Looking for extension tube for Canon EF 50MM F/1.8 II lens

[aponraj1]

I am using Canon EOS 7D camera and thinking to get canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens and extension tube. This combination is good enough to take macro shots? Which extension tube is good in low budget? Expecting experts suggestion. Thanks

 

[KenC]

Here's what I've used on the 50/1.8 and other Canon lenses:

Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG for Canon EOS A-EXTUBEDG-C B&H

There may be some cheaper ones out there, but some of them may not allow for auto exposure.

They work just as well as a macro lens, but are not as convenient because sometimes you need to change tubes to get the magnification you want.

 

[CameraClicker]

I have Kenko extension tubes too. They don't just work with 50 mm lenses. If they have a Canon mount, they work with all Canon mount lenses and bodies, though with some better than others.

They are useful. Sometimes a true macro lens is appropriate. Sometimes extension tubes and/or a teleconverter can work as well as, or better than, a macro lens by itself. You can use extension tubes with a macro lens.


This is the sort of thing I usually shoot with a 50 mm lens and extension tubes, though I think this was shot with a wide angle lens and extension tubes. It is the sort of subject that is good for 50 mm and extension tubes because the keyboard is not afraid of me, or the camera. Rice, dimes and batteries are other great sources of amusement for that combination. Since they bite, leave, or both, bugs and small reptiles are not great subjects for a short macro arrangement.


this was shot with a 100 mm L macro lens, hand held, then cropped in. You couldn't do this with 50 mm and extension tubes because the fly would leave before you got close enough to focus.


This is done with a regular telephoto lens. If you are ever bored, try shooting dragonflies while they are hunting for food. It will change boredom to frustration fairly quickly.


This was done with a 100-400 mm zoom at 400 mm, plus a set of extension tubes, plus a 2X teleconverter. It's the full frame, taken from about 4 feet! The grasshoppers were laying on the concrete near the field but any time they were approached they left. 3 or 4 feet was as close as I could get, so a really long lens and some adapters solved the problem.

 

[lambertpix]

These were all taken with the 50mm f/1.8 and a Canon 25mm tube:

f7935605 by lambertpix, on Flickr

Renewal by lambertpix, on Flickr

IMG_8305 by lambertpix, on Flickr

I found this combination effective, but focus is pretty touchy, so I can't say I'd recommend it for moving subjects, or without benefit of a tripod.

 

[aponraj1]

Thanks to all. All your information are useful to me. From your inputs i can understand that extension tubes are suitable for non moving objects. How you can manage the moving things with macro lens? I think distance is the matter. For moving things reverse macro with same 50 mm f/1.8 is suitable?
In tubes how about Vello Auto extension tube? Is this inferior than Kenko?
Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Canon EOS EXT-CD B&H Photo
I appreciate your valued input(basically i am looking for macro in low price )
Thanks again.

 

[Edsport]

I recommend getting the AF tubes. AF ones on eBay for $20.00 with free shipping...

Canon extension tube | eBay

 

[lambertpix]

Thanks to all. All your information are useful to me. From your inputs i can understand that extension tubes are suitable for non moving objects. How you can manage the moving things with macro lens? I think distance is the matter. For moving things reverse macro with same 50 mm f/1.8 is suitable?
In tubes how about Vello Auto extension tube? Is this inferior than Kenko?
Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Canon EOS EXT-CD B&H Photo
I appreciate your valued input(basically i am looking for macro in low price )
Thanks again.

It's not so much that it's impossible to focus on moving things -- I just found it much more challenging. Canon's 50mm f/1.8 isn't the best-performing autofocus lens in the first place (whaddya want for a hundred bucks??). I had marginally better luck using my 15-85 USM lens with the 25mm extension tube (near the telephoto end of the range), but my best results have come with Canon's 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. Again, I don't know that we're really comparing apples to apples, because not only is the 100mm macro designed for macro use, it's also got a fast USM focusing motor and the large f/2.8 aperture lets a lot of light into the camera, which also helps focusing performance. It turns out in this case, you really do get what you pay for. ;-)

Back to your case, though, I think a cheap set of tubes is absolutely a valid way to get started in macros. It won't be as nice as a dedicated macro lens, but it's tons cheaper, and you have sufficient patience, you can eventually get some really nice results. As far as brands of tubes, since there are no optics in the tubes, you're safe to assume the optical properties of Vello or Kenko air are about the same as Canon air. Stick with a set that's got the electrical contacts to retain AF operation, and you should be good.

 

[D-B-J]

I use the Vello autofocus ones. Only ran me about $70, and they work really well until I can pick up a dedicated macro.

Jake

 

[CameraClicker]

Thanks to all. All your information are useful to me. From your inputs i can understand that extension tubes are suitable for non moving objects. How you can manage the moving things with macro lens? I think distance is the matter. For moving things reverse macro with same 50 mm f/1.8 is suitable?
In tubes how about Vello Auto extension tube? Is this inferior than Kenko?
Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Canon EOS EXT-CD B&H Photo
I appreciate your valued input(basically i am looking for macro in low price )
Thanks again.

Both macro lenses and extension tubes let you focus closer than you could with a standard lens. As you focus closely, depth of field shrinks to almost nothing. Focusing as close as my macro lenses allow, at f/32, depth of field is about an inch, or a couple of cm if you measure in metric. You may need extra light, either ring flash or an off camera solution.

Moving objects may be plants or creatures. Since the depth of field is so small, a plant blown by a gentle breeze will careen in and out of focus, repeatedly. The easy way to deal with that is to put up a wind shield and perhaps clamp the plant to a stake. Small creatures frequently move more slowly when cold, so early morning can work well because they have not warmed up enough to be active. You still may have the problem that a short lens like 50 mm, with extension tubes will have to almost touch the creature to focus. A longer, or much longer, focal length is more suitable for flies, spiders, snakes, bees, wasps, etc. because you can take photos from a safer distance which avoids scaring or annoying the creature and keeps them far enough away they are unlikely to try to strike or sting. Extension tubes are a good choice because they work with regular lenses and macro lenses of most focal lengths. Since they are hollow, they work with EF-S lenses too.