Question about extension tubes
rgbivens
Registered Users Posts: 163 Major grins
Ok, so I've been trying to figure some stuff out about extension tubes but I guess I'm not looking in the rigth places because I still have some questions. First off do they change the f-stop? I'm thinking that they wouldn't seeing there are no elements, just space but I just want to verify this. Then secondly is there such a thing as AF extension tubes? Does nikon make them? I couldn't find anything on nikons site about extension tubes. Finally what are the advantages of extension tubes over bellows?
Thanks,
-Grant
Thanks,
-Grant
Cameras: Nikon D200 w/grip, Nikon D70, Samsung NV11
Lenses: Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 17-80mm f/3.5-4, Nikkor 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6, Lensbaby 2.0
Accessories: Nikon SB-800, (2X) Old Flash Units, (4X) Poverty Wizards, GF Lightsphere, (3X) Lightstand and umbrella, Sandisk Extreme III 4.0 GB, Sandisk Ultra II 2.0 GB, Transcend 1.0 GB
Lenses: Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 17-80mm f/3.5-4, Nikkor 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6, Lensbaby 2.0
Accessories: Nikon SB-800, (2X) Old Flash Units, (4X) Poverty Wizards, GF Lightsphere, (3X) Lightstand and umbrella, Sandisk Extreme III 4.0 GB, Sandisk Ultra II 2.0 GB, Transcend 1.0 GB
0
Comments
Extension tubes are little more than tubes that move the lens away from the film or cpu plane a set distance and extend the close focusing range of the lens. If you get one designed for an AF lens, they will connect with the camera's AF and other auto features. However they will reduce the amount of light reaching the film or CCD.
And since there are no optics, only a tube with the electronics you don't have to worry about spending the big $$ on Nikon brand (I don't even know if Nikon makes extension tubes). Kenko makes a great set of extension tubes that are pretty affordable, I have a buddy who has the 3 set (12, 20, and 36) and loves what he can do with them.
I believe a bellow will cost you quite a bit more than an extension tube, but their length is adjustable, and bellows won't connect to your lens cpu.
For more information on all this, I just finished a photography course where we used Tim Fitzharris's book, "Close-Up Photography in Nature", great book!
Hope this helps.
initialphotography.smugmug.com
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera" - Dorothea Lange
-Grant
Lenses: Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 17-80mm f/3.5-4, Nikkor 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6, Lensbaby 2.0
Accessories: Nikon SB-800, (2X) Old Flash Units, (4X) Poverty Wizards, GF Lightsphere, (3X) Lightstand and umbrella, Sandisk Extreme III 4.0 GB, Sandisk Ultra II 2.0 GB, Transcend 1.0 GB
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=375238&is=REG&addedTroughType=search
Apparently the DGs are preferred for digitals and AF. I just ordered a set a few days ago from B&H. I called prior to ordering and they were very helpful at B&H (as always). They sometimes have them in the used department at B&H, too. And they're on Ebay quite a bit. Just make sure they're the DG version if you'e looking to maintain some electronic functionality, though the gentleman I spoke to said the non-DG version would "probably" work okay on my Sony. Definately more portable than bellows
TC have optics to increase the effective focal length of a lens (e.g., a 200mm lens on a 2x TC will effectively be a 400mm lens that is 2 stops slower). Extension tubes are just that, tube to move the lens away from the film plane; they are for changing the minimum focus distance. Mainly used for macro photography.
So, a TC gets you more reach while an Extension Tube lets you focus closer.
http://www.chrislaudermilkphoto.com/
Extension tubes improve your close focus range, teleconverters increase your magnification. Generally speaking you'll use a teleconverter to allow more magnification of a distant subject and you'll use an extension tube to get your camera physically closer to a subject. Teleconverters have optics in them to help increase the magnification (usually 1.4x or 2.0x), extension tubes are nothing more than a tube that allows you to mount your lens further away from your film plane or CCD plane; in the case of the Kenko extension tubes that distance is 12mm, 20mm, 36mm or any combination on the 3.
initialphotography.smugmug.com
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera" - Dorothea Lange
If you're planning on doing close up photography, on other option is a close focusing filter. They're sort of like eye glasses for the lens, and allow you to get closer to the subject in the same way extension tubes do and like extension tubes you can use an combination of close focusing filters for greater effect. The big advantage of a close focusing filter over extension tubes, is there is no light loss (and they're cheaper). Canon and Nikon both make exellent 2 element close focusing filters (Nikon's is cheaper).
initialphotography.smugmug.com
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera" - Dorothea Lange
Thanks again Greenpea...I'll have to check into this as well.
-Grant
Lenses: Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 17-80mm f/3.5-4, Nikkor 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6, Lensbaby 2.0
Accessories: Nikon SB-800, (2X) Old Flash Units, (4X) Poverty Wizards, GF Lightsphere, (3X) Lightstand and umbrella, Sandisk Extreme III 4.0 GB, Sandisk Ultra II 2.0 GB, Transcend 1.0 GB
A quick Search for "Macro lenses" or "macro pathfinder" yielded the following threads.
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=17138&highlight=macro+pathfinder
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=10380&highlight=macro+pathfinder
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=14782
http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=23838&highlight=150mm+macro
http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=8793&highlight=180mm+macro
Specifically about Extension tubes
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=16632&highlight=macro+Greaper
These threads are just a smattering - there's lots more here - try searching for "macro TML" "macro Greaper" or 'macro Lord Vetinari" and you'll find a whole lot more!!
Part of this post came from this archive http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=357620&postcount=7
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
The Kenko DG extension tubes connect to the camera and the camera will compensate for exposure if shot in Av,Tv or Auto. There is a change in exposure because the extension tube moves the aperture diaphragm forward a significant distance and this changes the amount of light that passes to the silicon sensor. The more extension, the dimmer the light hitting the sensor. Just like raising an enlarger much higher, lengthens the exposure time for a print.
There are simple extension tubes with no connection to AF or iris diaphragms, but I would strongly suggest getting current Kenko tubes that convey exposure information and actuate the iris diaphragm.
Extension tubes are cheaper than bellows, and easier to handle. Bellows will allow significantly greater extension. I suspect leather bellows will also tend to blow dust onto the sensor, or at least more than a metal extension tube.
I own an Olympus OM series bellows, and have considered ordering the adapters to allow EOS lenses to mount to it just for grins.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
So...I've been reading this thread. I have the three lenses below:
Tamron SP AF 17-35mm F/2.8-4 LD Aspherical (IF)
Tamron SP AF 24-135mm Macro F/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical (IF)
Canon 50mm 1.8 Mark I
Since there's no glass in the tube and it works with AF, any of these lenses would fit on these Kenko extension tubes since they are Canon mount. Someone please correct me if I am not understanding.
I guess..my question is...it's probably prefered to use the extension tubes with my Macro lens since it has the closest focal distance, however it would work on any of the lenses above?
Thanks for your help!
Kevin
www.rightangleimages.com
Yes it will work with any of your lenses....for me i prefer to have as much distance as possible between me and macro subject...to make sure ai am not casting undue shadows on subject.....so i would opt for my longer lenses....but that is just me....
Yes, your zooms will work with extension tubes, but they will not be as good a a good prime macro lens on extension tubes, because zooms generally are not as sharp as primes, and zooms are not as sharp at their closest focal point as a good macro is focused at it near focal point.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
thanks for the tips guys.
Kevin
www.rightangleimages.com
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=260051643956&rd=1&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200044606147&rd=1&rd=1
or should I get the non grey market off BH?
Kevin
www.rightangleimages.com
I would double check with seller to make sure that all AUTO FOCUS functions work with these.......You might want to check Amazon or just google the description to see if any one has them as inexpensive as these.....ALSO check and see if you are going to have pay any duty tax when they arrive.
How much is the one from B&H??
169 free shipping. and you know it's legit. not sure if it's even worth saving the money and buying from ebay even if they look new. i checked amazon...it's not much cheaper.
Kevin
www.rightangleimages.com
I have bought off ebay for years...especially with this price difference....How ever I have NEVER purchased from anyone in Hong Kong...that is my only prob......I donot know why cause I have purchased from sellers in the Ukraine and never been bit....
That is a huge savings..still there is the possiblity of a duty tax (I think that is my concern...never had to pay any from buying from the ukraine or russia for that matter).
Good luck with your decision.
Kenko is a great brand btw.
One thing I'd like to chime in with is that despite the fact that extension tubes will fit on all EF lenses, they may not work (at least as you'd expect, or properly). I can't speak to your potential lenses in particular save for the 50mm f/1.8, but some lenses aren't really practically usable with extension tubes. The 50mm f/1.8 works pretty well with extension tubes, although a true macro (like the 100mm f/2.8) is where the fun really is.
I've got the 17-40 f/4L and even with the shortest Kenko 12mm tube, the furthest focus it can achieve is so close it's basically unusable at the wide end. If I zoom in to around 24mm I can get as far out as around 1.5", but that's still practically unusable considering how much light the 77mm front end blocks. I will admit that it's kind of fun to throw ~35mm of tubes on it and see all the dust on the elements, since it only focuses inside the lens at that point. When the lens is zoomed in to 40mm, the extension tubes fare much better and the lens becomes fairly usable again. I was hoping that I'd be able to shrink the close-focus point at 17mm to a few inches to get some really dramatic pictures out of the lens, but alas that's not the case.
I'm not entirely sure if it's just limited to wide angle lenses or if it's something in how the optics of a lens are designed, but I can say that some lenses don't work properly with extension tubes. If anybody else knows and can shed some more light on the subject I'd be grateful; I've been curious for a while.
Extension tubes you wont mechanicly lose any stops, but you will lose light so you either stop down or increase your exposure time to compensate.
douglas
I recently saw Nikon AF Extension Tubes so I know they make them,
but all I see are ads for the Kenko ones which I have. They just aren't
quality and sound like they could break. I would buy the Nikon ones but
I don't know who sells them.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?shs=nikon+extension+tube&ci=0&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=product.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t
http://www.adorama.com/Search-Results.tpl?page=searchresults&searchinfo=nikon%20extension
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
That is quite possible.
However, the following review is interesting (after reading this I opted for the Kenkos, and haven't had any misfortunes):
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Kenko-Extension-Tube-Set-Review.aspx