Anyone using tubes to reduce minimum focus distance for bird photography? Is this a practical approach or is the focusing range too limited?
800PF + Extension Tubes
- Thread starter DougC
- Start date
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I’ve not ever needed to use an extension tube for photographing birds, perched or in flight. In a situation where the minimum focus distance is too long, either move farther away to get the shot or perhaps use a lens with shorter focal length.
Perhaps I’m not clearly understanding why you’d need an extension tube. Can you explain further, please?
I have used the 800mm PF and 400mm f/4.5 with extension tubes when photographing small birds near my feeders. I'm at or inside minimum focus distance for the lens, and without extension tubes the magnification is a little short of what I want for small birds. The issue is depth of field which gets very shallow even stopped down slightly. Image quality is fine because I typically don't need to crop. Field of view is awfully narrow with the 800mm PF and even more challenging at close distances.
Harmonicat
New member
An important consideration is the loss of light from using the extension tube. Depending on which lens you are using it won't really be an issue but it is important to mindful of the fact depending on the scenarios you are planning on shooting.
Thanks everyone.
Krishnakotti
Well-known member
i do use Extension Tubes consistently with 800 pf.
we have to be careful about depth of field concerns.
we have to be careful about depth of field concerns.