Click to expand...
No. A 1:1 magnification ratio remains 1:1 regardless of whether the lens is internal focus or not.
DigitalJeff said:
Will extension tubes help with this issue? What other benefits
might I see with tubes on this lens as its focus distance is quite
close as it is?
Click to expand...
Yes. The extention tubes will give you a larger image because they allow you to get closer to your subject, which in turn makes the image look larger on your sensor.
DigitalJeff said:
While I am in the process of a thread jack I might as well throw
another one in. I also have the 80-200 2.8 which has a min focus
distance of about 6 feet. Is there a way to figure out what this
new min distance would be?
Click to expand...
Maybe someone else can give you a chart or something that will give you a specific answer, but I do know that when using all 3 of the tubes with my Tamron 90 or Sigma 105, it cuts my working distance in about half.
DigitalJeff said:
:)
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalnikonman/
Click to expand...
--
Joanna
http://keemra.smugmug.com
 
I have a reversing adapter for my Nikkor prime lenses and I must say the even a 50mm will give me more than 1:1 - maybe 1:2 or greater. Add a 24mm and it goes up + you lose working distance. Problem is - your focus field is so shallow that you're stuck with using distance to focus instead of the lens. Add the pain of stopping down manually after you focus and it gets complicated. My question is: does the focal ratio of film to a digital sensor i.e. 1:1.5 apply to the life size ratio for macro? It seems that a micro Nikkor rated at 1:1 for film would come in at 1:1.5 on a digital camera. I also have some PK-13 tubes that lose a lot of light , so I'm looking at a Tamron SP 90mm to make my life more simple.
JH
 
So Kevin, what about the film to digital ratio? Does that apply to magnification ratios too? 1.5:1 or the like? Thanks for the correctiion :)
 
lol bryan - injury to self :)
I need to invest in a TC for those moments you mention.
I have no experience in this matter, so hope others will chime in here.

Consensus from the board indicates increased reproduction ratios at same working distance, which makes sense, as this is what a TC really does.
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin
the Photo Muse: http://kevin-theron.blogspot.com/
 
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