If you are a bug...your last thought might be.....uh-oh...

[Vernon t]

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Were I a bug, this isn't what I'd want to wake up to in the morning.

Who knows the punch line to the old riddle..."What's the last thing through a bug's mind as he hits your windshield?".


The Kenko extension tubes are a lot of macro bang for the buck.

Here's a Nikkor 70-200VR handheld(propped on the ground) at 1/2sec. f/13.
In the pepper garden, very late dusk.
With practice, some light (perhaps even a tripod(!)) this could be quite a combo.

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View attachment 10509

 

[Flew]

I don't know about a bug's view, but it scared the heck out of me when I brought up your first pic. 8)

I'm very interested in some details on the extension tubes. I've read all about them but don't have any first hand experience. How do they work compared to just adding a close-up adapter like the 500D? What working range do you get? Does the working distance change as you attach different tubes? Do the tubes maintain AF and VR, or does everything go to manual on the 70-200VR? How is DOF affected?

Very nice shots BTW.

Thanks,

 

[dmwphoto]

NICE! I used extension tubes years ago, may get some again based on these shots. They were great at increasing the magification on tiny insects for me.
I was able to get larger than 1:1, but working distance is GREATLY reduced which was fine for that type of work. Very narrow depth of field so AF operation is not even considered.

 

[Vernon t]

AF and VR are fully functional but perhaps superfluous.
Tripod contraindicated VR and DOF is shallow so you are likely to focus manually.

On zooms like the 70-200 something interesting happens.
The zoom ring acts like a focus ring and doesn't zoom. The zoom gives a fairly wide range of working distance...versatile.
The focus ring gives very little variation of working distances.
It's almost as if the focus acts like a DC ring and zoom acts like focus.
I'll eventually sit down and experiment with the setup more controlled. At the moment I'm just tinkering, such as when a toad appears volunteering to pose.

 

[Flew]

That is cool. Can you give me some info on part numbers and where you ordered yours?

Thanks,

 

[Vernon t]

you betcha' don't you know!

Neat because no glass involved.

You supply the ultra-low dispersion air (20.95% oxygen) from the surrounding atmosphere of your choosing.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...mp;A=details&Q=&sku=375238&is=REG

 

[Flew]

Thanks a ton Vernon. I'm going to order a set right away. Can you give me a rough estimate of the min focus distance for the 70-200VR with each tube?

Thanks again,

 

[Vernon t]

Thanks a ton Vernon. I'm going to order a set right away. Can you give me a rough estimate of the min focus distance for the 70-200VR with each tube?

Thanks again,

Here ya' go.....

rough kitchen table estimates.

tubes 12,20 36mm

70-200VR focus distance from front element:


no tubes: 4.5 ft. to 14.3 billion light years ( far less than infinity, sorry)
12 mm tube: 1 ft to 12 ft.
36mm tube: 0.5 ft to 5 ft.
all 3, 68m tubes: from dust on UV filter out to 2.5 ft.

Quite a wide range, really.

It never occurred to me until now...how do we know lenses focus to infinity if the universe has only, to date, expanded to an infinitesimally small fraction of infinity in its 14.3 billion years....huh...do we know or not??

 

[cwilt]

Very nice!

I have been toying with the idea of close up filters for either my 180/2.8 or 300/4. The tubes might be a better way to go. A macro focusing rail wouldn't be a bad idea either.

When will it end? :shock:

 

[Flew]

It never occurred to me until now...how do we know lenses focus to infinity if the universe has only, to date, expanded to an infinitesimally small fraction of infinity in its 14.3 billion years....huh...do we know or not??

Well Vern, I know personally because I walked out there to infinity and had my wife take a shot (with the 300mm + 2.0 TC), and I was in perfect focus. I then took three steps back and she couldn't get me at all, so....

 

[Vernon t]

Can anybody explain something about zooms and the tubes.

The zoom ring doesn't zoom, it focuses.

True on 17-55 and 70-200 at least.