macro extension tubes confusion

wyogirl · Nov 20, 2013

hey all. I want to dabble in macro but not enough to buy a dedicated macro lens.

I was looking at extension tubes online and I'm a little confused. I understand how they work but here is my question: With Canon, my lenses don't have aperture control on the lens. Some extension tubes retain auto focus (which I don't care about) and some don't. Am I correct in assuming that I need to get the ones that retain auto focus in order to be able to change my aperture or can I use the non-electrical ones somehow?

Also, aside from Canon, are there brands that I should look at or brands I should avoid?

Derrel · Nov 20, 2013

Trust me...if you have an AF camera that has no aperture rings on its lenses (Sony,Minolta,Canon, for prime examples) you WANT to buy extension tubes that say they maintain AF...more for the full CPU contact connectivity than for autofocus. KENKO is the best third-party brand of extension tube. Canon makes a very nice, very solidly-built, very sturdy 25mm extension tube, and I think Canon also might make a 12mm tube, not sure really. Either way, a 12 or 13mm tube, and one in the 25mm range are the two most-useful lengths for the widest variety of situations and lenses. A longer tube, like say a 36mm tube, is more-challenging to use in many scenarios, and is often simply too much extension. I own a Kenko 3-tube set, and have never once used the 36mm tube. Never.

Canon's tube is made like an army tank, and was designed with use on BIG, as in super-tele-big lenses, for getting closer focus with things like their multi-thousand dollar 300,400,500,and 600mm lenses; the Kenko tubes are not as strong, but are fine for use with merely mortal lenses; just provide some underneath-side support for long lenses when the converter is attached. "Use common sense" IOW.

Adorama or B&H Photo on-line have tubes and information. Adorama's ProOptic brand of tubes is significantly lower-cost than Kenko AF tubes, but still has full AF and metering and lens diaphragm control. I cannot recommend those $8 e-Bay mechanical-only junkers, except to play around with.

One thing: I believe you can buy the Kenko tubes a la carte, in which case, buy a 12 or 13mm tube,m or a 25mm tube, and skip the 36mm altogether. Besides, stacking the 12 and the 25 is the virtual equivalent of the 36mm tube.

Overread · Nov 20, 2013

I'll add another vote for the Kenko tubes - a set of 3 of them costs the same as a single Canon extension tube.

Build quality of the Kenko appears to be debateable and might have changed over the years (for the better). I've had some who say that the Kenko are basically identical to the Canon in build quality. I've got the kenko and no worries about using them - well built and well priced.

And yes you certainly want the ones that retain lens control no matter what brand you go with, there is a trick with Canon lenses to fix the aperture at a set value, but you have to keep it fixed for the whole shot; so you have a very dark viewfinder image because you have to compose the photo with the blade still shut (which is very difficult).