*For more information visit AdoramaTV YT page, and of course you can keep up with David on Instagram and Twitter @DavidBergman. LATEST UPDATE: David opened up new IGTV episodes where you can ask him questions live! find out more at http://www.AskDavidBergman.com
In this quick tutorial we are going to explore a simple way to shoot close-up photos, by using an extension tube. New York Photographer David Bergman and AdoramaTV give a few tips to save hundreds of dollars on the gear.
Mr. Bergman shares: “Macro lenses are cool, they allow you to get in really close to your subject, and can open up a whole new photographic world for you. If you can buy a dedicated macro lens that’s great, but they’re pretty expensive, so if you’re not someone who does much close-up photography, then a macro lens might be too much for you.”
“This is where extension tubes can come in really handy. All lenses have a minimum focusing distance. An extension is just a hollow tube with no pieces of glass, that lets you pull your lens further away from the camera body. You can buy extension tubes in many different lengths. The further away the lens, the closer you can focus on your subject, which means you get more magnification.”
“There are generally two types of extension tubes. The cheapest kind are really just a simple tube with no mechanical connections at all. These are fun to play around with, but unless you’re using an old lens with a manual aperture ring, you’re stuck shooting at a wide open aperture. This is because the camera can’t talk to the lens, and make it close down. I’ve even heard of do-it-yourselfers, who have made their own extension tubes out of a toilet paper roll, and it actually works!”
“However if you’d like to have full control over your settings, then get something that’s made for your camera – like this Canon EF25, which has electrical contacts built into it. It’s a bit more expensive, but allows you to change your aperture, and when shooting that close you generally want to be at a small aperture. Depth of field is severely limited, and even at f/22, you’ll find that when you’re focused so close, you’ll still have a really shallow focus area.”
“So why would you prefer a dedicated macro lens if extension tubes are lighter and less expensive. The main reason is, that you do lose some image quality since you’re really using your lens in a way that it wasn’t designed. But it’s a great way to get started with close-up photography, it can open up a creative world like you’ve never seen before.
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