Difference between macro extension tube and close-up filter?

[Max Field]

Over a year ago, I purchased a macro extension tube to sit between my DSLR and Rokinon cine lens to shoot clips of dice rolls. The "focus to infinity" feature was lost, which I expected, but the depth of field became impossibly shallow for the most part.

 

 

The piece of gear (that's probably garbage).

 

 

I recently got a zoom lens for a Super35 sensor camera that has a minimum focus distance of 4.5 feet.

There will be times where I'm shooting close quarters indoors and will need that number lowered. Will I be having the same problems with a close-up filter as I do with the macro extension tubes? What are some things to be wary of when using a close-up filter?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Macks Fiiod

[Stuart Brereton]

Extension tubes are generally the cleaner way to get an ECU or macro, because you're not introducing extra optical elements. The downside is that you'll lose a stop or more of exposure, depending on how long the tube is. Close-up filters, or Diopters, don't lose you any exposure, but can often introduce aberrations into the image unless you get one of the expensive achromatic versions. You'll lose infinity focus either way. The shallow DoF is due to the extremely short focus distances, rather than the tube itself.