Cuke Blossom

photobod wrote: I am having the self same problems you are Don so I empathise my friend, I believe its just a matter of practise but boy have I been cursing since I got my extension tubes, like you mine are cheapies so maybe thats the problem, anyway percivier as I like this photo.

Heres one of mine.

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I love the color and composition David, but as in mine, the focus seems a bit soft on the stamens and just a tad dark for me causing a loss of some of the details. I'm guessing we need to do the same thing here as the guy that wanted to know how to get to Carnegie Hall........ Practice, Practice, Practice........

steveheap wrote: This is only a guess as I don't really know Nikon that well, but are the cheaper tubes blocking the electrical signals that control the aperture and as a result, it is closing down to a small aperture even during viewing and focusing? As I understand it, normally the lens is wide open, you do your focusing, and then at the instant of the shot, the aperture closes to the set amount, and the shutter is triggered. A closed aperture would be very dark in the viewfinder.

The other thought I had was that extension tubes don't, themselves, lose light - they only alter the focus point of a lens, and so you wouldn't expect the addition of tubes to alter the amount of light hitting the sensor.

Steve

Steve, in my case, these are cheap tubes and do not have/make the electrical connections at all. So, there is a total loss of AF and on the display, the aperture setting/reading is just 2 dashes like this -- so I am not able to set aperture. Not sure if it defaulting to wide open or closed down, but from the shallow DoF I am guessing wide open? As suggested by someone earlier, I am going to try them with the lens down at 18mm as opposed to the 55mm that I was shooting at and see what the difference may be. I did notice that the longer the tube that I use the darker it gets in the viewfinder, but again, I was trying to get as big/close an images as I could so, I was at 55mm then too.

Well as promised (or possibly threatened.... ) yesterday here are a few more of what I deemed to be the best of what I shot. This first group will be just close-ups w/ just the Nikkor kit lens @ 55mm and the next set will be of shots w/ the kit lens and 7mm tube combo. As always let me know what you think and any advice / suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Here are the Tube Shots:




This is a "Tube" shot but it is also cropped:



These next couple are not cropped:



(Just FYI, these are "Cherry Tomatoes, not full size tomatoes)

DonD2 wrote:

fotozone wrote: First off I love the shot.
Secondly, what brand are your tubes. The reason I am asking is I have a Nikon D3100 and I use Kenko tubes with the kit lens and have no problems. Both of the images in this thread were taken using the 18- 55mm lens at 55mm. They were also taken in the early evening around 7:30 or so.

P.S. here is the link www.photographytalk.com/forum/macro-phot...-cropped-or-original

First things first, Thank you so very much Lila, with the quality of your work, your liking this means a lot. Secondly, WOW, those are stunning captures and I too like the cropped versions better, but had I not seen them cropped the originals are beautifully done as well. You say that you used flash, but I am guessing that it was not the on camera pop-up, correct? And if that is correct, what flash unit did you use and was it on or off camera? Thirdly, the brand of tubes is Fotodiox and they are a very inexpensive set I got off of Amazon, and I've only used them a few times so far and still trying to figure out how to use them correctly. I got side tracked and still have not gotten to processing the other shots from this morning and if I remember correctly I think that at least 1 or 2 of the ones I chose to process are from the 7mm tube. I'll try and get to them in the morning and get them posted up. I look forward to your feedback on those as well.

Thanks for the complement on my macros.
I was using the pop up flash. I just got a macro ring light (so far I am not happy with it) and I have ordered a soft box. I will have to see what I think of them when I can play some. The flash had Flash Exposure Comp.: -1.7EV.

Since your tubes have no electrical contacts I believe that is why everything in your view finder is so dark. The way I understand it, is that your f-stop will go to its smallest aperture so you have a very small hole you are looking through. I just read that Steve said almost the same thing. Macro in general has a shallow DOF.
As I posted in my last message I use the Kenko Tubes but John AKA Baydream uses Zeikos tubes and he is very happy with his they also work with auto focus, ect. I went with the Kenko as I had read several reviews at adorama(I think it was there) that if you stack the Zeikos they lose all auto function, he said he did not have that problem. So it may be a Nikon thing or it may not be a problem at all.

Now I will look at the new photos you posted I just wanted to respond to this post first.

Every time I sit down to type something comes up so here goes.
As to your new batch of photos I like them. You are nailing your focus. You are also picking up the fine details very nicely. The only advice I have for you is to keep practicing.

DonD2 wrote:

photobod wrote: I am having the self same problems you are Don so I empathise my friend, I believe its just a matter of practise but boy have I been cursing since I got my extension tubes, like you mine are cheapies so maybe thats the problem, anyway percivier as I like this photo.

i too bought cheap extention tubes, my nikon d40 does not find a lens when i use the tubes, (never used them before so complete novice), everything is so dark when you look through the lens...
guess i will just have to practice with them....

Thanks for the complement on my macros.
I was using the pop up flash. I just got a macro ring light (so far I am not happy with it) and I have ordered a soft box. I will have to see what I think of them when I can play some. The flash had Flash Exposure Comp.: -1.7EV.

Since your tubes have no electrical contacts I believe that is why everything in your view finder is so dark. The way I understand it, is that your f-stop will go to its smallest aperture so you have a very small hole you are looking through. I just read that Steve said almost the same thing. Macro in general has a shallow DOF.
As I posted in my last message I use the Kenko Tubes but John AKA Baydream uses Zeikos tubes and he is very happy with his they also work with auto focus, ect. I went with the Kenko as I had read several reviews at adorama(I think it was there) that if you stack the Zeikos they lose all auto function, he said he did not have that problem. So it may be a Nikon thing or it may not be a problem at all.

Now I will look at the new photos you posted I just wanted to respond to this post first.

fotozone wrote: Every time I sit down to type something comes up so here goes.
As to your new batch of photos I like them. You are nailing your focus. You are also picking up the fine details very nicely. The only advice I have for you is to keep practicing.

You're quite welcome Lila and I just wanted to say "Thank You" for the advice and the kind words. I'll definitely keep practicing and experimenting and experimenting and practicing. I'm taking classes and trying to be a "Sponge" as much as possible. I enjoy most aspects of photography, but I am searching for the area(s) that I am passionate about and can do well. At this point Portraiture is not it ..... haha.... not really comfortable posing people and setting up the lighting for this type of photography. However I do enjoy photographing people, but, in natural surroundings and in a more casual setting. Trying to capture the "Real" person if you know what I mean, but I will need a longer lens for that type of photography, so that will have to wait for a while before I'll be able to do that kind of experimenting. I do enjoy nature photography as well as macro, scenic's/landscapes, abstracts, architectural and night/low light photography. I'm guessing that should be enough to keep me busy and experimenting for a while, but I'm always open to trying something new, as one just never quite knows where "Their" niche may present itself, right?

Sorry, I get off on rabbit trails so easily, can you say OCD.....

Anyhow, thanks again Lila for all of your help and input!

linda68 wrote:

DonD2 wrote:

photobod wrote: I am having the self same problems you are Don so I empathise my friend, I believe its just a matter of practise but boy have I been cursing since I got my extension tubes, like you mine are cheapies so maybe thats the problem, anyway percivier as I like this photo.

i too bought cheap extention tubes, my nikon d40 does not find a lens when i use the tubes, (never used them before so complete novice), everything is so dark when you look through the lens...
guess i will just have to practice with them....

Well Linda, I guess David, you and I have gotten what we paid for, but I think with patience and practice we will be able to make them work for us OR we'll just get frustrated and pissed off and buy either a good "Real" macro lens or at least better Tubes..... Am I right?