Kenko Macro Setup

Jet

Hello,
I have been looking around to get a cheap macro setup. I use a Nikon D70 and am thinking of getting some kenko extension tubes to use on my 50mm f/1.8. I have no Idea which type of Kenko extensions to get. Any recommendations or advice?
Thanks

Skippy

Jet wrote:

Hello,
I have been looking around to get a cheap macro setup. I use a Nikon D70 and am thinking of getting some kenko extension tubes to use on my 50mm f/1.8. I have no Idea which type of Kenko extensions to get. Any recommendations or advice?
Thanks

The Kenko's come in a set of 3 they are excellent value and can be used on most Lenses.

They are about $170 a set, and are able to be used in any combination.
You get a 12mm + 20mm + 36m Tube in the Set (AUTO)

Here is a link from B&H in New York to get an idea.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/375238-REG/Kenko_AEXTUBEDGN_Auto_Extension_Tube_Set.html#

Hopefully someone who uses a Nikon can give you some more information,
I'm using Canon gear. .... Skippy
.

kwork

I'm looking into getting a set of Kenko tubes as well. So far, I've learned that the closer you get to the focal length of the lens with the length of the tubes, the closer you get to a true 1:1 macro.

Lord Vetinari

A set of Kenko ext tubes and a 50mm prime lens is a good way to start macro- you'll get a max magnification of around 1.3:1. The only drawback is slightly close focus distances.
Brian V.

Robinivich

Yeah, subjects need to be pretty tame or distracted, but you can actually go well past the 1:1 that most macro lenses stop at with a 68mm set on a 50mm lens. If I'm not mistaken for a theoretical 50mm focused at infinity, 50mm of extension gets you 1:1, but then you have 68mm of tubes and the lens can focus closer than infinity.

For examples almost all of my bugs gallery is taken with the canon 50f1.8 and these tubes, all but the latest handful which are with my new 150mm macro. You can of course check the Exifs. Oh, and I'm still using the tubes with the 150mm, so you should still have uses for them down the road!

JetCrocodile

You can also try Nikon reverse ring BR-2A, original will cost you around 25 $
and can allow quite a nice results by reversing your 50mm directely to the camera. Of course you loose meetering and autofous and working sistance is about 10 cm but with enoug light and practice you can get quite intereting results.
http://jetcrocodile.smugmug.com/popular/1/137424287_kgNeB#137424287_kgNeB

actually all my macro shoots were made with such setup.

Only latest images are made by reversing 50mm on top of Sigma 70-300 with even cheaper macro reverse rings from e-bay.

Good luck!

JetCrocodile

Hi!

Did you use here
http://robin-taylor.smugmug.com/popular/4/278081530_iFB3n#278081530_iFB3n
just Sigma 150mm or Sigma 150mm + some tubes?

Regards

Robinivich wrote:

For examples almost all of my bugs gallery is taken with the canon 50f1.8 and these tubes, all but the latest handful which are with my new 150mm macro. You can of course check the Exifs. Oh, and I'm still using the tubes with the 150mm, so you should still have uses for them down the road!

Robinivich

JetCrocodile wrote:

Hi!

Did you use here
http://robin-taylor.smugmug.com/popular/4/278081530_iFB3n#278081530_iFB3n
just Sigma 150mm or Sigma 150mm + some tubes?

Regards

Actually, sounds like you already know the technique used here, this is the Sigma 150mm, all 68mm of extension tubes, and a reversed 50mm f1.8 on the front of all that. Credit is due to Jody Melanson for demonstrating this combo to myself (not to mention doing a lot better with it ), he posted some sweet results from this setup here a while ago.

I judge the working distance to be 2-3cm from the mount of the 50mm, and DOF is, as you can see, miniscule. Also bear in mind, a lot of these images (not just with the reversed 50mm) would be difficult or impossible without flash, which is what I'd reccomend as the next step once one has picked up the tubes.

Jet

Wow, Thanks for all the help and info. I think I'll start off with the tubes, and see how it goes from there. The short focal distance will be a bit annoying, but it's a start. I may look into reverse adapters a bit later too.
You guys have some amazing Images. Brian Your shots always stun me, JetCrocodile you have some really cool shots (how did you get that dragonfly!?) and so does Robin- I had a quick look at your sites.
Thanks again, I hope to get into this stuff soon.

JetCrocodile

Ok, I know it partly because I use 50mm reversed either to camera or to 70-300. But have no experiance with extension tubes.
As to the flash, presentely i have SB-800, but have to add some flash bracket and diffusors to use it with macro.

Robinivich wrote:

Actually, sounds like you already know the technique used here, this is the Sigma 150mm, all 68mm of extension tubes, and a reversed 50mm f1.8 on the front of all that. Credit is due to Jody Melanson for demonstrating this combo to myself (not to mention doing a lot better with it ), he posted some sweet results from this setup here a while ago.

I judge the working distance to be 2-3cm from the mount of the 50mm, and DOF is, as you can see, miniscule. Also bear in mind, a lot of these images (not just with the reversed 50mm) would be difficult or impossible without flash, which is what I'd reccomend as the next step once one has picked up the tubes.

GOLDENORFE

Hi there, i have just got kenko tube set, with 100mm macro focusing is down to about 4" with all 3 . you probably will need to use flash .
phil.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goldenorfe/