Tom's Hardware > Forum > Digital Camera > Digital SLR > Idea for macro photos. Good?

Idea for macro photos. Good?

Forum Digital Camera : Digital SLR - Idea for macro photos. Good?

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!

Ask the community Add a reply

Bottom Search this thread

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

I tried putting the extension tube from my 55mm macro lens on my regular
80~200mm tele. As far as the viewfinder sees it the idea works. Any
thoughts on using this as a macro setup? It's getting dark out, but I may
give this a try on some flowers tomorrow.

Sheldon

Add a reply

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

In article <y86dnRLvN_lgJV3fRVn-rQ@comcast.com>,
Sheldon <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>I tried putting the extension tube from my 55mm macro lens on my regular
>80~200mm tele. As far as the viewfinder sees it the idea works. Any
>thoughts on using this as a macro setup? It's getting dark out, but I may
>give this a try on some flowers tomorrow.

Of course it will work. That is simple optics, and a set of
extension tubes will allow you to cover a wider range of close-up
shooting than a single fixed length extension tube.

A bellows would cover an even wider range of focusing distances --
though with a zoom the greater magnifications might move your focus
point to somewhere inside the front elements of the lens. :-)

I lose track of which camera you are putting this on, though the
55mm macro, and the 80-200mm zoom suggest that it might be older Nikon
lenses, which will not work with metering on the camera anyway for a D70
(if that is what you have). The extension tubes would prevent that
anyway, unless you have an extension tube which completes the electric
circuit between a CPU-equipped lens and the camera body.

The remaining question is how sharp will it be? That, you will
have to determine by experimentation. (You'll also have to learn to
adjust exposure for the extension, and I'm not sure how to predict that
for a zoom lens, which is trying to be everything for everybody. :-)

But -- it will cost you nothing but some time to experiment,
unlike the days with film. Just use the histogram to fine-tune your
exposure values.

Enjoy,
DoN.
--
Email: <dnichols@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> writes:

> I tried putting the extension tube from my 55mm macro lens on my regular
> 80~200mm tele. As far as the viewfinder sees it the idea works. Any
> thoughts on using this as a macro setup? It's getting dark out, but I may
> give this a try on some flowers tomorrow.

Adding the extension tube will bring the close-focus limit of the zoom
in closer, so in that sense it "works". That tube isn't very long, as
I remember it, so it won't bring the close-focus limit all that *much*
closer. And the complex optics of the 80-200 probably won't stand up
really wonderfully to being forced to focus closer, either. Your 55mm
with the tube will give you greater magnification and probably better
quality, but at shorter working distances.

Or, the simple bottom-line version -- So play with it and see if you
like the results!
--
David Dyer-Bennet, <mailtod-b@dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/>
Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/>
Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/>

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

David Dyer-Bennet wrote:

> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> writes:
>
>
>>I tried putting the extension tube from my 55mm macro lens on my regular
>>80~200mm tele. As far as the viewfinder sees it the idea works. Any
>>thoughts on using this as a macro setup? It's getting dark out, but I may
>>give this a try on some flowers tomorrow.
>
>
> Adding the extension tube will bring the close-focus limit of the zoom
> in closer, so in that sense it "works". That tube isn't very long, as
> I remember it, so it won't bring the close-focus limit all that *much*
> closer. And the complex optics of the 80-200 probably won't stand up
> really wonderfully to being forced to focus closer, either. Your 55mm
> with the tube will give you greater magnification and probably better
> quality, but at shorter working distances.
>
> Or, the simple bottom-line version -- So play with it and see if you
> like the results!

One of the benefits of a macro lens is zero distortion and great
sharpness and contrast across the frame. You pay dearly for this, when
the reality is that with such a limited DOF, you don't really see all of
the advantages when shooting bugs, flowers etc.
Marumi make a set of auto extension tubes with the electrical contacts
that work fine with a D70. I guess they cost US$100 or thereabouts.
They are not what I'd call high quality, but do the trick. Just the
smallest one (13mm) is a lot of fun with the kit 18-70 lens zoomed
between about 50 and 70mm.

Reply to frederick

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"frederick" <nomail@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:1120008978.841732@ftpsrv1...
> David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
>
>> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I tried putting the extension tube from my 55mm macro lens on my regular
>>>80~200mm tele. As far as the viewfinder sees it the idea works. Any
>>>thoughts on using this as a macro setup? It's getting dark out, but I
>>>may give this a try on some flowers tomorrow.
>>
>>
>> Adding the extension tube will bring the close-focus limit of the zoom
>> in closer, so in that sense it "works". That tube isn't very long, as
>> I remember it, so it won't bring the close-focus limit all that *much*
>> closer. And the complex optics of the 80-200 probably won't stand up
>> really wonderfully to being forced to focus closer, either. Your 55mm
>> with the tube will give you greater magnification and probably better
>> quality, but at shorter working distances. Or, the simple bottom-line
>> version -- So play with it and see if you
>> like the results!
>
> One of the benefits of a macro lens is zero distortion and great sharpness
> and contrast across the frame. You pay dearly for this, when the reality
> is that with such a limited DOF, you don't really see all of the
> advantages when shooting bugs, flowers etc.
> Marumi make a set of auto extension tubes with the electrical contacts
> that work fine with a D70. I guess they cost US$100 or thereabouts. They
> are not what I'd call high quality, but do the trick. Just the smallest
> one (13mm) is a lot of fun with the kit 18-70 lens zoomed between about 50
> and 70mm.

Thanks all. I thought it might be an interesting way to get macro photos
without having to get so close to the subject, but I'd hate to sacrifice
quality. Unfortunately, no chance to try my experiment out as I had to work
all day. I'm hoping to get more of my shots, and some experiments on the
web for display.

Reply to Anonymous

Ask the community Add a reply

Tom's Hardware > Forum > Digital Camera > Digital SLR > Idea for macro photos. Good?

Go to:

Help |
Forum rules

There are 1087 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Page generated in 0.270 seconds

Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel

Focus On

Idea for macro photos. Good?

Forum Digital Camera : Digital SLR - Idea for macro photos. Good?

Please mind