Kenko Extension and Tele

[Shutter22]

I know they're used a lot for macro, but does anyone else use them for telephoto lenses?

[SD929]

Maybe I'm missreading your post, but why would you want to change the minimum focus distance on a tele, for no other reason then to use it as a macro?


-Lenny

[dougsmit]

They work well for tele-macro which is great for keeping your distance from the subject. This is handy when the subject would be shaded by the lens if shot too close or if shooting something that is shy or tends to sting. Some insects run and hide when you get withing six inches so a set of macro tubes on a tele can keep you a couple feet away.

The problem is that the longer the focal length lens, the more tubes you need to get the same cropping. A 68mm set of Kenko tubes will allow 1:1 reproduction with a 70-200 zoom but falls short of this with a 400mm. Considering many tele lenses are weak when it comes to focusing close, a set of tubes can be needed even to shoot a full size butterfly from a reasonable distance.

[Jon]

Yes, I've used them for candid pet portraiture on my 70-200. 1.4 m is a tad too far away at times. Unfortunately, in that situation a close-up lens of around 0.25 diopter might be better as the tube gives you a different furthest focus distance depending on your zoom. But tubes are helpful anywhere you need to focus closer than the lens du jour will allow you. It'd be nice if there were some shorter than 12 mm, though.

[AirBrontosaurus]

Extension tubes don't work to extend a telephoto lens (if that's what you're asking). The make the maximum focusing distance a few feet, so you can't focus to infinity. Adding 68mm of tubes to your 70-200mm won't give you a 138-268mm lens that can focus at infinity, if that's what you mean.

On the other hand, yes you can use them to get closer to your subject with a telephoto lens. I've seen some pretty decent results with the 70-200mm and a full set of tubes.

[In2Photos]

I have seen many here use tubes with the Bigma for Dragonflies and Butterflies with great results.

[Larry Weinman]

I use them occasionally on my Canon 400mm f5.6 lens when shooting skitish subjects like dragonflies and butterflies. It greatly reduces the minimum focusing distance of the lens while giving you good working distance and a frame filling image

[Lester Wareham]

I know they're used a lot for macro, but does anyone else use them for telephoto lenses?

Yes I have used tubes on a 300 f4L IS despite having two macro lenses. The extra reach is useful for things like dragonfies. You can get the dragons with a 100mm macro but its more productive to use a longer lens.

I did use the kenko's but they kept comming undone so I changed them for Canon ones which are much more solid.

As long as the tele is very sharp it should work OK. Primes will be better than zooms but the70-200 L's aparantly produce good results.

Example
http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/GalleryPics/Photos/Arthropods/Dragonflies/Insects%20Dragonfly%20043.jpg

100% crop

http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/GalleryPics/Photos/Arthropods/Dragonflies/Insects%20Dragonfly%20043%20detail.jpg