Need help deciding which to purchase

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Boisephotography

Boisephotography

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One of my passions is macro, I currently use a Nikon AF-S 105mm 1:2.8 G ED N lens. I'm considering purchasing an extension tube and or a converter. I'm looking at a Mcoplus N-PA Auto Focus tube set ($38.39) and a Sigma 1.4X EX DG APO Tele Converter AF for Nikon ($99.00). My goal is to get closer to my subject. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Boisephotography said:
One of my passions is macro, I currently use a Nikon AF-S 105mm 1:2.8 G ED N lens. I'm considering purchasing an extension tube and or a converter. I'm looking at a Mcoplus N-PA Auto Focus tube set ($38.39) and a Sigma 1.4X EX DG APO Tele Converter AF for Nikon ($99.00). My goal is to get closer to my subject. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Extension tubes will allow you to literally get closer to your subject and still focus the lens. But that really means to get larger subject sizes you have to get the end of the lens closer to your subject. That can work for some inanimate subjects but even then can make lighting tricky if the shadow of that very close lens is cast on your subject and for many live subjects they may not tolerate getting that close.

A TC on the other hand won't change the minimum focusing distance but will increase the effective focal length which is another way to increase magnification but without crowding so tight to your subject. So for instance with a 1.4x TC your 105mm macro lens will still close focus at the same distance but now instead of being 105mm (assuming no focus breathing of the macro lens) then your lens basically becomes a 1.4:1 macro lens at that same distance or you can back off a bit further and still have a 1:1 or thereabouts with a nearly 150mm macro lens. This is very handy for live and skittish subjects where the extra working distance can help you avoid chasing them off.

For live macro subjects the old 200mm Nikon AF-D micro lens was amazing and is still a fantastic piece of optics but unfortunately modern cameras won't drive its AF system so it basically becomes a 200mm manual focus macro lens which can still be very useful for live macro subjects but I sure wish they'd release a modern version of that lens. It was about as good as it gets for small insects, butterflies, amphibians and the like.

If you do go the TC route I'd look for a Nikon TC-14 e III or even II in good condition. I wouldn't put the Sigma TC on a Nikon lens. It might give you decent quality but personally I'd stick with a late model Nikon TC that is known to work very well with the 105mm G AF-S macro lens.

Also FWIW, the Nikon 105mm AF-S G lens is one of the very few lenses I found worked well with the Nikon TC-20 E III 2x TC but it does cost two stops of light and macro lenses already shift away from the listed max aperture when focused at their close macro distances. That can work fine on mirrorless cameras via the FTZ adapter but it can push a DSLR beyond its AF capabilities if you use AF for macro which is handy with live subjects.
 
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Boisephotography said:
Thank you. So, the focus tube along with the 1.4X TC won't benefit me?
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The tube will allow you to get closer and increase magnification (reproduction ratio), but not magnification re. what the 1.4x gives you which is both greater reproduction ratio and a greater focal length i.e. 145mm which allows you to work further away from a skittish subject. So if choosing just one, I'd go with the 1.4X. If you just want to get a greater reproduction ratio at a closer focusing distance, the tube is fine. No reason not to get both really.
 
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Paul Grecian said:
The tube will allow you to get closer and increase magnification (reproduction ratio), but not magnification re. what the 1.4x gives you which is both greater reproduction ratio and a greater focal length i.e. 145mm which allows you to work further away from a skittish subject. So if choosing just one, I'd go with the 1.4X. If you just want to get a greater reproduction ratio at a closer focusing distance, the tube is fine. No reason not to get both really.
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Thank you. Your explanation was very helpful!!! Think I'll get both, giving me some options.
 
If I'm reading the right specs that lens is 6 inches from the subject at 1:1. What are you shooting you need to be closer? In general for tubes the idea is too divide the tube length by the focal length and add back the native magnification. So a tube of 25mm would be 25 divided by 100 or .25x, plus the 1x you already have, so 1.25x. You have to decide if it is worth it.
 
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bleirer said:
If I'm reading the right specs that lens is 6 inches from the subject at 1:1. What are you shooting you need to be closer? In general for tunes the idea is too divide the tube length by the focal length and add back the native magnification. So a tube of 25mm would be 25 divided by 100 or .25x, plus the 1x you already have, so 1.25x. You have to decide if it is worth it.
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Thank you. I would like to get some really close shots of insects, flowers and minerals. So far with my lens just don’t get that close up I’m looking for.
 
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The 200mm macro can be hard to find and is great. I use the older 70-180 macro and love it. Neither will autofocus on Z cameras but both do focus on many F-mount bodies including the 600, 750, 800 series, 500 and 7500 all of which have a focus motor to drive the older D lenses.

Good luck. I have to 50 and 100 Z macros and the 70-180 D macro (use on D850/750) and am considering the 200 macro.
 
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I have the same Nikon 105 macro and have had good results using the Nikon TC-17E with this lens. It gives an effective focal length of about 180mm. They are available used for around $100.
 
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