EF 100 2.8 Macro: Tubes or TC?

[Dorman]

Hey all,

I've recently acquired the EF 100 2.8 Macro, I'm really pleased with it. It's S-H-A-R-P when I get things right (quite a learning curve for focus and dof). 1:1 magnification is fun and it's making me crave more.

Is it possible to use teleconverters with this lens? Something tells me no...

Now, more importantly, can you use the Kenko AF tubes with this lens? I see B&H sells a set of three tubes, 12mm, 20mm, and 36mm or you can get the 12 and 20 seperately. What kind of magnification would these yield? Can you stack them all as well?

Thanks!

[Mat Fitzsimmons]

Hi,

You can't use the Canon TC's with it (not sure about other brands), but you certainly could use tubes. You could also use the Canon EF Life Size Convertor with it if you wanted to, which is essentially a TC and a tube in one. More info: http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=93064

Cheers,
Mat.

[Lester Wareham]

Canon TCs are not compatible because of the protruding front element - ie its a physical issue.

However you can use them if you put a thin extension tube between the lens and the TC, I have done this with good results using the EF 2X II and a 12mm tube, you loose infinity focus of course. The thing to note is the camera does not know the TC is there and so does not report the correct apature. You need to open up by 1 or 2 stops more than without the TC to avoid loss of sharpness because of difraction.

Being a 100mm lens with internal focus 50 or 60mm of tubes only gets to about 1.5-2:1 but with a reduced working distance. (I actually measured 2.2:1 with 68mm of extension but the acuracy is probly not good on that.

[Dorman]

Thanks for the replies Mat and Lester.

So would extension tubes be the way to go with my 100 2.8 if I want to increase mangification, or is there something else I'm missing? I see some shots in the macro forum taken with this lens and I doubt it's from the lens alone.

[Lester Wareham]

Thanks for the replies Mat and Lester.

So would extension tubes be the way to go with my 100 2.8 if I want to increase mangification, or is there something else I'm missing? I see some shots in the macro forum taken with this lens and I doubt it's from the lens alone.

Some will be a standard macro lens + tubes or TCs, but a lot of the shots of very small bugs will be using the MP-E 65mm 1-5X which many of use are using. This is quite a tough lens to use and can not also be used for normal photography as its smallest magnification is life size.

Having said that it is hard to use more than 2-3X in the field (although I have used 4 and 5X) and you could get close to 2X that with tubes or TCs.