Lens filter and extension tube on ebay

[Charles89]

So Im really on a tight budget these days as Im a college student and I want to travel this summer.

Im planning on buying :
This filter and the 52mm version
TIANYA 67mm 67 mm UV Ultra-Violet Filter Lens Protector - eBay (item 270488082702 end time Feb-18-10 01:39:36 PST)

And this extension tube for my old kit len 18-55mm as I replaced it with a Tamron f2.8 17-50mm

Macro Extension Tube Ring For CANON 450D XSi 400D XTi - eBay (item 270338317518 end time Feb-26-10 01:57:46 PST)

I was wondering if those would be soo cheap that they will distort my photos (the filters)

And if the tube would really make my len go macro ?

Im also planning on buying the 50mmf1.8 from Canon Ive heard go reviews for the price !

What do you guys think ?

[Derrel]

The filter is very cheap. It's probably to use the technical term what is called a "crap filter", which takes a normal lens and turns it into... well...you know.
I would have as much faith in a 20 year old, used pawnshop Tiffen or Hoya HMC as with that $5 filter from offshore.

The extension tubes....oh boy...forum member Overread is probably asleep right now OR just about to wake up..he did a post on those el-cheapo eBay extension tubes and how they offer no lens aperture control on Canon lenses and bodies. There *is* a short-temp, temporary kludge, but those tubes do not have any electronic contacts in them to control the lens aperture--and so that is why they are so,so,so cheap. They're not just inexpensive--they are cheap too.

I would honestly never suggest anybody buy that type of tube for a Canon system. Something like a 12 or 13mm single tube from Kenko, or the inexpensive AF tubes sold by Adorama make much more sense. I am hoping Overread will see your post and reply, since he's a Canon macro fan.

[Charles89]

Ok Ill grab two Hoyas on bhphoto for the filters 52mm and 67mm.

And Ill just not get the extension tube.

ON bhphoto.com there is a $10 difference between and imported($89) canon f1.8 50mm and the USA one ($99) do you know why ??

Thanks a lot by the way !

[henryp]

Quote: Originally Posted by Charles89

ON bhphoto.com there is a $10 difference between and imported($89) canon f1.8 50mm and the USA one ($99) do you know why ??

The imported version is "grey market." Usually we pay less for "grey market" merchandise and pass the savings on to you. The item itself is the same. The difference is how it came to us and who covers the warranty.

[Montana]

If I was on a serious budget, UV filters would be way down on my list.

[Overread]

Yep Derral is right those cheap tubes really are too cheap to be of effective use in macro work. You can trick your camera lens so that the aperture blade are kept shut at a fixed aperture however this means that you have to focus the shot with the aperture blade shut as well and that makes for a very dark viewfinder image and thus focusing is not an easy task. It also means you can't change the aperture on the fly as you might need to.

If you want something cheaper and can't afford a set of Kenko AF tubes get yourself a Raynox DCR 250 macro diopter
DCR 250, Cameras Photo, Nikon. Great deals on eBay!
It works the very same way the tubes do = by reducing the minimum focusing distance and removing infinity focus (thus you can't focus on further off objects). The glass in the raynox diopter series is surprisingly high quality for their price point and they are certainly up to the task of producing very good results. (some macro shooters have even said they can equal the image quality given by using tubes*)

*unlike popular belief extension tubes do cause some image degradation in a shot - since the lens is moved away from its optimum setting. However such degradation is normally very small and not a major problem for most situations

** note that the ebay sellers list a lot of different variations of the DCR with lables like "For canon camera" "For nikon camera" etc... the unit is exactly the same however there is no differing model - the ebay sellers are just adding to their listings and trying to boost their sales

[Charles89]

Thx mate !!!!