Extension Tuve vs teleconverter?

[StanleyBeck]

I've seen some articles where a photographer stated that he used a

given telephoto lens with an extension tube. Is there an advantage of

using the extension tube over a teleconverter? Does it crop the view

similar to a digital camera, or what is the advantage?

[mph]

The two are different, and complimentary. A teleconverter enlarges the image; for example, if you have a 300mm lens, adding a 2x teleconverter and shooting from the same spot gives you the same field of view that a 600mm lens would have. The teleconverter has no effect on how close your lens can focus. If your 300mm lens focuses to 10 feet, the "600mm" lens (300mm + 2x TC) will also focus to 10 feet, but clearly the subject will appear twice as large at that distance.

 

The extension tube lets your lens focus closer than it normally could (but it won't be able to focus on distant objects). For example, my 300mm lens can normally focus as close as 10 feet or so. Adding a 25mm extension tube lets it focus a lot closer, perhaps 6 feet (an estimate, off the top of my head). Obviously, getting closer to your subject will result in it appearing larger in the photograph... provided you can get closer without it flying or running away!

 

If you're using both an extension tube and a telecoverter, the tube will have the most effect on focus distance if you put it in front of the teleconverter (because 25mm of extension has more effect on the focus distance of a 300mm lens than a 600mm lens).

[greg s]

An extension tube reduces the 'minimum focus distance' of a lens, and also the 'maximum focus distance'. It's used to best advantage when you know that you will be taking lots of closeup shots.

 

I use a 25mm tube for backyard bird photography because I can get closer (minimum focus distance) and yet still be able to focus on all subjects within my fences (maximum focus distance). For flower photography, etc they also have their uses (again, getting closer focus).

[qtluong]

If you have the choice to use either to produce a similar image, the extension tube will in general be optically better, since unlike the

TC, it doesn't crop the view and doesn't involve additional optics. If

you cannot get closer, then you need to use the TC. <a href = "http://www.terragalleria.com/index.html">Terra Galleria fine art prints</a>

[joseph_smith3]

In addition to the above posts, there is "light loss" when you use an ex tube or a TC. Generally speaking there is less light loss with a ex tube than with a TC. Joe Smith