Macro extension tubes

[blackpearl]

Anybody have any experience using them? I want to know if the ones available on ebay at Rs500 or less any good? I know they aren't auto focus, but are they going to damage my camera mounts.

The other option is to get an auto-focus one, but they are expensive. There is a Vivitar one for Rs5000 and Kenko for Rs 8K~10K. I know Kenko is good, but what about Vivitar?

But before spending so much on an extension tube, I really want to try out those cheap Rs500 ones. The only thing I'm worried about is if they damage my camera+lens mount. I have heard stories of extension tubes getting stuck and then having to take it to service center to remove.

Please help.

 

[sujoyp]

I have used those cheap ET for sometimes...it need an aperture ring wala lens...u have to use it at M mode only
Actually its not easy to use it that way...

 

[blackpearl]

I thought so, about that aperture thing. Seems like my Af-S lenses won't even open with those extension tubes, since the aperture is controlled by the camera.

I have to find a used manual lens somewhere. Do you know a good place where to find them? The used market for photography gears is so bad in India.

 

[sujoyp]

yaah...u can join jjmehta and look for used manual lens...even Ai AIS lenses

mine is Nikkor 50mm 1.8 AF lens which I bought for 3k to use with ET....and use it for portraits when needed...

but I am still telling you its not at all easy...and u need an external flash with it...no way a popup flash will help u with this...
the working distance is also very less just 5 inch or so

and dont buy kenko...better buy a used macro lens for 15k

 

[blackpearl]

Will checkout jjmehta's forums. Can I know why are you against kenko, or are you against extension tubes? I was thinking about using ET with my existing lenses first and then moving to macro lenses + ET for larger than 1x magnification.

 

[sujoyp]

from my experience ET can be used for further magnifying a macro lens...like a lens having 1:1 when attached with ET may give u 2:1 or 3:1 ....

If u want to use with existing lens then u have no choice but to buy a kenko ET...and for that u will spend 9-10k

I spent 5k for my cheap AIS 55mm 2.8 Macro lens and didnt need anything else anymore...I can attach ET with that and get great magnification.

i will still go with used macro lens...someone was selling tamron 90mm macro for 15k only...I would have grabbed it if i was in ur position

 

[blackpearl]

Thanks for your inputs. Will look at some used macro lenses. I should look for lenses with aperture ring, right? The Tamron 90mm is AF, isn't? Won't that again cause problems should I use ET?

 

[sujoyp]

now this a big problem....to use ET with tamron 90mm u have to get kenko type auto extension tube..

else u can have nikon 60mm 2.8D macro lens but it wont focus on D5xxx or D3xxx

If u serious money issue and want to spend upto 5k then get a 50mm AI,AIS,D etc and get manual ET

if not then save for macro lens and forget ET for now

 

[blackpearl]

I found one Auto focus ET for $52.
AF Auto Focus Macro Extension Tube for Nikon AF AF s DX FX | eBay

Should I take the bite?

EDIT: I found a 50mm f1.8 manual lens for Rs3.5K *www.ebay.in/itm/Nikon-50mm-f1-8-Ni...1?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item19d83d288b.

Looks good for my purpose. I should be able to use this one with a cheap ET. Only thing I couldn't find is the magnification factor of this lens and the closest focusing distance. Do you have those info?

 

[sujoyp]

50mm 1.8 manual lens for 3.5k is costly...dont get it...its better to get used 50mm AFD lens soo that u can use it as AF later on ur DSLR

and get the ET on ur risk...if its contacts r loose u will not be able to AF them...the cheap ones dont have anything electronic soo there is no chance of any risk...also lens mmount too tiht or too loose is risky...its on u now

 

[blackpearl]

Right now I have two options:

1. Get a used manual lens (non-macro) and a cheap ET. This will probably cost me around Rs4-5K, maybe.
2. Get an AF ET (vivitar costs Rs4.7K shipped from US), which I can use with my existing lens and later with a proper AF macro lens (I'm definitely going to buy one, just not now)

I'm more attracted to the 2nd option as I can reuse the ET. The ET is always risky, that's why I dropped the idea of getting the $52 chinese one. No guarantee whether it will work. At least, vivitar has some reputation.

What kind of extension tubes did you use? Were they good? Also, how difficult it is to manual focus on macro?

 

[sujoyp]

I have manual one...they were good to start...I will again tell u about them
1.ET usage need external flash coz the lens become long with ET and ur popup flash can not flash on whats under the lens...u will get lens shade on the subject

2. u have to focus from 5 inch...it wont focus if u move away...u may go closer but insect will run away

3. focus area is very less coz most probably u will try to shoot on 2.8-4 soo area for focus is soo less that u will ultimately move front and back to focus on subject....at f8 its soo dark that u will see nothing in viewfinder

But u can really get macro shots...u have to learn and make ur own stuff for flash reflection,background etc for this

*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BhykCs6UgTs/TYi9aES_iHI/AAAAAAAAF6M/G9JpgHQmuNg/s400/DSC_1510.jpg


this is shot with same setup...but takes bit working and getting used to

 

[blackpearl]

Fantastic shot! That's the kind of thing I want.

I will start looking into real macro lens.

 

[sujoyp]

that shot is taken with ET+50mm 1.8 and external flash but total expense is 7k

but u can use 50mm for portraits shots if ur cam dont AF non AFS lens
u can use flash for million number of purposes