Do extension tubes or Raynox close-up lenses reduce image quality compared with a dedicated macro lens?
Asked 3/15/2017
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I’m considering switching to Canon mainly for the Canon MP-E 65mm, since it can reach up to 5x magnification without extension tubes or bellows. Before making that jump, I’d like to know how the image quality compares with other ways of doing extreme macro. Do extension tubes affect image quality? And how do front-mounted close-up lenses like the Raynox compare to a true macro lens for sharpness and overall results?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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The MP-E 65 is a tricky lens to use. While it does excel at extreme macro it is useless for anything else.
The Canon 100 mm macro goes only to 1:1 (more with the EF25 extension tube). But it has autofocus and is perfectly usable for regular photography.
Extension tubes rob you of some light, but not of image quality. The 25mm extension tube coupled with your f1.8 50mm plastic fantastic (a lens every Canon shooter should have in his bag) produces excellent results.
Closeup lenses such as Raynox tend to rob you of image quality, but with good achromatic design this is manageable. While I have not used the DCR250 personally it has solid reputation and respectable following on flickr.
Stay away from single element closeup lens. +1 diopter is OK, but it is not true macro - it works best when you want a tight portrait with a long lens. Stronger single element lens introduce chromatic aberration that is painful to watch.
Originally by user62463. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user62463
9y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Extension tubes generally do not reduce image quality on their own; their main drawback is light loss. They can work very well, especially when paired with a good prime lens. In contrast, front-mounted close-up lenses can reduce image quality, though good achromatic designs such as well-regarded Raynox models can still give respectable results. Single-element close-up filters are the ones to avoid.
The Canon MP-E 65 is highly specialized: it excels at extreme macro, but it is difficult to use and not useful as a general-purpose lens. A more conventional macro lens, such as a 100mm macro, is far more versatile and can still be pushed further with extension tubes.
So if your goal is the best dedicated tool for extreme magnification, the MP-E 65 is a strong option. But if you want flexibility and good quality without buying a specialized lens, extension tubes on a good lens are a very solid alternative, and a high-quality achromatic close-up lens can also be workable.
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