Why You Don't Need A Macro Lens — Zach Nichols Photography

One of my all-time favorite genres of photography is macro photography. There are some amazing things to be captured on a small scale but the cost to entry when buying a macro lens can be hundreds of dollars if not a couple thousand. What if I told you that you could capture stunning macro images using any lens you already own for less than $100? In this article I want to introduce you to extension tubes as well as their uses and any possible downsides.

What Are Extension Tubes?

Extension tubes are adapter-type attachments that go between your camera body and lens. The tubes increase the distance between the sensor and focusing elements of the lens; resulting in the minimum focus distance being reduced. The larger the size of extension tube, the closer your lens will focus. This feature has the ability to turn any lens into a macro lens; though some lenses are better for this than others. My top brand recommendation for extension tubes is JJC though another fantastic brand is Meike as well. JJC extension tubes comes with three sizes of tube included: 12mm, 20mm, and 36mm. My go-to lenses for my extension tubes are my Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 and Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4, but just about any mid-length lens will do. I personally use the 12mm extension tube on my lenses because it results in images that are exactly what I am aiming for and with these lenses I do not need the focus distance to be too much less than it is with the lens alone. You can experiment with all kinds of lenses, focal lengths, and tube sizes though to find whatever suits you best.

What Are the Cons to Extension Tubes?

I have already mentioned the main pros to extension tubes and just how amazing they can be but there is one (and only one) minor downside. Unlike macro lenses that have a wide range of focus from super close to “infinity”, extension tubes do cause the lens it is mounted on to have a maximum focus distance. That is to say that you cannot focus the lens to infinity when the extension tube is attached. However, a quick two-second removal of the extension tubes will fix this and let you continue on about business. I personally photograph weddings as well as macros in the outdoors and use extension tubes for both. In all my years I have never ran into an issue where I did not get a photo because I was switching out my tubes. So for being the only “issue”, I think it is justified by the low cost when compared to the cost of buying a good macro lens.

Lastly, an interesting note I have observed is that almost all (and maybe all) macro lenses are f/2.8 prime lenses (a 105 f/2.8 is very common). It has always baffled me why someone would buy a 105 f/2.8 just for macros instead of a 105 f/1.4 like the one by Sigma or just stick to a 70-200 f/2.8 lens. Macro lenses are incredibly limiting in this regard and only really serve one purpose. I would rather have more flexibility in aperture or focal length any day which is why I opt to own extension tubes instead of a macro lens.

Conclusion

I hope this article opened your eyes to just how amazing extension tubes are. I know I couldn’t believe it when I first heard of them. The fact that a $50-75 item can turn any of my lenses into a macro lens and save me a ton of money is incredible. If you do not own a macro lens already or extension tubes then go buy some! Even if you do have a macro lens, I’d encourage you to buy them and try them out. I almost guarantee you will turn around and sell your macro lens shortly afterward.

As always, thank you for reading along. I hope this article was useful to you. If you have any questions or disagree in any way, let me know in the comments below and thank you for supporting my passion. If you would like to read more of my gear reviews, be sure to check out my articles on The Best Cameras For Landscape Photography and The Best Cameras For Wedding Photography.

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