Picked My New Lense! Still Need Help!

[D Boone]

Ok, so I am gonna get the 70-200 F4L from B&H. So what I need to know now is... What are the downsides to getting the Kenko extention tube set vs. getting the cannon 1.4x or 2.0 ext tubes? Also, close up filters... Tiffen Set/ Hoya/ Hoya multicoated/ or Cannon 250 or 500D? Is there a review site comparing those? Again... Help is ssooooooosssoooo appreciated! Thanks!!!

[Jon]

You seem to be mixing extension tubes, which just put space between the back of a lens and the front of the camera so the lens is focussed closer, and teleconverters, which multiply (convert) the focal length of a lens to one 1.4x or 2x longer, but without affecting the focussing range. So the kenko extension tubes won't do the same thing that the Canon 1.4x and 2x TeleConverters will.

For close-up lenses, the numbers reflect how much closer you'll be able to focus (in a relative manner, not an exact). Generally, a close-up lens on a regular lens set to infinity will be focussed on a point at the focal point of the close-up lens. Canon's 250D (a +4 close-up) will be in focus at 250 mm in front of the lens. The 500D (a +2) will be in focus at 1/2 metre in front of your lens combo.

[D Boone]

Jon, I want to personally thank you for being so helpful...(on this post and the last) I was totally confused on that. So the Kenko tubes won't help me on enlarging the magnification... What situations are they used in then? Or since they help me focus closer my close up filters will have more of a noticable effect, right? However, if I want to increase the zoom on my lense then I need the canon tubes? Do I have it right now? So maybe in a perfect world I might want both?

[D Boone]

For close-up lenses, the numbers reflect how much closer you'll be able to focus (in a relative manner, not an exact). Generally, a close-up lens on a regular lens set to infinity will be focussed on a point at the focal point of the close-up lens. Canon's 250D (a +4 close-up) will be in focus at 250 mm in front of the lens. The 500D (a +2) will be in focus at 1/2 metre in front of your lens combo.

I think I understand these pretty well, I was just trying to decide which ones... Tiffen has a set of +1,+2, & +4 filters, and Hoya has one set like that and a set with multicoated optics. So I guess I was wanting more of a qualitative evaluation/comparison of these filters vs. the canon 250 & 500D... Thanks

[Jon]

The Kenkos will help you enlarge the image, by letting you focus closer. The teleconverter will help you enlarrge the image, by making the lens act like more of a telephoto. A teleconverter will let you get a bigger picture of a duck on the other side of a pond; the extension tubes won't. The extension tubes will let you get a good close-up of a bee; the teleconverter won't, unless you're using a really long lens. The close-up lenses will work with either to help you focus closer on something that's within 1 metre (for a +1 close-up lens) or closer. So, you could use all three together, or any combination of the three, depending on the situation.

[IainB]

Just bought the 70-200F4L from B&H along with the Canon 1.4 TC. Check out other threads. The 1.4x is favoured over the 2x with regard to auto focusing.