Extension Tubes?!

[dchung00]

Hi,

I been trying to break into jewelry photography and i wanted to know if extension tubes mounted on a 70-200mm vrII will bring as good results as a macro lens. Any help or advice on this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Braineack]

sell the VRII, get a Tamron VC and a 105mm Macro?

 

[tirediron]

That will certainly achieve good results, if you have the lighting to go along with it, and depending on what focal length you're using, you may need more tube than normally comes ina set to achieve 1:1. You'll also need a good tripod and focus-stacking software since you'll be working with VERY shallow DoF. For jewellery work, why not pick up a used 60mm f2.8D Micro-Nikkor; they usually run ~$300 on Craig's List and it will be a LOT easier to maneuver then a large tele-zoom with several inches of extension tube behind it.

 

[dchung00]

sell the VRII, get a Tamron VC and a 105mm Macro?

Thank you Braineack but i would like to keep my Nikon. Does the image quality get sacrificed when using the extension tubes? this is what I've been looking into getting
http://www.amazon.com/Kenko-Macro-A...id=1407178411&sr=8-4&keywords=extension+tubes

 

[dchung00]

That will certainly achieve good results, if you have the lighting to go along with it, and depending on what focal length you're using, you may need more tube than normally comes ina set to achieve 1:1. You'll also need a good tripod and focus-stacking software since you'll be working with VERY shallow DoF. For jewellery work, why not pick up a used 60mm f2.8D Micro-Nikkor; they usually run ~$300 on Craig's List and it will be a LOT easier to maneuver then a large tele-zoom with several inches of extension tube behind it.

TiredIron thank you for the suggestion. It seems like the price will be very similar if i purchase this lens and avoids the trouble of the 15lb lens!

 

[dchung00]

Since It might just be better to purchase a macro lens does anyone recommend a preferred FOV/Lens?

 

[tirediron]

Extension tubes don't affect image quality as they have no optics, but they do cost you a lot of light. That's not a huge issue with static subjects such as jewellery, but it can become problematic when you get to extreme lengths.

 

[Edsport]

You don't need to spend almost $200.00 on Kenko tubes. You can get AF tubes for like $25.00 including shipping that will do the same job. extension tubes | eBay

A Timer remote or shutter release so that there is no movement from the camera is good to have with macro. Those are fairly cheap too on Ebay...

 

[Dao]

In addition to extension tubes, there are some high quality close up filter such as the Canon 250D or 500D. Take a look at this link ( </title> <title>Canon closeup work - Macro imaging options/title> ) regarding extension tubes vs close up filter. Remember, we are not talking about cheap filter which most of them are junk.

Based on the above linked article, for telephoto side, it is better off using close up filter to achieve better magnification. Also, if you need to have take a macro photo which require flatter field and good corner to corner image quality, dedicated macro lens is a better way to go.

 

[petrochemist119 144]

Corner sharpness is probably not too critical in Jewlery macro, so extension tubes or similar approaches should give acceptable results.
A dedicated macro lens will be easier to use, and offer significant improvements if you need to focus on a flat subject (like a page of paper).
Extension has fairly limited effects at longer focal lengths, but works very well for shorter focal lengths.

As tirediron suggested shorter focal lengths should be acceptable for jewlery. Long focal lengths give more working distance but unlike insects you won't scare off a ring so working distance is not a major issue for you. My favorite macro technique (stacked lenses) works quite well for coins & jewlery.

 

[Derrel]

90mm Tamron AF macro, Tokina 100mm f/2.8 ATX macro are the best budget choices, or a used Nikkor 105mm MANUAL focusing, Ai or Ai-S lens for a budget-priced macro of the right length for easy working. The Kenko tubes are "okay", really, I have a set, but as Tirediron mentioned, the 70-200 is a big, long lens, kind of a PITA compared to wielding a light macro, like my Tamron 90 or Nikkor 60mm. I prefer the longer length and longer working distance of the 90mm to the 60; I reserve the 60 for plants and very tiny-scale nature photos/mini landscapes.

 

[tirediron]

You don't need to spend almost $200.00 on Kenko tubes. You can get AF tubes for like $25.00 including shipping that will do the same job. extension tubes | eBay

A Timer remote or shutter release so that there is no movement from the camera is good to have with macro. Those are fairly cheap too on Ebay...

Ehhh... I would NOT recommend this as an option. My brother bought a set exactly like this, thinking they looked like a good deal. Mounted one tube just to see what it was like, and wound up taking it to a camera repair shop where they had to CUT if off of the camera because the mount was so poorly machined that it would not come off any other way. Fortunately, the camera was fine, but between the cost of the tubes and the trip to the shop, he could have bought a set of Kenko tubes and had enough left over for a large cup of coffee. Kenko tubes are very well made and I've never had any issues at all with mine. There is a reason that some things cost what they cost. Caveat emptor and all that jazz....

 

[PWhite214]

Plus 1 on getting good extension tubes. The Bay is a good source, Kenko Nikon AF Automatica Extension Tube Set | eBay. Not my listing, just an example.

Another option is older manual focus macro lenses that can be adapted to your camera. The Tamron Adaptall 52bb 90MM is a nice lens. There are many available.

Phil

 

[dchung00]

Wow did not expect this much replies, Thank you for the great feedback! I decided to get the Kenko extension tubes, Wish i followed up with this thread before i did it, I would've just gotten the regular extension tubes as Edsport had reccomended.

 

[Derrel]

Wow did not expect this much replies, Thank you for the great feedback! I decided to get the Kenko extension tubes, Wish i followed up with this thread before i did it, I would've just gotten the regular extension tubes as Edsport had reccomended.

Oh, good deal; the Kenko tubes are pretty good to have. I bought a used set way back in 2002 I guess it has been now, and they have served me very,very well. Just so you know, at maximum focal length setting of 200mm at minimum focusing distance (MFD) the 70-200 VR II lens has an actual focal length of around 130mm; it has very strong focus breathing, which is what cauises to loss of effctive FL as the lens is focused closer and closer. Still those are just numbers, and I think your 70-200 zoom will actually be a decent performer with both the short (12mm or so), and the middle-length (20mm) extension tubes out of the three-tube set.