Aphids

[chemicalbro]

A shot of some aphids whilst testing out my new macro extension tubes....

Taken with an Eos 350D with EF-S 18-55mm on 65mm of extensions at 55mm focal length on the lens ..... (no idea what magnification that equates to tho :)

http://hellmouth.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Aphids.jpg

[einsteinsauntie]

So that's what the pesky little devils look like!

[Ron Lacey]

A shot of some aphids whilst testing out my new macro extension tubes....

Taken with an Eos 350D with EF-S 18-55mm on 65mm of extensions at 55mm focal length on the lens ..... (no idea what magnification that equates to tho :)



Extension divided by focal length equals magnification.

A 65 mm extension tube on a standard 55mm lens will yield a magnification ratio of 1.18X or a little greater than life size. This relates to the size of the subject in relationship to the size of the sensor chip or film plain.

Ron

[Leorooster]

Very nice.

I just wonder how much focus distance you would have in this set up. I never tried it before, but I would imagine that you probably have only a few inches (or less) of focus distance.

Thanks for sharing.

[Ron Lacey]

Very nice.

I just wonder how much focus distance you would have in this set up. I never tried it before, but I would imagine that you probably have only a few inches (or less) of focus distance.

Thanks for sharing.

The extension tube shortens the minimum close focus distance of the lens and when you get down to 1:1 or greater with a 50mm lens that distance is very close indeed. The longer the focal length of the lens the further away you can be but the greater the extension required to achieve 1:1. Extension tubes also decrease the effective aperture diameter.

[cfcRebel]

Nice close-up shot Chemical. Do u have a picture of your extension tube? i'm currently shopping for one? Thx.
Thanks Ron for the explanation. I'm taking notes too.

[chemicalbro]

thanks RON that info is really helpful............ as you say the focal distance in a setup like this is just a few inches...
CFC the tube set i got from a cool little second hand camera store near here........ they were a set of jessops tubes which i got for £30 (the retail price of this set is £75)
I refused to pay £75 for what is essentially a toilet roll cut into 3 bits :)
Anyways heres a link to a photo of the tubes.....
http://hellmouth.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tubes.jpg

when you're buying a set of tubes make sure they retain electronic function (the little pins you can see inside the tues) otherwise you won't be able to change the aperture of the lens and will have to shoot with it WIDE open...... (the higher the aperture value the better your focal plane will be)

I'm currently in the middle of a DIY project to make a lens reverser (i'll post pics of the results when i'm done :)

[Ron Lacey]

Nice close-up shot Chemical. Do u have a picture of your extension tube? i'm currently shopping for one? Thx.
Thanks Ron for the explanation. I'm taking notes too.

Pretty much what chemicalbro said about extension tubes, just make sure they allow the camera to communicate with the lens otherwise it's not critical since they don't add any glass to the mix. I do own a single Canon 25mm tube but I rarely use it since I have a 180mm macro lens. Another option is a set of diopter filters sometimes called closeup filters or lenses. They're relatively inexpensive and screw on to the the lens filter threads.

[chemicalbro]

Another option is a set of diopter filters sometimes called closeup filters or lenses. They're relatively inexpensive and screw on to the the lens filter threads.

I've also got 2 +4 diopter filters..........(£14.99 each from jessops) they give quite good results depending on subject. when I put both filters on the lens and the full 65mm extension it turns my camera into a damn microscope)

as i said i'm currently making a lens reverser which i'll use with an old manual 50mm Ziess lens i have lying around
what i'm gonna do is get an old body cap and cut a hole big enough to fit an old uv filter into it, leaving the threads sticking out of the front of the cap.......... then i'll be able to screw the ziess lens onto the cap backwards which gives AWESOME magnification...(i've read reports of reversed lenses giving results comparable to canons mp-E65 1x5 macro).. I would love to be able to get a dedicated macro lens but they are just so damn expensive.... and the wife has been more than accomadating with me spending over a grand on my new kit ;)

[nitsch]

Great shot ChemicalBro! Very interesting to hear about your setup too, it's certainly effective. :)