I have a Canon 60D with an AF IS 18-200 lens. Is there a macro extension tube for this? I want to be be several feet away from the subject...not inches? And how do they work with IS and AF of my lens?
I looked at the Canon f2.8/100 IS AF Macro. It is great, but just too expensive for me right now.
Sorry to sound so newbie, but I never used extension tubes with my 35mm SLR. I had a separate lens. I'm not really sure how they work.
Posted by Max Waugh on February 24, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Lucy, I don't know about several feet. An extension tube might allow you to be a couple feet away. To give you an example, I put extension tubes on my 300mm lens when I was trying to get "close-ups" of a venomous fer-de-lance in Costa Rica. I was set up maybe three to four feet away from the foot-long snake to get some detail on the face, but even those weren't extreme close-ups.
See an example here: http://www.maxwaugh.com/cr10/ferdelance022010cr5.php
Max
Posted by Luke Ormand on February 24, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Can't answer your original question but if the Canon is too pricey you should look @ Sigma, they make an outstanding macro lens (from what I've heard/read). I went with Nikon because it had just been updated and it was compatable with my teleconverter which gave me another option but the Sigma should save you some $$
Posted by Keith Bauer on February 24, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Lucy: Extension tubes allow you to focus even closer than you normally would. It is a common practice to put extension tubes on longer focal lengths like the 300 that Max mentioned above to allow focusing at distances closer than the normal close distance capability of the lens. Adding Extension tubes to your lens would not move you further away, they would allow you to get even closer. So if you goal is to be several feet away (assuming your lens can still focus at the distance you want to be from your subject), extension tubes are not the solution you're looking for. (assuming I understood your question). I'd look at the used market for a Canon macro, or as Luke suggested, 3rd party alternatives can be a good value.
Posted by David Bostedo on February 24, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Lucy - Since you want to be further away, you're talking about a longer focal length lens, or a teleconverter. These will let you be further away, with a narrower angle of view and greater magnification.
Now there are two things that you trade off there - as you get longer focal lengths, the minimum focusing distance also gets bigger, possibly to the point where you would need to move further away to be able to focus than you want to. That's when extension tubes come in.
To make up some numbers, pretend I have a 100 mm lens, that will give me a shot I want from 1 foot away. I could go to a 300 mm lens, and move 3 feet away. But a 300 mm lens probably won't focus on anything that close. So I could go to a 300mm lens with extension tubes, and focus from 3 feet away.
Also, teleconverters are generally viewed as being poor on zooms like yours as they degrade the lens' performance. They also change the f-stop (1.4X teleconverter loses one f-stop, a 2.0X teleconverter loses two).
I don't have any experience with teleconverters or tubes though.
(Side note : A macro lens at 100mm will still just be a 100mm lens - the same angle of view as your lens set to 100mm. It won't change that. What it will change is the ability to focus closer than your lens, so that you can move close and get more magnification in the image. That's why some people like to get the longest macro lens they can. So that they don't have to get TOO close. Macro lenses are also some of the best out there optically usually, as they are typically low distortion, and very sharp.)
Posted by Mitch Moraski on February 24, 2011 at 1:29 PM
The nice thing about extension tubes and a zoom lens is the ability to change your composition without having to move your tripod forward and backwards. Look at John Shaw's book "Closeups in Nature" I think this explain everything you need to know about what your looking for. The drawback to a fixed macro is indeed expense, and the inability to recompose with ease. With extension tubes you'll have light loss, but if your using a tripod
( a must!! ) and a cable release, you'll be fine. Kenco offers a nice set of tubes for a reasonable price. You can find them through B and H Photo in NY. It's the way to go.
Posted by Buck Ward on February 24, 2011 at 1:51 PM
Lucy
Extension tubes allow you reduce the minimum focusing distance of you lens. You can make your subject appear larger because you can get closer to it. As far as I know extension tubes will work on any lens. Depending on the make and model, you may lose the ability to auto-focus
Macro lenses have a very short minimum focusing distance. They allow you to get closer to your subject than a non-macro lens would allow.
Extension tubes and macro lenses are for close-up work
Tele-converters increase the focal length of your lens. A 1.4x teleconverter would convert the focal length of your 18-200mm lens to 25-280mm. It will increase the image size without having to get closer, at the cost of one stop of light (and possible loss of autofocus capability, depending of the maximum aperture or your lens) and probably a general degradation of image quality.
A telephoto lens is designed to make your subject larger in the image while staying at a farther distance
Tele-converters and telephoto lenses allow you to increase the size of you subject in the image while staying at a distance
Extension tubes will give you increased magnification especially at the shorter focal lengths of your zoom lens, but you will have to physically move in closer to your subject to get the increased magnification and have it in focus. Here's some basic info: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-25mm-Extension-Tube-II-Review.aspx
Canon has a close-up "lens" that is a magnifying glass that screws on to the front of the lens just like a filter and will increase magnification without a loss of light and is useful at the longer focal lengths of your lens. Some info here near the bottom of the page: http://www.photos-of-the-year.com/canon-macro/ The double-element ones are better although not inexpensive.
I don't want to be far from the subject, but I am tired of lying on my belly or squatting forever!
Posted by Hendrik BOSMAN on February 26, 2011 at 3:13 AM
Lucy,
My 2c
As a "purist" ZUIKO Lens addict I can with peace say the following.
Most probably one of the BEST Macro Lenses available (including propriety lenses) is the Sigma 150mm F2.8 and will still give you some distance though I`m not sure that one can do real macro without lying on your belly, squatting or having a mini studio at a table. AND it will not ruin the bank
The "screw-on" magnifying option IMHO is a waste of time and money as you will soon realize that the results are not really what most photographers want.
Posted by Mark Seaver on February 26, 2011 at 9:47 AM
Lucy,
I"ve used everything described above, screw on macro "filters", extension tubes, and dedicated macro lenses. I strongly encourage you to start with a set of extension tubes. Those will work with your 18-200 although they won't work well when you're in the wide angle range. You'll get high quality results as long as you're not magnifying more than about 1:2, which means that the subject is twice the size of your sensor. With your zoom, you can get the same magnification at increased working distance by zooming to longer focal lengths.
I second the recommendation of John Shaw's book, Close Ups in Nature, as an introduction to macrophotography.
As an aside, if you mix a telephoto lens, extension tubes, and an extender, you want to put the extension tubes between the extender and the prime lens for best performance.
Discussion
10 repliesI looked at the Canon f2.8/100 IS AF Macro. It is great, but just too expensive for me right now.
Sorry to sound so newbie, but I never used extension tubes with my 35mm SLR. I had a separate lens. I'm not really sure how they work.
See an example here: http://www.maxwaugh.com/cr10/ferdelance022010cr5.php
Max
Now there are two things that you trade off there - as you get longer focal lengths, the minimum focusing distance also gets bigger, possibly to the point where you would need to move further away to be able to focus than you want to. That's when extension tubes come in.
To make up some numbers, pretend I have a 100 mm lens, that will give me a shot I want from 1 foot away. I could go to a 300 mm lens, and move 3 feet away. But a 300 mm lens probably won't focus on anything that close. So I could go to a 300mm lens with extension tubes, and focus from 3 feet away.
Also, teleconverters are generally viewed as being poor on zooms like yours as they degrade the lens' performance. They also change the f-stop (1.4X teleconverter loses one f-stop, a 2.0X teleconverter loses two).
I don't have any experience with teleconverters or tubes though.
(Side note : A macro lens at 100mm will still just be a 100mm lens - the same angle of view as your lens set to 100mm. It won't change that. What it will change is the ability to focus closer than your lens, so that you can move close and get more magnification in the image. That's why some people like to get the longest macro lens they can. So that they don't have to get TOO close. Macro lenses are also some of the best out there optically usually, as they are typically low distortion, and very sharp.)
( a must!! ) and a cable release, you'll be fine. Kenco offers a nice set of tubes for a reasonable price. You can find them through B and H Photo in NY. It's the way to go.
Extension tubes allow you reduce the minimum focusing distance of you lens. You can make your subject appear larger because you can get closer to it. As far as I know extension tubes will work on any lens. Depending on the make and model, you may lose the ability to auto-focus
Macro lenses have a very short minimum focusing distance. They allow you to get closer to your subject than a non-macro lens would allow.
Extension tubes and macro lenses are for close-up work
Tele-converters increase the focal length of your lens. A 1.4x teleconverter would convert the focal length of your 18-200mm lens to 25-280mm. It will increase the image size without having to get closer, at the cost of one stop of light (and possible loss of autofocus capability, depending of the maximum aperture or your lens) and probably a general degradation of image quality.
A telephoto lens is designed to make your subject larger in the image while staying at a farther distance
Tele-converters and telephoto lenses allow you to increase the size of you subject in the image while staying at a distance
Extension tubes will give you increased magnification especially at the shorter focal lengths of your zoom lens, but you will have to physically move in closer to your subject to get the increased magnification and have it in focus. Here's some basic info: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-25mm-Extension-Tube-II-Review.aspx
Canon has a close-up "lens" that is a magnifying glass that screws on to the front of the lens just like a filter and will increase magnification without a loss of light and is useful at the longer focal lengths of your lens. Some info here near the bottom of the page: http://www.photos-of-the-year.com/canon-macro/ The double-element ones are better although not inexpensive.
My 2c
As a "purist" ZUIKO Lens addict I can with peace say the following.
Most probably one of the BEST Macro Lenses available (including propriety lenses) is the Sigma 150mm F2.8 and will still give you some distance though I`m not sure that one can do real macro without lying on your belly, squatting or having a mini studio at a table. AND it will not ruin the bank
The "screw-on" magnifying option IMHO is a waste of time and money as you will soon realize that the results are not really what most photographers want.
I"ve used everything described above, screw on macro "filters", extension tubes, and dedicated macro lenses. I strongly encourage you to start with a set of extension tubes. Those will work with your 18-200 although they won't work well when you're in the wide angle range. You'll get high quality results as long as you're not magnifying more than about 1:2, which means that the subject is twice the size of your sensor. With your zoom, you can get the same magnification at increased working distance by zooming to longer focal lengths.
I second the recommendation of John Shaw's book, Close Ups in Nature, as an introduction to macrophotography.
As an aside, if you mix a telephoto lens, extension tubes, and an extender, you want to put the extension tubes between the extender and the prime lens for best performance.
Enjoy macro, it's great fun.
Mark