Extension Tubes

[CATALOGUEKID]

I have a canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens.....

Can you/is it worth adding extension tubes to it? would it improve/help? or would the lens be better without?

Thanks

 

[arclight]

They will let you get much closer to your subject. Depth of Field will get shallower and you will need longer exposures. Extension tubes, having no optics will not degrade image quality.

 

[CATALOGUEKID]

They will let you get much closer to your subject. Depth of Field will get shallower and you will need longer exposures. Extension tubes, having no optics will not degrade image quality.

Thanks

 

[Mystery57]

alternatively if you have a teleconverter extender for your lenses, they also work - I use a Kenko one rather than Canons own

 

[CATALOGUEKID]

So extension tubes are solely just to get you 'closer' to the subject?

 

[petersmart]

So extension tubes are solely just to get you 'closer' to the subject?

No.

You have to get closer to the subject to maintain focus with extension tubes but that means that you also get larger images on the sensor than you would without the tubes.

Another advantage is that they can be used with almost any lenses to give a macro effect.

In fact I use them with my Canon 70-300mm L IS USM lens to enable mew to get pictures of insects etc without getiing too close.

.

 

[MadWoman]

If you add both extension tubes and a teleconverter you get back a bit of the working distance you lose with tubes alone.

 

[tdodd]

Here are examples with my 100L on my 5D3. All were shot at MFD for the combination of adapters fitted and are unedited.

1. Bare lens

2. Lens + 68mm of Kenko tubes

3. Lens + Sigma 2X teleconverter (no tubes)

4. Lens + Sigma 2X teleconverter + 68mm Kenko tubes

 

[Mystery57]

Interesting set of photos which illustrate things well

 

[macvisual]

I've been using a Canon EF 12mm MkII extension tube with great results, and relatively cheap to buy.

 

[CATALOGUEKID]

Here are examples with my 100L on my 5D3. All were shot at MFD for the combination of adapters fitted and are unedited.

1. Bare lens

2. Lens + 68mm of Kenko tubes

3. Lens + Sigma 2X teleconverter (no tubes)

4. Lens + Sigma 2X teleconverter + 68mm Kenko tubes

Thanks for those!! very VERY helpful indeed