It’s been a rainy few days here in SoCal and since we’re stuck inside what better things to do than to find some DIY projects to make?

When I first started in photography, I really wanted a macro lens to create some creative ring shots, such as these ones you see in this article: HOW TO USE INEXPENSIVE LIGHTS TO CREATE AMAZING RING SHOTS AND MACRO IMAGES.  The problem was the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro lens I was looking at was out of my budget at a cool $949. I ended up getting the Kenko Auto Extension Tubes, but at $139, it was still a good chunk of money for something that stayed in my camera bag 95% of the time.

The following video will show you how to make your own extension tube with just a few items and some tools in just a few minutes, for just a few dollars. He uses this tube on his micro 4/3rd camera along with an old manual focus Canon FD 50mm lens with a m4/3 adapter.

To make this macro extension tube, you’ll need:

• 1.5″ Black ABS pipe
• Rear Lens Cap
• Camera Body Cap
• J-B Weld

First, he cuts his ABS pipe down to 100mm, which would give him 2x magnification and 3 stops of light loss with the camera and lens he is using. To adjust it for your own set up, use this handy Macro Extension Tube Calculator. He then sands down the inside and outside of the ABS tube (to make it a flat black with no shininess). Then he drills holes in the caps, leaving the threads that hold them in place. Using some J-B Weld, he affixes the caps to the pipe and once the epoxy dries, the tube is ready for use!

Here are some sample images taken with his DIY Macro Extension Tube:

Watch DIY Extension Tube by Makify 1

Go forth and DIY, then comment below with your results and/or fun rainy day DIY projects.

[Via DIY Photography]