Long Weekend and Kenko Extension Tubes

Ahh today beings a nice looong four and a half day weekend for me!  I have high hopes for the weekend and a list of things I want to do.  There is plenty of work to catch up on, but it can't be all work and no play!  So my goal for the weekend is to  pick up my camera and start playing with something new.  That new something will be macro photography using Kenko extension tubes that Jason bought last year.  They have been collecting dust pretty much since they were bought, so it's high time to learn how to use them before all the good insects are gone for the winter.

What the heck is an extension tube, you ask?  The extension tubes are hollow tubes that connect between the camera body and the lens.  This setup enables the lens to focus closer than its normal set minimum focusing distance.  The tubes come in a set of three ( 12, 20 and 36mm ) that can be used individually or stacked for varied magnification results.  At a price 1/4 that of a good macro lens, they are well worth the small expense!

However, there is a small learning curve, lots of light needed ( natural or external flash ) and some practice involved.  Here is an Extension Tube Flickr group dedicated solely to extension tube macro photography for your viewing pleasure.  Hopefully this weekend I'll have some to add and post!

And to leave you with a recent dawg photo: