DOF is controlled by magnification and aperture
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erotavlas wrote:
I just got a set of extension tubes and tried it out on a 70-300 telephoto lens (sony 70-300 FE) and it definitely helps increase the magnification as I can get closer to subject. But I noticed I have to decrease the aperture quite a bit (like maybe to F11 - F16) in order to get more of the subject in focus.
Yep. What's even worse is that the extension tubes reduce the effective aperture of the lens so that it's even smaller than f/11-f/16, so you get even more diffraction killing the sharpness of the in-focus parts of the image.
Is this the same even for a dedicated macro lens?
Yes. You cannot deny physics.
Does DOF get any better with wider lenses + extension tube (50mm or wider)? Or is it strictly a result of the distance to the subject?
It's strictly a result of magnification. No matter what focal length you use, if you extend it enough to get X magnification, you will have Y depth of field.
There's a technique called "focus stacking" you might want to research.
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