Fit ANY lens onto a Canon TC?

Hi. I read about how the whole front element protrudes on the Canon TC and I was wondering if that can be solved by adding a small tube to compensate for, allowing for any lens to be mounted. Also, I keep reading about tubes for greater macro magnification on a TC, but would TC+tube allow focusing on far objects like the moon??? Thanks!

No....once you add an extension tube you lose infinity focus.

Woolburr wrote in post #2170859
No....once you add an extension tube you lose infinity focus.

Thanks. So something like the moon is out of the question. But how far can you focus to with a small (12mm) tube attached?

mxwphoto wrote in post #2170902
Thanks. So something like the moon is out of the question. But how far can you focus to with a small (12mm) tube attached?

Depends upon the lens focal length.

PaulB wrote in post #2171008
Depends upon the lens focal length.

Ya, and it is usually less than a couple of metres.

Alb

If you want to use a TC with other lenses, buy the Kenko 300 Pro TC. Excellent quality and it fits nearly every lens. It works very well with my 80-200L, which has a flush rear element and can't take the Canon TCs.

mxwphoto wrote in post #2170839
Hi. I read about how the whole front element protrudes on the Canon TC and I was wondering if that can be solved by adding a small tube to compensate for, allowing for any lens to be mounted. Also, I keep reading about tubes for greater macro magnification on a TC, but would TC+tube allow focusing on far objects like the moon??? Thanks!

Yes I do this sometimes with the 100mm f2.8 macro and the EF 2X using a 12mm tube.

You loose infinity focus but other than that it works well.

The only trick is to note the camera does not show the corrected fstop so you need to remeber the fstop is one or two stops slower than displayed.

So using the 2X with the f2.8 macro I would not go below a set f8 as this is an effective f16 and I would get serious diffration softening.

when you put the tube on you will loose infinity focus, so its only good for close focusing. you could just get a third party TC though.

I think the OP is talking about putting the extension tube BETWEEN the TC and the lens! And I don't think that will work! It is breaking the optical (geometric) relationship between the lens and the TC by doing that. So, I don't think it merely shortens the focus distance, I don't think it will work!

I'm not near my equipment to try it out, unfortunately.

It'll work, but cost you infinity focus, as several have noted. In fact that's the recommended order to mount tubes and TC for maximum effect. It's really no different from focussing the lens closer while on the TC.

Thanks for the input guys. So it seems that it is possible at the cost of inf focus and the method is used mostly for macro. Guess there's no such thing as a perfect alternative to a real longer lens.

mxwphoto wrote in post #2175764
Thanks for the input guys. So it seems that it is possible at the cost of inf focus and the method is used mostly for macro. Guess there's no such thing as a perfect alternative to a real longer lens.

No, you summed it up your self...there is no substitute for the real thing.

MXWPhoto - just buy a non-Canon TC, and you'll get the length plus infinity focus. The top notch third party TCs are nearly indistinguishable from the Canon version, so you're not going to lose image quality.

This is the Kenko Pro
And this is the Tamron SP.
Both of the above are the same TC (Just with different branding and color), and they are excellent.

Jman13 wrote in post #2176384
MXWPhoto - just buy a non-Canon TC, and you'll get the length plus infinity focus. The top notch third party TCs are nearly indistinguishable from the Canon version, so you're not going to lose image quality.

This is the Kenko Pro
And this is the Tamron SP.
Both of the above are the same TC (Just with different branding and color), and they are excellent.

Kenko and Tamron = same company? I never knew that. It certainly wouldn't be apparent from price either. Kenko's $194 and Tamron's $179...