M42 Extension Tubes Recommendation for Macro Photography

[Helios 1984]

Hi there,

I would like to do Macro shots with my Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm f/2.8 Tessar & Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8. I never used extension tubes before and could use advices to do a good purchase.

best regards.

 

[ic-racer]

I'd look for Pentax brand to ensure the aperture couples correctly.

 

[Bill Burk]

Agree with ic-racer, look closely at the item and make sure the tubes have the mechanism. I see a good price on a set on eBay right now that are Pentax but do not include the aperture actuating mechanism.

You didn't ask, but I'd recommend the 50mm f/4 SMCT Macro lens.

 

[Helios 1984]

Agree with ic-racer, look closely at the item and make sure the tubes have the mechanism. I see a good price on a set on eBay right now that are Pentax but do not include the aperture actuating mechanism.

You didn't ask, but I'd recommend the 50mm f/4 SMCT Macro lens.

I forgot to mention that I'll be using a EOS body & a m42 adapter, I don't know if it change something?

Note: The 50mm f/4 is on my list of future purchase

 

[MattKing]

I forgot to mention that I'll be using a EOS body & a m42 adapter, I don't know if it change something?

In which case the special linkages don't matter - you will be forced to use stop-down metering anyways.

Slow and somewhat awkward, but functional.

 

[ic-racer]

If you have an EOS, I'd probably not waste time with a CZJ Tessar or even the Takumar. Canon makes some fantastic lenses.

 

[Bill Burk]

I forgot to mention that I'll be using a EOS body & a m42 adapter, I don't know if it change something?

Note: The 50mm f/4 is on my list of future purchase

I bet it does change things. I can't imagine an M42 to EOS adapter does anything but push the pin in. But if you think you might pick up a Pentax body one day, the compatibility will become important.

 

[Helios 1984]

I bet it does change things. I can't imagine an M42 to EOS adapter does anything but push the pin in. But if you think you might pick up a Pentax body one day, the compatibility will become important.

I have a few adapters that do not push the pin in. The Spotmatic is on my list of future purchase so It would be better if I'd purchase a set of Pentax tubes with the mechanism.

 

[Jim Jones]

Enlarging lenses are another option for close-up photography, although they usually don't stop down far enough for some 3-D subjects. A Leica thread to Pentax thread should be available on the internet.

 

[Fixcinater]

Your Canon, depending on model, may require a switch to be depressed on the body. It will throw an error if you don't depress it but adding tubes won't affect you needing the switch or not.

If you only have those two lenses, or plan to only use lenses that have a manual stop down or switch to go from auto to manual stop down, then you don't need tubes with the aperture linkage. If it was auto only (requiring the pin to be depressed to stop down), then you would need the auto tubes as made by Pentax.

Your M42:EOS adapter may have an internal flange to depress the pin on the back of the tube/lens or it may not. I prefer the ones without the flange as most of my M42 lenses have the Auto/Man switch and I like to focus wide open and then use the switch to snap it down to taking aperture.

As for build quality, I've had many of both the manual and auto tubes by Pentax and they are flawless. The aftermarkets I've had were not quite as nicely finished but work exactly the same so I would use them interchangeably.

 

[dabsond]

If you use a flanged m42-eos adapter you can probably get a cheap set of EOS tubes on ebay. This would allow you to use normal EOS lenses with them as well. There are a number of M42 bellows on ebay as well. These would give you more control.

 

[Helios 1984]

If you use a flanged m42-eos adapter you can probably get a cheap set of EOS tubes on ebay. This would allow you to use normal EOS lenses with them as well. There are a number of M42 bellows on ebay as well. These would give you more control.

I've seen those bellows things on Youtube, quite interesting and affordable. It would probably require a more sturdy tripod as my Manfrotto's maximum payload is 1.5kg.

Your Canon, depending on model, may require a switch to be depressed on the body. It will throw an error if you don't depress it but adding tubes won't affect you needing the switch or not.

If you only have those two lenses, or plan to only use lenses that have a manual stop down or switch to go from auto to manual stop down, then you don't need tubes with the aperture linkage. If it was auto only (requiring the pin to be depressed to stop down), then you would need the auto tubes as made by Pentax.

Your M42:EOS adapter may have an internal flange to depress the pin on the back of the tube/lens or it may not. I prefer the ones without the flange as most of my M42 lenses have the Auto/Man switch and I like to focus wide open and then use the switch to snap it down to taking aperture.

As for build quality, I've had many of both the manual and auto tubes by Pentax and they are flawless. The aftermarkets I've had were not quite as nicely finished but work exactly the same so I would use them interchangeably.

Yes, I only use lenses with manual stop down. I'll also try the tubes on my Helios 44M-4, 44-2 and my Auto Sears 28mm.

 

[MarkVII88]

I would like to do Macro shots with my Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm f/2.8 Tessar & Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8. I never used extension tubes before and could use advices to do a good purchase.

Check out this video by Simon's Utak to get some sense for what works best for doing macro photography with a CZJ 50mm f/2.8 Tessar.

 

[BAC1967]

Another option would be a reversal ring to flip the lens around backwards.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Agree with ic-racer, look closely at the item and make sure the tubes have the mechanism. I see a good price on a set on eBay right now that are Pentax but do not include the aperture actuating mechanism.

You didn't ask, but I'd recommend the 50mm f/4 SMCT Macro lens.

I agree; dedicated macro lenses are far superior to extension tubes, which are less expensive but give disappointing results.

 

[AgX]

The range of macro lenses is limited too, thus sooner or later on has to use extention tubes too, or a bellows. Thus the issue is not about extention tubes or not, but about macro lenses or non-macro lenses.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

The range of macro lenses is limited too, thus sooner or later on has to use extention tubes too, or a bellows. Thus the issue is not about extension tubes or not, but about macro lenses or non-macro lenses.

good point.just meant to say that a macro lens will beat the performance of a typical taking lens/extension tube combination or in other words, extension tubes ere no low-cost high-quality replacement for macro lenses.