markreefer
New member
I want to get some closer shots with my Canon 30D + Canon EF100 f2.8 Macro lens. I would appreciate some feedback on using an Extender for this purpose.
Extender for Macro shots
- Thread starter markreefer
- Start date
maroun.c
New member
With the Extension tubes you will be able to get closer to your subjects. Only problem is that you'll have to get too close to your subjects. you'll have to be within cm to your subjects and your DOF will only be a few mm. So it's only conveninet for corals a few cm from the glass.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
That really depends on both the focal length of the lens your using and the size of the extender your using. The following formula should find the maximum focus distance for a combination:
f+f^2/e where f is the focal length and e is the extension tube length. Answer is in millimeters, so divide by 1000 to get meters.
85 + 85^2/12 = 687mm = 0.687m.
So an 85mm lens and 12mm tube has a maximum distance of 687mm or about 27 inches.
In your case, you have the 100mm lens so with the 12mm extension tube your working distance would be 309-896mm, with a larger extension the focus distance would drop as would the distance between the minimum and maximum focus distance...with canons 25mm extension tube the distance becomes 101-426mm, so as you can see you get closer which provides a larger magnification factor but at the same time the minimum and maximum distances are much closer with only 325mm between close and max focus distance as with the 12mm extension tube it is over 580mm difference between the two.
You can stack extension tubes and get even larger tubes but the math stays the same.
Blazer88
Premium Member
mordekai, are you looking for suggestions on a teleconverter (which I've always heard them referred as an extender) or extension tubes? The minimum focusing distance won't change with a teleconverter but will give you more magnification. But as maroun pointed out, tubes aren't really useful unless you need to get closer than the lens can focus to get more magnification, which is about 6 inches on the 100mm.
maroun.c
New member
Blazer you are right Teleconverters are more frequently referred to as extenders. In his post Mordekai mentioned wanting closer shots which I understood as more magnification.
Kurts Reef that's a lot of math here Thanks for the info.
in my case I still don't have hte 105 mm macro so I'm using a 50 mm 1.4 with a set of Kenko tubes 12, 20 and 36 mm I stack them all and reveres th 50mm with the BR2A reversing ring. This gives me a lot of magnification but limited focusing distance and DOF. Here is a non cropped picture I took not that the GSP were only a few cm away from the glass and I always have to use a macro rail to be able to focus with all the magnification, in addition to losing the metering and Autofocus. here's a picture I took with the extension tures and the 500 mm without reversing. REversing the lens still give further magnification.
Kurts Reef that's a lot of math here Thanks for the info.
in my case I still don't have hte 105 mm macro so I'm using a 50 mm 1.4 with a set of Kenko tubes 12, 20 and 36 mm I stack them all and reveres th 50mm with the BR2A reversing ring. This gives me a lot of magnification but limited focusing distance and DOF. Here is a non cropped picture I took not that the GSP were only a few cm away from the glass and I always have to use a macro rail to be able to focus with all the magnification, in addition to losing the metering and Autofocus. here's a picture I took with the extension tures and the 500 mm without reversing. REversing the lens still give further magnification.
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Blazer88
Premium Member
That's some great magnification...good thing you have corals so close to the glass. I tend to favor longer glass and combining them with teleconverters. Here is an older shot with my Sigma 150mm and (if I remember right) my Kenko 2x teleconverter. This gives me about 2x magnification at the minimum focusing distance (about about 15"). This green slimer is just about in the back of my tank.
markreefer
New member
Thanks for the info guys. - Nice shots!
Blazer88 - I am just looking for the best way to increase magnification on the EF100 with the least effect on image quality.
I guess maybe I need another lens?
Blazer88 - I am just looking for the best way to increase magnification on the EF100 with the least effect on image quality.
I guess maybe I need another lens?
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Maroun,
Yes...using all three tubes even without reversing the 50mm is giving you 68mm of extension and a very shallow DOF short focusing distance.
I only recently purchased some tubes and still getting used to them, some fun toys. I need to build a acrylic "looking glass" or whatever these boxes are called people use to shoot top down photographs.
Yes...using all three tubes even without reversing the 50mm is giving you 68mm of extension and a very shallow DOF short focusing distance.
I only recently purchased some tubes and still getting used to them, some fun toys. I need to build a acrylic "looking glass" or whatever these boxes are called people use to shoot top down photographs.
maroun.c
New member
Actually it is very hard tot ake pictures with this setup. Even without reversing the 50 mm.
When reversing the 50 mm over it I get a lot more magnification. Will post some of those pictures tomorrow.
to make it easier you can always buy a macro rail which allows you to move the camera by turning a small wheel. So focus is achieved easier.
Still I see no use for this setup with top down shots as you will not be able to look through the VF? Unless if you have some program where you can see the preview on a computer if you link the camera?
I still have to try a lot of things before I enup giving up and buyin the 105 VR, AS I still didn't try reversing the 50mm over a 17-50 that I have nor shooting with the 70-300 with Teleconverters or closup filters, I also have to figure out how to calculate the magnification for all those methods to see which one would give me the best magnification and wuality.
I guess the 105 Vr would give decent magnification and image quality with the added conveninece of metering and autofocus. for ultimate magnification I guess it would either be reversing the 105 over the tubes or maybe reversing the 50 mm over the 105? would it be beneficial to reverse the the 50 over the 105 over estension tubes?
I could keep on asking questin about magnification ratios till tomorrow But I guess it's enough for me hijacking this thread.
When reversing the 50 mm over it I get a lot more magnification. Will post some of those pictures tomorrow.
to make it easier you can always buy a macro rail which allows you to move the camera by turning a small wheel. So focus is achieved easier.
Still I see no use for this setup with top down shots as you will not be able to look through the VF? Unless if you have some program where you can see the preview on a computer if you link the camera?
I still have to try a lot of things before I enup giving up and buyin the 105 VR, AS I still didn't try reversing the 50mm over a 17-50 that I have nor shooting with the 70-300 with Teleconverters or closup filters, I also have to figure out how to calculate the magnification for all those methods to see which one would give me the best magnification and wuality.
I guess the 105 Vr would give decent magnification and image quality with the added conveninece of metering and autofocus. for ultimate magnification I guess it would either be reversing the 105 over the tubes or maybe reversing the 50 mm over the 105? would it be beneficial to reverse the the 50 over the 105 over estension tubes?
I could keep on asking questin about magnification ratios till tomorrow But I guess it's enough for me hijacking this thread.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Maroun and Blazer, both nice shots...could not see them at work I am photobucket blind there (sites blocked)....something in the coding on that page got it banned on DOD computers so even links too the photographs do not work. Gets annoying since so many people use photobucket (I do too, nice easy to use interface) especially when at a photography forum.
maroun.c
New member
KurtsReef, Talking about sites banning Flickre is banned in All internet providers of Dubai for some reasons and it is a struggle for me to see those pictures as I only access them from work as we login through a server in Holland...
Here are some more magnified shots Mordekai.
Note that these are all take from my refugium so if you need the setup for tank shots it will not be possible. However if you can move your corals for a picture or if you want it for product macros... it will be great.
Here's a size reference shot for the GSP and some tiny mini-Featherduster which just exploded in numbers in my tank in darker places.
And here are non cropped shots using extension tubes and reversing the 50mm.
Minifeather duster
Mini Starfish size ref and macros:
Small Snail Wish it was bigger to start with that would have provided much better details:
Finally a Bristle worm next to a mushroom
Here are some more magnified shots Mordekai.
Note that these are all take from my refugium so if you need the setup for tank shots it will not be possible. However if you can move your corals for a picture or if you want it for product macros... it will be great.
Here's a size reference shot for the GSP and some tiny mini-Featherduster which just exploded in numbers in my tank in darker places.
And here are non cropped shots using extension tubes and reversing the 50mm.
Minifeather duster
Mini Starfish size ref and macros:
Small Snail Wish it was bigger to start with that would have provided much better details:
Finally a Bristle worm next to a mushroom
markreefer
New member
Nice shots maroun.c. I am a little confused now. What setup did you use to take these?
markreefer
New member
So thats with the reversing ring + the whole set of tubes?
