Should I get the 100mm macro or purchase the ext. tubes for my 60mm macro?

[mama2girls&boy]

I want to get closer and do more macro work. I currently own the canon 60mm macro and love it, but like I said I want to get closer.

I need to decide if I should purchase the ext. tubes for my 60mm, which from what I've read, are only available on ebay from Japan or should I drop the $$ for the canon 100mm macro.

Not ever having used tubes before, if I purchased say a 36mm tube, it would almost be the equiv. of the 100mm macro correct?

Any advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated

[gardengirl13]

OK I may be wrong with this, but I think they both will get the same 1:1 but at different distances. With the tubes it allows you to focus closer no matter which lens you use. The 100 will allow you to get a better distance like for bugs that may get scared if you get too close. The ext tube set from Kenko will not work on the 60 though, only the 100. I'm not sure about other brands.

[mama2girls&boy]

Thank you

My other thought is to purchase the canon extension tube for my 60mm macro. I found a 25. Or........purchase the 100mm macro and the set of 3 kenko ext. tubes.
Arghh....

[Colorblinded]

gardengirl is right, getting the 100mm macro will only let you have more working distance (which IMO isn't a bad thing). Neither lens will offer greater magnification than the other, however if you use tubes you'll be able to magnify more with the 60mm lens than with the 100mm lens if you put the same tube on each.

I'd suggest just getting the Kenko tube set over the Canon set. They may use lower quality air or something, but otherwise they work just fine.

[fxk]

Well - The 60mm has nothing (interms of closeness) over the 100mm f2.8 macro. They will both go life size - 1:1. The only difference you will notice is the front-of-lens to subject working distance - the 100, you'll be farther away to get the same magnification.

Macro is a funny thing - shorter lenses actually give higher magnification - but at the expense of working distance.

So - the answer is - that if you like the quality you're getting from the 60, and it focuses down to 1:1, then get extension tubes. Tubes on the 60 will get higher magnification than the same tubes on the 100.

However, if working distance is of concern (Dragon flies or something else skittish) spring for the 100 - but to get bigger than 1:1, you'll still need tubes.

[silvex]

I don't know how close you need to get with macro work, but if that waht you are after. I would recomend the canon mp-65 (manual focus only). This will get you 5x life size.

With the tubes the 100 macro will get to 2x, 3x,4x, 5x and it gets shaky with ALL of those attachments. I would also recommed a macro flash ( or at least a hot show flash).

This was taken with ALL kenko tubes and a 100macro on tripod using a 50watts desk lamp from within about 1/4" from subject... :shock:

http://silvex.smugmug.com/photos/209376203_ifuf3-XL.jpg

50%+ crop...

http://silvex.smugmug.com/photos/209375986_Ero3e-XL.jpg

[lungdoc]

If you did want a longer macro lens - for working distance, not for magnification as others have said - and wanted to keep the 60mm I'd suggest a Sigma 150mm as it has great reviews, good working distance and would be a better companion to the 60mm.

[gardengirl13]

I'd suggest just getting the Kenko tube set over the Canon set. They may use lower quality air or something, but otherwise they work just fine.

The canon II will work with EF-S lenses the Kenko ones won't.

Don't forget with ext tubes you also lose infinity focus, so if something moves out of focus you physically have to move to get it back in focus.

[AngryCorgi]

I used the 60mm macro stacked with a tube between it and a cheap 2x TC with interesting results. You may be able to shave the plastic off of the rear of the 60mm and mount 3rd part 1.4x TCs without any tube in-between, but it's been so long that I don't remember if the glass protrudes with the plastic into the body or not.

[gardengirl13]

If you did want a longer macro lens - for working distance, not for magnification as others have said - and wanted to keep the 60mm I'd suggest a Sigma 150mm as it has great reviews, good working distance and would be a better companion to the 60mm.

But she wants to get more magnification, not more working distance. The 150/180 will only give more working distance.

[mama2girls&boy]

In response, I want more magnification and also want more distance between me and the subject. I find that with my 60mm, I tend to be almost on top of my subject and I usually scare it away

Sounds like I should go with the 100mm with tubes.

[silvex]

In response, I want more magnification and also want more distance between me and the subject. I find that with my 60mm, I tend to be almost on top of my subject and I usually scare it away

Sounds like I should go with the 100mm with tubes.

Keep in mind when using tubes. You loose focus to infinity. You will also DECREASE your working distance with each tube you use. For working distance you must go with the sigma 150 or the canon 180. Others have also use the 200L f/2.8 with tubes to get magnification and DECREASE working distance.

[lungdoc]

But she wants to get more magnification, not more working distance. The 150/180 will only give more working distance.
Originally Posted by lungdoc http://photography-on-the.net/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=5738615#post5738615)
If you did want a longer macro lens - for working distance, not for magnification as others have said - and wanted to keep the 60mm I'd suggest a Sigma 150mm as it has great reviews, good working distance and would be a better companion to the 60mm.

Um, isn't that exactly what I said? Turned out she actually wanted both!

[amfoto1]

Even under ideal lighting conditions, 180mm and I'm sure 150mm lenses are very hard to get a steady shot with on any of the 1.6X crop cameras. By the time you factor in the smaller sensor, they are far "longer" than typical macro lenses. I'd not recommend them to the OP for use on her 350D.

Full frame or film is a different story entirely. My 180 Macro was one of my favorite lenses on my film EOS cameras. I haven't used the Sigma, but would love to give it a try on full frame, too. Unfortunately, my 180 sees far, far less use ever since I started using D-SLRs most of the time. As soon as a couple 1Ds Mark3 drop in my lap - or perhaps 5D Mark2s - that 180 will once again get out to play a lot more.

Canon or Tokina 100mm, or Tamron 90mm, or Sigma 105mm would be more easily used macro lenses for OP.

Agreed, extension tubes will give you higher magnification. That's their purpose. In the process, you will end up closer to the subject. Maybe too close. The 90/100/105 lenses might start looking pretty attractive then!

Check if Kenko has updated to allow using with EF-S lenses. I thought I heard something about that, but may be wrong (I don't have any EF-S lenses, so wouldn't have been paying close attention). Besides, from what I understand, anyone with a steady hand and a Dremel can make the older Kenko tubes work on an EF-S.

The Kenko set is said to be made of plastic, while the Canon are presumably made of metal. For all practical purposes, they work the same. I've got three Canon tubes and the Kenko, and use them interchangeably. The Kenko set gives you a lot more flexibility (seven possible extension combos) and is a better value at about $160. The last I looked, the Canon 25mm alone was running about $125. Note, Kenko also sells individual tubes, if you preferred to buy them that way.

Don't, I repeat, don't buy the el cheapo $25 or $30 tubes you see on everyone's favorite auction site. They do not have the electronic connections for auto focus or aperture control, so are far less convenient to work with.

[sth_]

How much more magnification will a Canon EF12 or EF25 extension tube bring on the 60mm macro and how much will the working distance suffer? Has anyone tried it out?

[drkstang00]

I bought the EF-S compatible Kenko Extension tubes off eBay from Hong Kong to use with my 60mm macro and have been very happy with the results. I find myself only using the 36mm the majority of the time. Here's two using this combination with the 430EX and Novoflex flash bracket:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2493737490_19546ffc67_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2514949286_9cb4a3525e_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2142/2514948274_3c4d0d1ba6_b.jpg

[birdfromboat]

get the tubes! try to find some used canons, how can they be bad if they still mount up? I got mine at KEH. Then I bought a 100 and am enjoying the heck out of it.

[sth_]

I bought the EF-S compatible Kenko Extension tubes off eBay from Hong Kong to use with my 60mm macro and have been very happy with the results. I find myself only using the 36mm the majority of the time. Here's two using this combination with the 430EX and Novoflex flash bracket:
Wow, these shots look very nice. What was the working distance on the spider shot?

[drkstang00]

Wow, these shots look very nice. What was the working distance on the spider shot?

I dont know the exact distance but it was close! I'd say maybe somewhere between 1 or 2 inches from the front of the lens.