Macro system-70-200 f2.8 L II IS USM + 2x extender + extension tubes ANYONE???

[neuroanatomist]

Let me just sum it up. If I wanted to take a photo of any subject is should be 19.6" from the lens and than I start to play with the zoom and aperture, right?

With the 500D, yes.  I've used the 70-200 II + 500D (but not with the 2x extender).  The bare lens + 500D gives results that are optically very similar to the 100L Macro, although the mag cannot go as high.

Here's one example from the 70-200 II + 500D, from a trip from China where bring one more lens just wasn't going to happen, so I brought the 500D instead of the 100L.


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 200mm with 500D close-up lens, 1/50 s, f/2.8, ISO 3200

[mirekti]

I don't get one thing right. Minimum focus distance for 70-200 is 1.2m, but when you use 500D on it working distance is 50cm. Does this mean no AF?

Can somebody describe me workflow with 500D on 70-200? I mean, do I have to put my subject 50cm from the lens and that's all I can get?

[tomscott]

I shot this on a 70-200mm F2.8 L Non IS with extension tubes


IMG_9407 by tom_scott88, on Flickr

[Rick Massie]

I don't get one thing right. Minimum focus distance for 70-200 is 1.2m, but when you use 500D on it working distance is 50cm. Does this mean no AF?

Can somebody describe me workflow with 500D on 70-200? I mean, do I have to put my subject 50cm from the lens and that's all I can get?

I just got one recently, and was surprised at how it works. It focuses at 50cm, and give you a little bit of leeway since you can still move your focus ring to focus slightly closer or farther away. So basically 50cm plus or minus a little bit. So your framing is very limited unless you use a zoom lens, which will let you increase or decrease the size of the subject in the viewfinder.

Af does work still, but it's tough to get it accurate due to the high magnification (I often use it on a 400mm with a 1.4x), and only makes a difference in the 50cm range. You won't be able to AF on anything outside of this range. 

It sounds limiting, but I love it. I don't want to buy a dedicated macro lens, and this little piece of equipment is amazing. Even got an adapter to fit it on my 100mm F2.0 to get closer with it if I need to.

[mirekti]

All right, got it now. I just have to set my lens 50cm from the subject and than play with the zoom on the lens. Makes sense and doesn't seem too limiting at the moment.

Thanks.

[joshmurrah]

I put together a 70-200 f/2.8L II + 2xIII + 500D combo, and it's not too bad.

The AF does work, but it's herky jerky, and honestly it's better if you set it to the min. focus, and lean in and out until you nail the focus instead.

The big problem I have is that the DOF is TINY TINY TINY, but this is a general problem to overcome with any macro.  Amazingly, stopping down really high didn't seem to hurt image quality that much.

The attached picture was taken with a 5D2 + 70-200 f/2.8L II + 2xIII + 500D + 580EX II...   6400 ISO, 1/200 shutter, f/64 (yes, f/64, not a typo). 

The flash was bouncing on a high ceiling with the catchlight panel up for a small amount of direct light, and the shot was hand-held.

I had to boost the saturation/clarity/NR and darken the blacks to hide the horizontal noise bands... a 5D3 would be a much better camera for this I believe.

[Marsu42]

The big problem I foresee is that the DOF is TINY TINY TINY

... that's why there's focus stacking, and you'll be surprised how little time it takes to use up all shutter cycles of your dlsr :-p

I had to boost the saturation/clarity/NR and darken the blacks to hide the horizontal noise bands... a 5D3 would be a much better camera for this I believe.

Why don't you use hdr bracketing? You can instantly save $3000 by not needing the 5d3!

[joshmurrah]

On the 5D3 comment, I more meant that ISO 6400 would be much cleaner without horizantal bands.

I haven't done enough macro to try focus bracketing... I'm not a huge fan of using a tripod except in extreme cases such as astrophotography/timelapse.  I know macro and hand-holding don't really go together, but that's my style.  If I get more serious about macro work, I'd probably invest in a macro flash.