canon 60mm f/2.8 USM macro or kenko extention tube set

[MrJones]

Hi all,
I'm looking at the possibility of products photography with a specific interest in jewlery photography.
I currently own the 70-200 f/4 , 24-105 f/4 and 50mm f/1.8.
I'm thinking of either the 60mm f/2.8 USM or just getting the kenko extention tube set for the extra reach.
any suggestions?

[OsmosisStudios]

Extension tubes dont give you extra reach, they allow you to focus closer.

[MrJones]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Extension tubes dont give you extra reach, they allow you to focus closer.

the question is will they allow the 70-200 to focus closer and thus get the extra details as a macro lens.
I'm guessing it's not the same, otherwise there would be no need for macro lenses..

[inkista]

With extension tubes, you can only focus at a given distance from the subject, so you essentially have no choice on framing. That's what a macro lens can give you. But extension tube sets allow you to stack different tubes together at different heights, so you can kind of "step" to the distance you want. But, as I said above, a macro lens will give you a lot more freedom.

However. You probably don't want to be doing this with a telephoto lens. Your magnification has to do with adding extension. Proportionally, a 50mm or 60mm extension tube set isn't that much of a difference for a lens that's 200mm, vs. one that's say 50mm. With my full extension tube set on my 400mm prime, I cut my minimum focus distance down from 10 feet to about 5 feet, which is an improvement, but not exactly macro-ish. A 50/1.8 is a great lens to add extension tubes to. You'll note that generally speaking, the shorter your lens, the closer you can get to your subject, and the more magnification you'll have. This is why P&S cameras can always do macro photography: their lenses are tiny, going down to 6mm or less at the wide end.

I own and use the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM, and for the work you envisage doing, it could be a good choice. It's razor sharp (probably the sharpest lens in my bag, and that includes three Ls and a few adapted Zeiss lenses), and focuses closely, and is small and compact. But the 60mm working distance means that you're usually on top of your subject, so one concern is keeping your own shadow out of the shot. A 100mm macro is the more typical general-purpose tool, and is absolutely necessary if you intend to be shooting living subjects that can crawl, hop, swim, or fly away fro you if you get too close, since it gives you a larger working distance.

[MrJones]

actually the idea is to shoot in a studio, mostly even inside a light tent so my shadow is not a bit issue.
60mm Macro it is! what a nice present for my birthday