Camera Labs

Hello my friends,

Everybody knows that an expensive Nikkor micro and a couple of R2 flashes will produce astonishing macro photography - but you'll lose the wife once she sees the credit card bill.

Therefore, I found an inexpensive yet powerful macro combination for Nikon DX cameras: the kit 18-55VR lens + Zeikos AF extension tube set (model ZE-CVAFN for Nikon, ZE-CVAFC for Canon mount).

I know extension tubes are nothing new, but the difference about these ones is that they allow autofocus and provide distance information: 100% of the camera features continue to work.

The bee picture was taken in "P" mode, natural light, and a single 12mm extension tube before the 18-55VR kit lens (D5000 body). Note the pollen grain on the bee's eye! I spent less than US$75 on the extension tubes, coupled them with the D5000, and that was it.

The ladybug is even smaller (measures less than 1cm), so I used the hole 70mm extension tube set (12 + 20 + 36), a SB600 flash hand held to the upper left side (about 10 cm away in wireless CLS mode) and a D7000.

Cheers,
Paulo.

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quality = preparation + attention + luck

Not bad mate! I have an even cheaper set of "dumb" extension tubes and use them with a manual focus Vivitar 135mm F/2.8 (going to try them with a 50mm lens soon).

It's definitely a cheap but good way to go macro

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

Love the bee shot, great detail