Extension tubes for 500mm?

[brianz112832]

Has anybody used extension tubes on their 500mm? Hawkman, isn't that something you do? I have some birds on my deck at my feeders that are inside of the minimum focus distance. How does the MFD get reduced? I saw a "magnification factor" equation for using a tube but I didn't see anything from web searching about MFD.

I am also wondering if I should get the Kenko or the Canon brand 25mm. I generally prefer Canon to 3rd party brands, but some reviewers of the new Canon tube complained about tight fit on L series lenses, so I'm wondering if anybody has tried the new II series Canon 25mm tube on their 500mm. This may lead me to Kenko instead.

Appreciate any comments... thanks.
--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

 

[Badbatz]

...one can find prety amazing things in the user's manual (including a complete answer to you query...)

 

[Scales USA]

Assuming he has one.

 

[brianz112832]

Thanks for the condescending reply. It reminded me why I don't frequent dpreview too much anymore.

If you can point me to where in my 500mm lens manual it describes people's experiences in combining the newer Canon 25mm tube with the 500mm f/4, I'd be really impressed. Or did you mean I should read the manual for the tube I don't own?

...one can find prety amazing things in the user's manual (including a complete answer to you query...)

--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

 

[Badbatz]

Thanks for the condescending reply. It reminded me why I don't frequent dpreview too much anymore.

Because you can hear some truthful and direct answers here..?

If you can point me to where in my 500mm lens manual it describes people's experiences in combining the newer Canon 25mm tube with the 500mm f/4, I'd be really impressed.

The use of tubes (MFD) is described on the page 18 of the English part of the manual I have. If you lens precedes the version II tubes, of course version II won't be described, but these tubes are backward compatible with EF optics (not with EF-S lenses, but your lens is not EF-S...)

As for the maker of tubes, as long as they have the proper electrical connections, it is just a hollow spacer, so unless you believe that the quality of air inside the Canon tubes is higher than inside Kenko, it doesn't really matter.

One caveat though: unless you are using a series 1D/1Ds body, focusing with extension tubes may get a bit wonky (which may not matter becasue at these magnifications you can easily make manual adjustements.)

 

[steve1984]

With a 25mm tube, magnification increases to 0.18X and the working distance will be 9.6ft to 33.9ft. Focusing distance range is 11.1ft to 35.4ft.

And no, never used a tube on a 500/4!

Has anybody used extension tubes on their 500mm? Hawkman, isn't that something you do? I have some birds on my deck at my feeders that are inside of the minimum focus distance. How does the MFD get reduced? I saw a "magnification factor" equation for using a tube but I didn't see anything from web searching about MFD.

I am also wondering if I should get the Kenko or the Canon brand 25mm. I generally prefer Canon to 3rd party brands, but some reviewers of the new Canon tube complained about tight fit on L series lenses, so I'm wondering if anybody has tried the new II series Canon 25mm tube on their 500mm. This may lead me to Kenko instead.

Appreciate any comments... thanks.
--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

 

[PeaceFrog]

I use the Kenko tubes with mine from time to time. I find the 36mm tube usually does a fine job.

Greg

--



http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[Andy Blanchard]

Has anybody used extension tubes on their 500mm? Hawkman, isn't that something you do? I have some birds on my deck at my feeders that are inside of the minimum focus distance. How does the MFD get reduced? I saw a "magnification factor" equation for using a tube but I didn't see anything from web searching about MFD.

Not sure about anything as technical as the MFD, but I've done a few macros with my tubes and the 500mm f/4 to see what the combination can do. It can be a bit of a pig to get the setup right on extreme close-ups; you're almost certainly not going to be taking and pictures of things that are moving around but it can give some interesting results and the bokeh is absolutely gorgeous. Things get much better when you're just using 12mm of tubes for small birds up close though - I assume this is what Hawkman is doing - especially if you are pre-focussed on a set point or have a gimbal.

I am also wondering if I should get the Kenko or the Canon brand 25mm. I generally prefer Canon to 3rd party brands, but some reviewers of the new Canon tube complained about tight fit on L series lenses, so I'm wondering if anybody has tried the new II series Canon 25mm tube on their 500mm. This may lead me to Kenko instead.

Get the Kenko tubes. You get the extra 36mm tube thrown in (not that I use it much) and they cost far less. The construction feels a little rough compared to Canon's, something that's particularly noticeable when you attach the things, but at the end of the day it's only a tube with some pass-through contacts. Canon's prices are a joke - you'd think there was an aspherical or UD element in there or something!

Andy

 

[Cal Dawson]

Although I don't use them frequently they do work great. This shot is with the 1.4X TC on the 500F4 with tubes I don't remember which tube or combination was used. I have the Kenko DG Reporting tubes (36mm, 20mm and 12mm) I believe I paid less than $100 for the set....

Has anybody used extension tubes on their 500mm? Hawkman, isn't that something you do? I have some birds on my deck at my feeders that are inside of the minimum focus distance. How does the MFD get reduced? I saw a "magnification factor" equation for using a tube but I didn't see anything from web searching about MFD.

I am also wondering if I should get the Kenko or the Canon brand 25mm. I generally prefer Canon to 3rd party brands, but some reviewers of the new Canon tube complained about tight fit on L series lenses, so I'm wondering if anybody has tried the new II series Canon 25mm tube on their 500mm. This may lead me to Kenko instead.

Appreciate any comments... thanks.
--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

--
Cal

Put a Canon to your head, You deserve it....

http://funshots.smugmug.com/

 

[brianz112832]

--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

 

[PicPocket]

at these magnifications you can easily make manual adjustements.)

Since it is <0.2x magnification (which is what we end up with a 25mm tube on 500 L), it may not help much

--
PicPocket
http://photography.ashish-pragya.com

 

[Badbatz]

Since it is

The subject feels the frame at the focusing distances possible with the 500 + tube(s) so it is actually not that hard. Of course, most moving subjects are difficult to focus on sans prefocusing.

 

[Michael G2]

with the 500/4, and the AF works perfectly even in poor light.
--
Michael
http://www.pbase.com/kingfisher

 

[Hawkman]

Hi Brian,

I have used up to 68mm routinely. I never measured it, but I believe that slightly over halves the MFD.

So if you know the magnification for the lens with extension, ME, and since the magnification for the bare lens is 0.12, the the Minimum focusing distance with the extension tube, MFDE is

MFDE = (0.15 / ME ) * 15 feet

I use the kenko set. Tthey work great and are reasonably priced and you can stack them to 68mm.

Check these out (big crops!) 500 + 68mm + 10D:

http://www.pbase.com/gaocus/image/115120101/original
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus/image/115120103/original

Gene

Has anybody used extension tubes on their 500mm? Hawkman, isn't that something you do? I have some birds on my deck at my feeders that are inside of the minimum focus distance. How does the MFD get reduced? I saw a "magnification factor" equation for using a tube but I didn't see anything from web searching about MFD.

I am also wondering if I should get the Kenko or the Canon brand 25mm. I generally prefer Canon to 3rd party brands, but some reviewers of the new Canon tube complained about tight fit on L series lenses, so I'm wondering if anybody has tried the new II series Canon 25mm tube on their 500mm. This may lead me to Kenko instead.

Appreciate any comments... thanks.
--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:

http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

 

[brianz112832]

Wow, that's basically macro. I'm going to get the Kenkos. Thanks Gene.

I have used up to 68mm routinely. I never measured it, but I believe that slightly over halves the MFD.

So if you know the magnification for the lens with extension, ME, and since the magnification for the bare lens is 0.12, the the Minimum focusing distance with the extension tube, MFDE is

MFDE = (0.15 / ME ) * 15 feet

I use the kenko set. Tthey work great and are reasonably priced and you can stack them to 68mm.

Check these out (big crops!) 500 + 68mm + 10D:

http://www.pbase.com/gaocus/image/115120101/original
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus/image/115120103/original

Gene

Has anybody used extension tubes on their 500mm? Hawkman, isn't that something you do? I have some birds on my deck at my feeders that are inside of the minimum focus distance. How does the MFD get reduced? I saw a "magnification factor" equation for using a tube but I didn't see anything from web searching about MFD.

I am also wondering if I should get the Kenko or the Canon brand 25mm. I generally prefer Canon to 3rd party brands, but some reviewers of the new Canon tube complained about tight fit on L series lenses, so I'm wondering if anybody has tried the new II series Canon 25mm tube on their 500mm. This may lead me to Kenko instead.

Appreciate any comments... thanks.
--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:

http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/

 

[Kjeld Olesen]

As for the maker of tubes, as long as they have the proper electrical connections, it is just a hollow spacer, so unless you believe that the quality of air inside the Canon tubes is higher than inside Kenko, it doesn't really matter.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=4410152

--
Kjeld Olesen
http://www.acapixus.dk

 

[Hawkman]

What AF wonkiness? Never had any body, including a 10D, have difficulties focusing with tubes on a 500mm. The phase detect works the same, no?

Gene

Thanks for the condescending reply. It reminded me why I don't frequent dpreview too much anymore.

Because you can hear some truthful and direct answers here..?

If you can point me to where in my 500mm lens manual it describes people's experiences in combining the newer Canon 25mm tube with the 500mm f/4, I'd be really impressed.

The use of tubes (MFD) is described on the page 18 of the English part of the manual I have. If you lens precedes the version II tubes, of course version II won't be described, but these tubes are backward compatible with EF optics (not with EF-S lenses, but your lens is not EF-S...)

As for the maker of tubes, as long as they have the proper electrical connections, it is just a hollow spacer, so unless you believe that the quality of air inside the Canon tubes is higher than inside Kenko, it doesn't really matter.

One caveat though: unless you are using a series 1D/1Ds body, focusing with extension tubes may get a bit wonky (which may not matter becasue at these magnifications you can easily make manual adjustements.)

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:

http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

 

[Tannin]

Extension tubes are not just OK with a 500/4, they are essential if you want to work with small birds.

With a 4.5m MFD, the 500/4 just doesn't cut it for small creatures. (The other big primes are even worse.) Tubes are just a part of life - poainful damn things that they are, there isn't any other way to get close enough.

The samples below were all taken with a 500/4 and tubes. I didn't make notes of which shot has which tube, but mostly a 25mm one, sometimes a 12mm, sometimes both of them stacked.









As Greg said, what focus weirdness? As you get towards the end of a lenses focus travel, it no longer works as well. I've never seen hard evidence of that, nor a scientific explanation of why it should be so, but I have absolutely no doubt: at short range, you get better IQ with a close-up ring.

(E.g., at 5 metres you don't need a tube to focus, but you get a better result if you have one. At 4 metres, of course, you can't take the shot any other way. It makes sense, when you think about it: lenses are never at their best at their extremes. Using a tube, even when you don't absolutely need one, gives you better results if the subject is close to the MFD. Seems to focus faster too, though I'm not certain of that last. Certainly focuses with a little more assurance and less uncertainty.)

My rings are the Canon ones, but that shouldn't make any difference to the result.

 

[brianz112832]

Great info and great shots, thanks.
--
Wildlife galleries
http://www.pbase.com/zeiler/