Untitled Plant picture

[Greg McCary]

Since I am having to do things manually I was wondering would I be better off if I bought an adaptor ring and used my old Yashica 50mm or 24MM lens with my extension tube? I shot this with the Zuiko 14-54mm, EX-25 tube. ISO400, 51MM, F/10 @ 1/80sec, hand held IS-On. Any suggestions on a lens choice to go with the tube? I see there are some soft areas but just how much DOF is needed? On thing for sure with a tube, you don't have to walk far to find something to photograph.
Greg

[Loupey]

Depends on which lens has more resolving capabilities. I don't know nuthin' about old Yashicas and new Zuikos. But working with zooms on extension tubes are slightly more difficult as the effect of the zoom has a big impact on magnification and focusing distance.

The lens choice ultimately depends on how much magnification you need. Magnification with extension tubes is calculated as follows:

Magnification = total extension divided by the focal length of the lens (focus set at infinity)

So if you used a 100mm lens, the total mag would be 0.25 (quarter life size). Obviously if you set the focus at the minimum end, the magnification would increase even further while the working distance shrinks. Most of the macros I do are no more than 0.25x.

Conversely, you can look around and estimate the approximate size of the subjects you want to photograph most often. If the subject is about the size of 4" x 6" index card, then that would fit the 1" x 1.5" imaging sensor of a full-frame camera at 0.25x. A scene that encompasses an 8" x 12" area would be 0.125x and so on.

I would shy away from using wide angle lenses with extension tubes. As a rule of thumb, use lenses 50mm and up. For now, just use your zoom at the telephoto end until you get comfortable using the tubes.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks Loupy that helps a lot. I guess I need to just practice.
Greg