Extension tubes

I've just bought some extension tubes and had a little play with them, but not sure if what I need to look at when using them, ISO etc.

I've attached 3 pictures, the first just didn't come out right, the 2nd and 3rd are ok, btw the leaf was really small

Hi John

You will need to be patient and practice a lot with the extension tubes. They take some getting used to, but will yield great results if you stick with them. The best advice I can give is:

- Light is all important, you lose some with tubes so you need good daylight (sunlight preferably) or a decent source of diffused flashlight
- A monopod is useful for stability and flexibility of positioning
- Hold your breath when taking the images, any slight movement is magnified with tubes
- Use apertures of F11 upwards - you need this to get a decent depth of field

Keep at it and I'm sure you will get some stunners.

Regards
David

Hi John

I use the 'catch in focus' feature on the K-r most of the time when taking macros with extension tubes. Some people prefer not to use it, but I find it gives me a higher success rate (though I have plenty of duds as well).

Might be worth a play with and see if it helps, but as David says, lots of practice is best.

I will try and find something in the garden to practice on, should be better than the light in the house

Re: the light

Buy some pringles and eat them. ( or the own brand knock offs).
The tube (silver inside) can then be cut up and used as a light guide for the on board flash and directed to where your subject is. Plenty of stuff on the www about it.

you'll need in addition, couple of rubber bands, some black tape and sharp scissors, maybe a thin white sheet (e.g. plastic bag)

I've got as far as eating the pringles....

Thanks Doug, I thought you was describing an episode of Blue Peter

I had a prototype in the garden a few nights ago but holding a torch, then trying to focus manually on an over active moth was a bit too hard.

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=pringles+flash+macro

I'm aiming for the hotblack desiato style like this

Very good advice. Here's one I've made, although this is for hot shoe flash, not the on-board version. This is about the fourth or fifth prototype and the most successful to date as it has adjustable tubes and fires flash from two directions, hence no shadows. I can get F16 at ISO 200 with this = perfect for macros with tubes attached.




Best wishes
David

I'm going to have to try this

Here's one on an on board flash.




Keep practising 'tis fun.

Charlotte has saved on the rubber bands just using one and has trapped what looks like tracing or grease proof paper under the original cap, saving a bit of tape. Very economical.

Pimp my tube ... to be fair David's looks like three tubes. I'll have to wait for a bogoff to try that.

I'm guessing David has also got 45 degree reflectors in the elbows too?

Possibly the ugliest home made diffuser I've seen, but I bet it's also the best (2 directions). Shame there's no pentax compatible flash like the mp-e 65 dedicated one. I use something similar but not as good I think

This was my latest contraption, it worked quiet well and enabled me to get light under leaves because I could adjust the direction and the angle the flash was pointing;





Probably have to sell the lot now I don't have a camera that works.

Hey ho.

You can pick up a GX10 for under £150.

Your cam died charlotte?