Using Mamiya Extension Tubes...

[images39]

Hi,

When I purchased a Mamiya 654 Pro last year, three extension tubes were included. They're marked (from shortest to longest): No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3-S. I am not familiar with the use of extension tubes, but am interested in using them to allow closer focusing with some of my lenses (80mm 1.9, 110mm, and 150mm).

Is each lens ideally matched with one particular extension tube? Will the longer extension tubes allow closer focusing than the shorter ones? Are certain tubes incompatible with certain lenses?

Thanks for any help with this.

Dale

[keithwms]

The tubes can be used with any lens that'd fit the body without them, and they can be stacked to give as much magnification as you want. Yes, longer tubes will give more magnification.

Note that there are now (I think) different, much more expensive tubes that allow AF on some of the Mamiya bodies. You don't want those. Not much point in AF when you use extension tubes, IMHO. Just get the plain old extension tubes and enjoy. And I don't think I ever got any of my AF mamiya lenses for my AFD to work on the old tubes; I vaguely recall contemplating a modification to the lenses but then forgot about it and just used the manual lenses.

So in summary: manual lenses + tubes = no problems.

[images39]

Keith,

Thanks for the reply. I will experiment with using the different tubes. My main use for them will be to get a bit closer when shooting portraits.

Dale

[keithwms]

Okay. Well, FWIW, most people actually want to get further away when doing portraits, to get more ear/nose ratio and more focus isolation.

I would recommend the 80/1.9 for individual portraiture.

Enjoy.

[images39]

Keith,

For tight headshots, the lenses I have do not focus close enough. I need to be able to get closer.

Dale

[CGW]

Here's a little Xmas gift:

http://www.redisonellis.com/m645tubes.html

Just be sure to make note of the exposure compensation for each tube/lens combination if you're not using a metered finder.

[images39]

Here's a little Xmas gift:

http://www.redisonellis.com/m645tubes.html

Just be sure to make note of the exposure compensation for each tube/lens combination if you're not using a metered finder.

Thank you, this information on the extension tubes is very useful. I also received a message from Ian C with a link to a pdf containing the same info. Precisely what I needed, thanks again.

Dale

[brucemuir]

Here's a little Xmas gift:

http://www.redisonellis.com/m645tubes.html

Just be sure to make note of the exposure compensation for each tube/lens combination if you're not using a metered finder.

Im assuming in those charts the exposure comp is listed in factor... not stops? ? ?

[CGW]

Im assuming in those charts the exposure comp is listed in factor... not stops? ? ?

Factor. The Butkus site gives a full repro of the tubes' manual with F-stop conversion for the OP.

[brucemuir]

Factor. The Butkus site gives a full repro of the tubes' manual with F-stop conversion for the OP.

Yes, factor.
Only way it makes sense.

Thanks.