macro photography

Werner Gansz said:

I did a bit of reading after I posted my question and it appears that you also lose the ability to set aperture. So you have to do that with the lens on the camera, then connect the extension. It is starting to sound cumbersome. Do the more expensive brand extension tubes allow aperture control and/or VR?

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Kenko makes a set of "automatic" extension tubes. They provide both the mechanical and electrical linkages required. They sell for $135-150.

Note that extension tubes allow any given lense to focus closer than the designer of the lense thought was appropriate. Which is to say, the designer wanted higher specifications for various aberrations than is possible at closer focusing distances. It might be that you won't be upset with the difference, or then again you might be.

Another (perhaps better in some ways) option is to use an achromatic diopter lens (a "closeup filter") that screws into the filter threads of a lens. The $25 set is not achromatic, but a single diopter in the range of +2 to +3 can probably be found for as little as $100 (and might be more than twice that).

The best solution is without a doubt a dedicated macro lens. Second best is a macro lens that can do double duty for portraits or whatever (which is a valid reason to buy one with AF and VR).

Werner Gansz said:

Brooks, I like the close-up lens idea better than the tubes. I see a Digital Concepts kit for ~$25 and a Tiffen kit for ~$46 on Amazon. The reviews of the Digital Concepts talk about terribly pitted glass while the Tiffens seem just OK. As long as they don't destroy the threads on the lenses they could be a lot of fun for casual close-ups.

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I bought my set at Ritz camera for $27; there are three lenses, a 1, 2, and a 4 diopter and they can be stacked to achieve 1 through 7 diopters -- the higher the diopter the higher the magnification. It's been too long to remember exactly, but as best as I can recall I used two filters for the nymph, so either +3 (the 1 & 2 filter) or +5 (the 1 and 4 filter).

Werner Gansz said:

Do you have to make any manual adjustments or use only certain modes in the D90? I would probably use manual focus but are you restricted as to metering type? Thom Hogan talks about not using matrix metering with filters that alter light distribution across the image because it screws up Nikon's built-in scene database

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Looking at the exif I used the following
Date Shot: 5/20/2006 12:58:50.80
Image Quality: Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Device: Nikon D50
Lens: 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6G
Focal Length: 55mm
Focus Mode: AF-S
AF-Area Mode: Single
Aperture: F/11
Shutter Speed: 1/1500s
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Metering: Spot
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 400
White Balance: Auto, 0

So no nothing special is required. I was thinking that I had used my Sunpak flash, but I see that I was using AF so I didn't use my flash as I would have had tohave been in Manual exposure mode.

I had so much fun with that $27 set that when I got my D90 I bought a 67mm set to fit the 18-105mm VR "kit" lens. Turns out they also work on my 70-300VR lens too.

Werner Gansz said:

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Werner
http://wernerg.smugmug.com

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While amateurs change the camera’s settings; many Pro’s prefer to change the light.

Brooks
http://bmiddleton.smugmug.com/

I found this X10 4 element 67mm on Amazon

Opteka 67mm 10x HD² Professional Macro Lens for Digital Cameras

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Professional-Macro-Digital-Cameras/dp/B002EALOAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263676085&sr=8-1

It appears to be a single unit, not a collection of lower magnification lenses. If I have it on a zoom can I get some adjustment that way? This 4 element X10 unit is actually cheaper than the single element, 3 lens set from Tiffen.
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Werner
http://wernerg.smugmug.com

As rsmithgi wrote there are better lenses avaialble, although for a lot more money. Nikon stopped making their close-up filters several years ago but you can find them used.

Canon still makes the 250D and 500D and they have two achromatic elements to correct chromatic aberrations, so they are heavy, but really good. The 250D is for lenses from 30 to 135mm in focal length and the 500D for lenses from 70 to 300mm. The 250D runs about $75 - 90 and the 500D about $125 - $160. They are rated at +2 diopters.

I may breakdown one of these days and buy a Macro lens. I've been tempted by the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 for $400. I really don't want to spend $150 for a Canon 500D to fit my 18-105 or 70-300mm lenses, I'd rather put that much money toward the purchase of the Tokina.
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While amateurs change the camera’s settings; many Pro’s prefer to change the light.

Brooks
http://bmiddleton.smugmug.com/

I think I've read enough in some of the links people have put into this thread to decide I don't want extension tubes. Brooks seems happy with his inexpensive single element set (see below) so for my purposes (mostly just finding another excuse to take a picture) I'm sure I would be happy enough also. I do want research the X10 Opteka multi-element closeup lens since the links noted show that they are better than single element and with a zoom lens I might not need the multiple step magnifications in the Tiffen set.
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Werner
http://wernerg.smugmug.com

That is a lot of magnification, maybe a lot more than you want.. I rarely use anything but the +1 and +2 on either the 18-105 or 70-300 and I found +7 more than I wanted at 50mm.
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While amateurs change the camera’s settings; many Pro’s prefer to change the light.

Brooks
http://bmiddleton.smugmug.com/

If you have ever used a slide projector or home movie projector than you have probably experienced how the picture grows larger, and dimmer, the farther away from the screen or wall that you move the projector. Same principle with the extension tubes, you are just moving the lens farther away from the sensor and the image gets bigger and dimmer – less and less of the image is striking the sensor, and less light overall too.

You also lose the ability to focus at infinity, but that shouldn’t be much of a problem – don’t know why anyone would want to try and shoot a close-up of anything that far away.

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While amateurs change the camera’s settings; many Pro’s prefer to change the light.

Brooks
http://bmiddleton.smugmug.com/