I’ve been interested in photographing bees recently. Rather than buy a macro lens, I spent $32 on a 10mm and 16mm Meike extension tube. Photos are with an A9II + Sigma 35mm f/2, which normally offers a 0.18x magnification. All four are taken as close as the lens will focus. I’m very happy with image quality, especially given that this lens doesn’t have a super flat focal plane at its minimum focal distance.

For anyone who tries an extension tube for their first time: you won’t be able to focus very far in the distance (beyond about 1 foot in my case). Be ready to get up close and personal.

  • Don Piano@feddit.org
    0·
    5 months ago

    Extension tubes are fun. I forgot whether I used an extension tube or a reverse adapter for this one:

    That’s a millimeter per black line in the background.

    • s38b35M5@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      Is that a climbing onion blossom? I forget the name; some have called it an “African Beach (beech?) Onion.”

      • Don Piano@feddit.org
        0·
        5 months ago

        I’m kinda assuming it’s (copying the common names in English from Wikipedia) procumbent pearlwort/birdeye pearlwort/matted pearlwort, but I am not at all sure

        • s38b35M5@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          5 months ago

          I was way off! I thought it was one of these:

          I wish I’d had better capabilities when I took that photo…