ex-25 extension tube!!

I bought an ex-25 extension tube this week; since I shoot a LOT of macros it seemed like a good investment for me. I just received it yesterday so I haven't had the chance to play with it in the field but I did get a chance to run it through the range of focal lengths on my lenses, just to see how it behaves.

Here's a collage of absolute magnification, without the tube:

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...comparison.jpg

And with it:

http://gallery.photographyreview.com.../500/ex-25.jpg

The 14-54 is not able to focus until it reaches about 40mm, so for the sake of brevity I did not test it at anything other than 54mm.

The 50 f/2 macro is surprising because it is still possible to focus between 1x and 2x (estimated), which is a large range of magnification options - the other lenses don't have as much focus travel so they don't get nearly as wide a berth.

The 40-150 is a surprise as well, and because it has the greatest working distance and the largest zoom range, it will probably see some use with the tube. Magnification isn't great but it might be a good trade for working distance.

More as I actually use it.

that looks like a deffinite buy for my 50mm f/2 (when i get it)
thanks for posting those examples.

does anyone know anything about the generic extension tubes that are sold on ebay?
is the only difference between the $100 olympus vs. $15 generic the ability to use autofocus?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by xwingkiller

that looks like a deffinite buy for my 50mm f/2 (when i get it)
thanks for posting those examples.

does anyone know anything about the generic extension tubes that are sold on ebay?
is the only difference between the $100 olympus vs. $15 generic the ability to use autofocus?

---

It's pretty tough to AF with any lens with the EX-25. I have the 40-150mm and the 14-54mm and I have to MF. I think the instructions even recommend MF. I am unsure with the generic ones?

[edit: i forgot also that unless your lens has an aperture adjust ring on it, you are only going to be shooting at the largest possible aperture unless you have the electronics in your extension tube]

you know, i forgot i had seen the list from olympus that showed the only lens that they even consider to be compatible to autofocus with their tube is the 50mm f/2 lens.

it seems to me like the only difference between the olympus and the generics is the electronic connections which are used to allow the lens to still connect to the body to use the autofocus system. if most of the lenses cant autofocus with it anyways, i would guess theres no other reason to have the hookups. really it's just a black metal tube with 4/3 connections on it.

in case anyone is interested. i found this small piece about extension tubes. looks like if autofocusing your lens is not an issue, might aswell not pay for it.

http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/c...siontube.shtml

ps. hey sushigaijin, did you find that the 50mm f/2 lens would autofocus with the tube compared to the others not really being able to?

I have found that all of my lenses autofocus with the tube, no problem. They do hunt more than usual, but once you get the focus range about right, they find focus well enough.

The generic ones are useless for 4/3, since they do not have aperture control. Without aperture control you are stuck at maximum aperture which will give a depth of field that is WAY small. Even these examples are at f/8, and you can see how narrow the DoF is. The 50/f2 at full magnification is just barely usable at f/8, more likely I will shot at around f/12.

If your lenses have manual apertures, the generics can save you some money. On second thought, I wonder how the metering system will work with a manual lens. It probably won't.