BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Macro Photography Tip

Photography Question 

MarcL Rosenblum
 

Extension Tubes Vs. Macro Lenses


I'd like to have the capability of shooting close-ups and would like to know if extension tubes are as good as using a macro lens. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.


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January 22, 2006

 

robert G. Fately
  Marc, it depends a bit on the particular lenses used, but extension tubes certainly can produce outstanding images with the right lens. Typically, prime lenses (non-zoom) or "pro-level" lenses (the expensive ones) are sharp enough to produce great close-ups with an extension tube. Other than the bother of detaching the lens and attaching the tube(s) and reattaching the lens, if the camera has TTL metering, you don't have to worry about light loss as it will be compensated for in the exposure reading.
However, when you put a lens on a tube, you won't be able to focus to infinity any longer, which may or may not matter, depending on what you're doing.
True macro lenses (all but Nikon's 70-150 macro, which I think is now discontinued anyway) are prime lenses - they do not zoom. But they can focus to infinity without removing them as tubes require.
Either of the above approaches will garner sharper close-up shots than the general zoom-macro lenses that are made for "one-size-fits-all" type purposes.


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January 22, 2006

 

George Anderson
  Your question is complicated by the fact that extension tubes are also used in conjunction with macro lenses as image multiplication devices. Everything really depends upon the type and quality of the lens(es) or optics used - macro lens, macro telephoto lens, reversed normal or wide-angle lens with macro lens, normal lens with teleconverter lens, normal lens with supplementary achromatic magnifier lens, macro lens with bellows, etc., etc.
You might get more specific responses if you listed the exact brand/model of lenses you have in mind, distances, environment (indooor/outdoor) and subject matter (animate/inanimate). A forum or message board whose members all shoot macro, or who all own the same brand like nikonians.org, etc. is more likely to have pertinent answers on specific lens recommendations.


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January 22, 2006

 

MarcL Rosenblum
  Thanks, I appreciate the input.


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January 22, 2006

 
- Carolyn M. Fletcher

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  I have a friend who is also on BP whose stock agency told them to get rid of the extension tubes for stock purposes. I don't know what that's all about, but that's what they said.


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January 23, 2006

 
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