Tips for Extension Tubes with EOS 90D

[Ramsden]

Hi Folks 

Last year, while reading Bryan Petterson's Understanding Composition, I purchased a 23mm Extension tube to take close ups of mainly flowers and plants in my garden, and on walks. I used it mainly with a 50 Prime on my EOS90D. Since last year I've bought a 75-300 zoom and it fits that beast as well - but it's a handfull.

I'm using a tripod but focussing is still a fine art.

Any friendly tips on 

1) using extensions and should I buy a bigger set?

2) and other things than flowers for getting creative

Ramsden

[Ramsden]

 Arrived last night...

[p4pictures]

You asked for ideas abut what to shoot. Sometimes when you get really close, you see things that are missed by many observers. 

Here I photographed some coffee beans, first with an EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens at 1:1 magnification, and then with an MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x lens at 5x magnification. 

As for using extension tubes with longer lenses, it does work and is one way to allow longer lenses to focus closer than is normally possible with their minimum focus distance. I used the 25mm tube on the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens for this shot of a tiny mushroom in the local woods. I've put a shot of the scene, and circled the mushroom in it, then there's the actual shot from the camera. I'm also using off-camera flash for this which is why there is a Speedlite on the ground with a small soft box and the transmitter on the camera.

[Ramsden]

Thank you.

Thats an amazing shot.

I'm seeing things 'everywhere' now. Photography has taken me to another level. Just have to avoid becoming a 'nerdy bore' with friends!

[DJ_aa7]

Nice! And I'm waiting on the mailman myself for my r6mkii. It's going to be really hard getting the package and not opening the box to play with it. 

But I'm sending it out for sensor modification. Turning it full spectrum for better astrophotography and so i can play with black & white infrared photography and color UV photos. So i won't have my new toy for a while. 

[Ramsden]

That looks to be a great camera. Now you've got my attention on the sky at night. In August we are heading North to Scotland and staying in Stornoway where, hopefully I'll be doing some night photography - mainly because it hardly gets dark! But in the meantime I can practice nearer home in the North of England. We live by the Pennine Chain - a relatively small ridge of mountains referred to as the backbone of the UK.

So: if there was one starter lens for astrophotography - at a reasonable price, what would it be? I already have a 70-300.

[DJ_aa7]

For starter astro i would go ultra wide between 12mm, 14mm, or 16mm primes to do milky way landscapes. With a wide lens, you can take longer exposures before you get star trails (football shaped shaped stars instead of pin points)

The following brands have inexpensive glass in wides; Rokinon (AKA samyang), laowa, sigma. 

The Rokinon 14mm comes in nearly every camera mount and provides a great image for the lowest price point. 

Laowa has zero distortion lenses that are a bit more than Rokinon, but have better build quality and a superior image quality and less warping for such a wide lens 

Sigma art glass gets into the semi expensive area but still way less than canon L for 1/2 the price.

If you don't want really wide, you can get a Canon nifty 50. 

[Ramsden]

Thanks. I'll do some research. I already have a 24mm Prime and the Nifty 50 - so I'll try these out locally first. 

Up to the present, my limited night time shots have ended in the bin. So any help on settings welcome. I've got a couple of reasonably high and exposed places to take photos 1] looks Eastward - rolling planes towards York (probably 50 miles away) 2) the other direction with the Pennine chain as a backdrop where we get great sunsets.

Appreciate your help. 

Ramsden

[Ramsden]

Hi  Brian 

I've been working on improving my skills in the use of all the focussing options with my EOS90D. I was just wondering what you used for the mushroom; just out of curiosity?