$20 gadget EVERY photographer needs: Extension Tubes for Macro Photography
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
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Literally everyone needs autofocus extension tubes (sdp.io/tube): wildlife photographers, wedding photographers, landscape photographers, commercial photographers, etc. They're incredibly inexpensive and easy to use, but they make a HUGE difference in your photos by letting you get MUCH closer than you could otherwise, producing a BIGGER picture.
Extension tubes can be a little tricky to use. Once you attach them, you give up infinity focus. If you use too much extension, you won't be able to focus on anything (except the dust on the inside of your lens).
"more light is more better"
-Tony 2020
Winston Qin: more good would be more better :)
Northrup Messup
It should have been "mo betta"....
Time stamp?
7:55
What a fantastic video. I was wanting to learn more about macro and here it is. Thank you!
a great suggestion for keeping busy during isolation! Oh hey, maybe hunt down and photograph those dust bunnies under you bed up close!!!!
Your analogy/comparison of nearsighted people and glasses made the whole concept of this sink in. Great video, great teacher.
This macro video is really lovely. I don't know how I missed it being so recent! I searched to see if you'd ever done something on extension tubes and was surprised it wasn't from 2012. Stuff like this that is on methods and process instead of the latest gear is infinitely useful to us intermediate photogs. You're a gem!
Just had my first session with a photography club and they was doing macro photography.Oh how I wish I had those tubes last night. Actually the guys recommended them which is how I come to look at this video.Thanks again Tony great video, and I’m really enjoying the book
Man, this was so helpful Tony. I've recently started back into black and white film photography and have been using my digital camera to photograph my negatives and get large high-quality images. I think extension tubes are just what I'm looking for to get those full sensor images without having to buy a macro lens. Thanks for your help... as usual!
This was the best video I’ve seen on your channel! Well done and thorough.
I've been using extension tubes for ages, was looking into non expensive ways of taking macro shots, but until today I didn't think of having camera in aperture priority mode, thanks Tony 😁
Thank you Tony for such an excellent explanation of the use and procedure for extension tubes, not only is it straight forward but you aid us extra quality information, stay safe!
Tony, your video is the first to explain how extension tubes interact with a zoom lens, most are done on prime lenses. Thank you for your informative video and your tip on adding additional lighting. 👍👍🌸
Thanks Tony. I love using extension tubes. I walk around the house and get great and unusual shots. Be well and stay safe.
Thank you, your explanation about macro photography and extension tubes are way more easier to understand than some other vidz.
Excellent as usual. If you really get into macros, another way to add the needed light is with a lens mounted ring light. You don't really need the $500+ brand name ones ones either. For Canon, Yongnuo makes a good one
(YN14EX II) for ~$120.
Time to print t-shirts: More light is more better
NIFTY! I am a beginner so I didn't know you could use the tubes on zoom lenses, this is so neat and opens up more options.
Thanks Tony! I never thought of using extension tubes for wildlife photos. Also, a 12mm tube on my Nikon 200-500 gets me the same magnification as my 40mm micro lens but at 3 feet instead of 2 inches.
Never heard of extension tubes until today! Great tip!😁
Howdy, I was shopping for macro tubes and wasn't sure what I needed. This was perfect info, very clear and concise. Thank you very much!
8:15 Ok, that's a really good tip. And i can think of the exact situation when i wish i would have thought about using an extension tube.
what a brilliantly informative video! i knew of extension tubes and watched videos on their basic functionality that you also showed, but without the addition of the cons to using them, such as losing focus on distanced objects. thanks very much :)
[I might have missed it] But the cool advice would be tripod setup with timer, to reduce shakiness and lower ISO. And over-the-lens ring light
As is often true of your (and Chelsea's) videos...very helpful, instructional and, as always, well done. Thanks!
Focus merging multiple images is way better for dealing with depth of field, without diffraction problems. I notice you are using a 24-240---Amazing! I have a super sharp dedicated macro Irix 150mm, but for photographing skittish bugs on location, I need autofocus, and I need a fast auto focus. The RF 24-240 is a very very fast auto focus, and a couple of extension tubes or even a NiSi macro filter really does the job. With Topaz 3.0, I can make the photos as sharp as a $2600 Canon lens. The Canon 100 mm macro are fine for slow moving oblivious insects, but it focuses just too close for a skittish bee.
Thanks for this suggestion. I was looking at a really expensive macro lens. I think I'll give this $18 extension tube set a try first.
Interesting video :)
I primarily do macro photography and I started out with some solid extension tubes and a kit lens. Today I got several macro lenses and even a microscope lens for my macro shots.
Saying that people shouldn't bother getting a macro lens is kinda naive if you ask me.
If you get a macro lens in the 80-120mm focal length range, then you will have a great macro lens which also will serve as a wicked sharp portrait lens. Another benefit of an actual macro lens is that you don't run into problems with chromatic aberration as easily as you do when you slap a random lens on tubes.
I think it's important to clarify that extension tubes and macro lenses can both achieve greater magnification but they arrive at different image qualities from one another. Just like hammering a nail for a picture frame will give different outcomes whether you use a rubber mallet or a metal hammer. Both can do the job but you gotta know what the outcome will be.
Anyway, keep up the good work :)
My friend is telling me to buy the most expensive gear without any explanation, other than “it’s just better”. So, THANK YOU for a clear and helpful explanation!
Among your best videos for the target audience. You even hinted at the 'trick' of using tubes with zoom lenses. In effect the zoom ring takes over focus duties when tubes are involved. The most powerful focus device is your own body. After zooming to the rough size of the subject, simply lean in and out until the focus is where you want it. Manual focus systems that highlight the shark areas by coloring the sharp plane can really help, too. Macro may not pay as well as weddings but it is a lot more fun unless you are shooting hornets (zoom out, way out). Thanks for the good review of the subject.
literally saved me a few hundred bucks. thanks tony!
I have had a set for about 2 years(never used them) this is the first video I have watched on how to use them, many thanks
2 years and you never searched extension tubes ?
@@ItGoesMoo no I just had them in my old camera bag, I have been doing landscapes and seascapes, so had no need for them, lock down has made me think more about macro
@@malcolmdisley6624 ah ok .. got mine in January, hopefully you have as much fun as i do with macro :)
I see, now i know i have an "extension tube" back of my eyes ball
Kinda. The imperfect shape of our eyes moves the lens too far away from the sensor, which is exactly what extension tubes do.
@@TonyAndChelsea Exactly sir, and the nerve endings at the RETINA serves as the "Sensor" in our eyes.
This was awesome, I was planning to get an expensive macro lens. I will try this first
be careful with cheap tubes if you have a heavy lens, they can break apart if they used cheap plastic body
Just a quick FYI the internal focusing is a property of multi-element zoom lenses. Prime lens almost never deal with this. In fact, I have put 60mm of spacers on my prime lenses without issues. On top of that you can use macro spacers on a macro lens. I use it to take my macro lens from 1:1 to 2:1, or to take my mitakon super macro from 4.5:1 to about 7.9:1
You are an amazing public speaker and teacher. Thank you for another great video
Thank you Tony. I look forward to your videos. I’m new to photography. I’m using an A6000 and really enjoying landscape and wildlife photograph. Stay healthy and thank you again for all your videos. Peace.
Tony, good to have you back - classic Northrup - great and thank you.
Thank you very much good sir. Your insight, expertise and calming voice signify your dedication to your field. I would be honoured to learn from you. Thank you again.
Thanks for the tips Tony. I got interested in macro photography. Have a nice day!
I bought the extension tube set you recommended for my Nikon. Works great. This video is very helpful. Thanks!
I tried the link but it didn't got anywhere. I'm interested in getting a set as well for my D5200. Can you resend please?
Another important thing to consider, extension tubes require more light. Instead of cranking ISO too high, consider investing into flash (~40-50$) and translucent diffusor (~10$). You need these two if you're going into macro photography even having dedicated macro lens anyway.
Ha ha! Got a chuckle from your book endorsement! Reminds me of the old days. I bet more people buy the book for nostalgia then they do to learn from it. Like it or not, we photo guys only learn from video these days.
Nice video. Astigmatism and nearsightedness (myopia) are not the same. Astigmatism is an imperfection of the corneal shape while nearsightedness is a dissonance between the focal length of the lens and the distance from the lens to the retina.
standing photography book... goes on and shows a pict of a flying eagle 8:48 🤣🤣 awesome video!
I've been seeing a lot of these recently, guess it's time to pick up one.
I have a 21mm extension tube that permanently lives on my 400 5.6. It makes such a difference!
The quickest tutorial to learn macro photography! Great video! Thank You! I'm getting your book!
Tony, that is an 18 mm one :)
He is testing if we are wake
during this period of lockdown, I played a lot with macro and my extension tubes ;) nice to see you are doing the same.
what tube u get
i love these solo, in your house, videos you do. I am just starting out so thanks for the tip.
Great. Simple way to shrink the minimum focusing distance of the lens.
I'm tempted to mount my Sigma 150-600mm C lens to my cheap plastic extension tubes, but I also fear that the cheap plastic lens mountings would be in danger of cracking under the strain. That is one thing that separates the expensive extension tubes from the cheap ones. Do not use overly heavy lenses and be aware that a lens may get kind of stuck once in a while and not release cleanly.
I ve just received mines today are really amazing for
macro
Thanks for the clear explanation. By the way, the bigger ring is 18mm, not 16... ;-)
I bought some cheap extension tubes and wow. They cost a fraction of the cost of a macro lens and work very well.
this explained very clear extension tube vs. Macro lens.
I have a Vivitar 3-piece auto extension tube set for Nikon F/AI mount. 'Auto' because they allow proper open aperture metering with AI/AIS and compatible lenses. For close-up/macro photography I usually use one or combination of the tubes along with my 50mm/f1.8 Nikkor 'normal' lens, or if I need more lens-to-subject distance: I use my Nikkor 35-70 mm zoom which has close-up focusing ability; and use it at 70mm focal length. If I need additional lighting outdoors I have a home-made reflector board that I can reflect more light onto the subject if need be. Also have a 'macro focusing rail' which mounts to a tripod and allows for fine-tuning of focusing. Using this equipment I have taken photographs of bees (carefully!) that you can see the grains of pollen on them, and the eyes on spiders. And oh yes I use that water misting trick on flowers, too.
Great video, I just went for a hike with a pocket full of extension tubes and my 16-35GM. Only found one &^$&^* mushroom though.
Extension tubes are a great way to learn and experiment with macro photography, but they aren't that cheap. I bought some for my Fuji X-T2 from a Chinese brand and it still cost me around forty euro. One considerable disadvantage which hasn't been addressed is the minimal focus distance which is very narrow.
Most of the times shots outside will become very difficult, if not nearly impossible because it's so close. This also means that you won't have a lot of light to play with. This can be overcome with a ringlight (and tripod) but will obviously be more expensive.
Personally I would recommend a manual macro lens from Meike (or another Cinese brand). This will cost between 150 and 200 euro and will offer a lot of more capabilities than extension tubes while the price difference with extension tubes isn't that high.
Should mention using speed lights.really drops the iso
A well diffused speedlite will take macro shooting above and beyond :D
I can't confirm it for sure, but I think having the pins actually allows manual focus to work on camera where the manual focus is motor driven.
Tony,
You should have a microfiber cloth on the table and lay the lense on its side when changing. Great video . Stay Safe buddy!
This was massively helpful, thank you!
Wow! Such great info!! Thx! My brother & sister are both amateur photographers, so this is a great present for both of them!
These 10-12 minute vids are great!
Great job. I just got my macro tube. Its a great tool
Tony, one thing that worries me about the cheap ones are the reviews I see on Amazon. I have a Nikon camera, and some of the reviews for the cheaper extension tubes are claiming that the tubes get stuck on the camera. It's a lot of people saying this too.
Nikon has a macro 60mm (full frame lens FX) that achieves focus as close as 6 inches that I use. Half the price of the 105mm macro. On a crop camera it acts like a 90mm macro.
Nikon has an old 200mm f.4 macro lens.
I would love to play around with one :D
I never owned an extenstion tube but i bought the Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro Lense for my canon 6D and im loving it - it sounds a bit cheeky but its the lense i had most fun with running around (mostly in a forest). If i only had one lense to take with me it would still be the 35mm F2 from canon but in terms of "which lens you had the most fun with" - its definitely the macro lense from sigma. And at 400$ it is plenty good quality for its price and just SO MUCH fun... Yes the canon "might" be better but it also costs twice as much
And since im a photographer that choose one lense when i go on a walk and "work with it" - im loving the fact that the lense (contrary to me) is not nearsightet :-D It can also double as a portrait lense (with f2.8 at 105mm you already get plenty background separation) and just shooting general stuff. On a APS-C its a bit tricky for GP but else... it is honestly the best money spent in my camgear.
As usual, very good explanation of the ISO concept.
i use two 25 ext tubes and two x2 converters to get x5macro on my sigma 100-400 + canon m50.
I will also advise strongly against cheap extension tubes, especially for longer heavier lenses, i had a named cheap brand fail due to the cheap plastic the metal bayonets were screwed into, fortunately the set up was on a table downloading at the time.
just be aware people saving a few pounds/dollars could cost you some expensive lens if your extension tubes fail.
probably wont be an issue with shorter lighter lenses, mine was 1160g
Using 2 pieces of 2x teleconverters sounds like an interesting idea :)
I hope to get a teleconverter for my olympus micro four thirds camera and then pair it with some tubes for reacing 5x macro with internal focus bracketing :D
Well, you just saved me about $900! THANK YOU!
Very clear macro shooting vid mister. Thump up!
One of the best informative videos in my lockdown👍
I was bummed out that I would have to sell a lens to start dabbling in macro photography, but you just introduced this cheap option to me! Thanks!
Have a look too at reverse lens macro photography
@@bourbon_sketcher I’ve tried it! Made me even happier when I figured it out 😅
@@andrevaca6700 Yes, it was a very exciting discovery for me too. Lots of potential with these ideas :) Its all phases lol. 😁👍
Great explanation! Thank you! I'm ordering a set today!
I was cheap and got the non-auto focus tubes, Luckily there's the old hold the Depth of field button while taking the lens off after setting the F stop trick on a Canon lens that works.
It does work in a pinch, though it makes the viewfinder really dark and makes it harder to focus accurately (since you're focusing with deep depth-of-field).
@@TonyAndChelsea You are right, it is dark. Luckily, I have a Fringer Canon lens to Fufi adapter I use the Canon tubes with a Nifty 50 with my X-T3 and the photos are So much better than those from my old 5dMkII. Thanks for reminding me I had these tubes.
great video man, super informative and got a lot of my questions out of the way!
Thanks Tony, stay well you all!
Tony, thank you for this video. Wish I saw it before buying a macro lens. Oh well.
You guys make excellent informative videos.
Thank you! Very valuable information. Always love your channel.
I got a set of non automatic tubes once as a gift. I used them but it was so difficult and scared me away from buying another set. I also tried stacking them all the time thinking I could get closer. Great explanation, thank you. I've heard that some cheaper sets can damage the threads on your body because they dont support the lens well. Have you had any experience with this at all? Can you recommend a set? Thanks!
***Tony, Is there a formula that calculates the new magnification factor of a lens, based on the original mag factor of a lens plus the mm of a an extension tube??
Great advise for us new macro guys stuck at home, thanks.
Comprehensive and to the point. Thank you for this amazing video!
This works well for static subjects, but from my experience there is no replacement for a proper macro lens if you want to take pictures of moving subjects like insects and other animals that tend to move around or run away as soon as you start approaching them with the camera. The point of a macro lens isn't to focus on a very short distance, but to reproduce the subject on the sensor as big as possible, which can be done way easier with a longer lens like let's say the Sigma Macro 150mm F2.8. Also, closing the aperture to increase the depth of field won't be of any help if you are shooting a flying insect or any other fast moving subject. In the end I always prefer a long and fast macro lens over any other combination, even if the depth of field is very shallow.
Extension tubes certainly work but I could never warm up to them. If you take close-up shots often, the appeal of a macro lens will become apparent. My most used lens is a Nikkor 105 Micro f2.8, purchased in 1991 (the film era, for my F4). I still use this lens on my digital Nikon bodies (first a D600, then a D750). I worked in product development and found I was constantly required to take closeup pictures of product details, plus portraits for promotional work. A 105mm macro lens is great at both tasks. f2.8 is more than fast enough to blur backgrounds on head shots, but isn't so fast that you miss "eye focus" all that much. If you end up taking pictures of flowers or other similar size things plus the photos at normal distances, you will want a dedicated macro lens. Swapping extension tubes on and off a lens becomes tedious. I found extension tubes to never feel quite "precise" enough ("Is this thing really engaged properly?). 100-105mm is a great length for either full-frame or APS-C users macro users. Shorter focal length macros need to be so close to the subject that it affects the lighting. Longer focal length macros are cumbersome for no significant benefit. Due to "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" I ended up with three Nikkor macros (60mm, 105mm, 200mm)--but I use the 105mm 90% of the time.
This is very good content. I love the gadgets so cool
I've Been Here For Years, I 've Subscribed ;)
Kind of hate you right now because I just got a Canon 180mm f/3.5L macro lens used on eBay… But it's also a relief to not have to sift through these contraptions…
The Canon 180mm f/3.5L works a hundred times better than any extenstion tubes ever could. I specialize in macro and I would have been overjoyed if I had that lens :D
So don't feel down about your purchase.
Yes I got one. It turned my 24-70 lens into a macro lens. It is great.
Every one is doing macro. I just ordered a set on Amazon this past weekend and they said I will receive it on May 4th. Guess it isn’t essential.
I ordered some on Amazon a week ago. Estimated delivery was May 30th but they showed up today on April 17th.
Great video and tips Tony! Thanks so much! Stay safe out there.
Thanks Tony. Nice video. Love the graphics. Do extension tubes affect the DOF, and what are you using for your graphics?
They affect DOF in that DOF shrinks the closer you move the subject to the lens. Closer you move in, your DOF can shrink to the point that the subject may not be focused front-rear. If your camera has a DOF preview button, check it before settling in on an aperture setting.
Be careful with cheap extention tubes, I had 3 different sets, one attacked contacts on a lens, one couldn't lock the lens wich almost fell, and the last one lock mechanism were stuck I couldn't mount the lens at all. Go for Kenko or native brand tubes, yep, they are expensive.
Better getting proper tubes than a smashed lens :)
I got kenko tubes too, never failed me.
I'm curious...are the people, that focus stack, looking down at those of us that don't and thinking, "omg what a noob?". Or are there others out there that prefer that blur in the depth of field in order to further emphasize a Pistil?
This seems like so much fun! Great video as always!👍
This is awesome! Thanks, Tony!
Got a 1:1 macro lens already for my Nikon 35mm cameras, don't need extension tubes! But I do need them for my Mamiya RB67, then I get 1.42:1 :)))
i buy extention tube for start macro foto and result can be very good and its very cheap, of course its not same result than an expensive macro lens but i am very happy for the result.
In my experience it really is pretty much the same result. The main difference is the inconvenience of using extension tubes.
Interesting video! However, there's another trade-off when using an extension tube, and that is that you automatically "lose" light and need to go to either a higher F-stop, or a higher ISO. For cameras such as most professional photographers have this is barely an issue, but for photographers with a lower-end camera this can mean the difference between a good picture, and a noisy picture.
Not an expert on the topic, but if there are no glass elements, how could you loose light? I get it for 1.4 or 2.0 zoom extentions, but if it just moves the lens further away how would you loose light? Perhaps there is an obvious explanation that I am just missing.
@@ipadista when you shift your lens further away from the sensor, you're basicslly going to a higher f-stop. This is because the aperture is influenced by the focal length and the focal length is influenced by the distance between the lens and the sensor (which you are increasing with the tube)
The extension tube itself doesn't make you lose light; anytime you focus closer, you lose light... even within the normal focusing range of your lens.
@@ichallengelife I was not aware of this. Whilst it does sound plausible, I did a quick test and when I tried with a zoom lens aiming at a white wall, zooming in and out with a 12-40 f2.8 using average metering it does not change exposure. When I try using spot metering measuring on a black area in a more varied framing I also don't notice any exposure change. I am using manual mode and well aware of the exposure triangle etc, so my methodology might be mistaken, but I do think I can compare exposures :) If possible it would be enlightening to get suggestions on how to observe this reduction in light when zooming.
@@TonyAndChelsea yes, so the adding the extension tube to focus closer makes you lose light as well, an important thing to take into account. With some cameras, you get a better picture taken from further but cropprd afterwards than if you use an extension tube.
Jaclu, I think that is what you should take up in your testing to see the effect, use the shortest focal lengths in both cases (and thus stand closer with the extension tube)