On Fri, 13 Dec 2002 23:40:22 +0100, "Niels J. Larsen" wrote:

>I own a Nikon F80S, a 80-200 f/2.8 AF ED, a 28-80 f/3.5-5.6D and a 50
>f/1.4D.
>
>I'm thinking about macro photography, but I don't have the money to get a
>"real" macro lens.
>
>I've read various reviews about the Kenko tube extension set for Nikon,
>which consists of 3 extensions. I was planning to trade the 28-80mm lens in
>for the tube extension kit.
>
>Will this be a good solution for macro photography, or should I consider the
>magnification filters (or what it is they are called) that attach to the
>front of the lens instead ?

Whether tubes or achromats (both used at smaller
stops) perform better depends on the particular lenses
used - and the two you mention do not perform well
on tubes (at least the 80-200 used near 200mm - and
it would be very awkward to use...). The 80-200mm f2.8
Nikkor does perform well used with two-element
achromats, though big ones are not cheap (Canon 500D
is one that can be used...). BTW, you will not want
to use AF for macro, simplifying the choice in tubes,
and you may want to consider TTL flash, mounted close
to the end of the lens, using a remote TTL cord.
(See www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/phun.html, "Bugs" for
examples of what can be done [for some of these, tubes,
achromats, and teleconverters are piled together...];-)