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Extension tubes?


10 years 3 months ago #332601 by garyrhook
So I'm toying with the idea of getting a set of extension tubes for more macro fun with my 105 f/2.8.  I see on Amazon that they come from a variety of manufacturers, and get a wide variety of ratings.

Since I don't have a significant focus on macro work, I'd rather not buy the Nikon product, especially since it seems to not work with G lenses? Hoping for something at a more modest price point.

Nikon mount. The Kenko appears to support AF-S, but still $200. What other brands are worth considering? And the converse, what other brands should be immediately discounted?

Any and all opinions are welcome.
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10 years 3 months ago #332613 by Screamin Scott
There are a couple of cheaper tubes that will work with AF. Zeikos is one. Personally, I seldom use tubes & when I do I use manual tubes. AF doesn"t work very well with macro once you get to 1/2 life sized or greater. The tubes will reduce the amount of light & if you use the entire set then chances are it won't be enough to AF anyway. If your concern is metering, then go for them but remember that with the very narrow dof, the tubes will futher restrict that. I use a ring light so that when I shoot, it allows me to stop down for the maximum dof & the light stops any motion, be it me or my subject. I also shoot in manual & let the power settings of the ring light control how much more light illuminates the subject. 
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
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10 years 3 months ago #336157 by Joves

Screamin Scott wrote: There are a couple of cheaper tubes that will work with AF. Zeikos is one. Personally, I seldom use tubes & when I do I use manual tubes. AF doesn"t work very well with macro once you get to 1/2 life sized or greater. The tubes will reduce the amount of light & if you use the entire set then chances are it won't be enough to AF anyway. If your concern is metering, then go for them but remember that with the very narrow dof, the tubes will futher restrict that. I use a ring light so that when I shoot, it allows me to stop down for the maximum dof & the light stops any motion, be it me or my subject. I also shoot in manual & let the power settings of the ring light control how much more light illuminates the subject. 

:goodpost: :agree:
Yeah that and the AF points are not small enough to get specific areas when you are enlarging the subject that much. The Kenkos are great though. I also do not use mine all that much either. I have to be in a macro mood, or mindset to use them.
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10 years 3 months ago #338901 by Pierce Steenken
I looked at extension tube alternatives myself and at the end of the day, most of the reviews and post pointed to the Kenko's.  I bought them and it was a good decision.  They are the cheapest, but they sure do work great. 
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10 years 3 months ago - 10 years 3 months ago #338979 by Shadowfixer1
Sorry I didn't see this earlier. No need to spend a ton on tubes. I have a set that are branded as "Polaroid" which are actually re-branded Vivatar tubes. They have all the connections for aperture and auto-focus and they cost about $70. I've used them and they work fine. Auto-focus is a little iffy because of the loss of light. There are 3 to a set. I believe they were a 13, 20 and a 36. These 2 images were made with the tubes on my 80-400 VR lens.

www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home...&is=REG&A=details&Q=

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www.betterphoto.com/?ramshots
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10 years 2 months ago #343051 by effron
Don't restrict the tubes to a macro lens either, if you have a 300 f/4 for instance, slap a tube on that and be amazed...;)
Why so serious?
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10 years 2 months ago #343163 by garyrhook
Awesome; thanks, everyone!

Nice bugs, too.
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10 years 1 month ago #358563 by Luis Felipe
And finally which you one you bought?
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10 years 1 month ago #358599 by garyrhook
I haven't, as yet. Other things got in the way, including a 3 week business trip.
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10 years 1 month ago #358667 by Luis Felipe
but you decided which brand? sorry for asking, but i am in the same doubt. All my close people told me about kenko, but finally it is only a tube, without any glass, and for macro, you don´t need autofocus, so why not go with the cheaper one.....like vivitar
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10 years 1 month ago #358701 by garyrhook
There are a number of comments on Amazon about the tight fit of the Vivitar product, and that concerns me. The Kenko product is apparently made of plastic, however, which lends its own problems.

I'll probably try the Vivitar, carefully, and send them back if I run into any difficulty.
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10 years 2 weeks ago #367919 by garyrhook
Update: I bought the Vivitar set. On mly D5100 they started off snug, and I was unsure whether they fit properly. But with careful mounting they do go onto the body properly and solidly.  The first time I clicked each of them onto the body it was a bit tense, but they've all gone onto the body and 2 different lenses, and come right off again.

I like having aperture control; the AF-S is worthless on my 105 (which hunts anyway). So I consider it an opportunity to practice my manual focus skills.

I do want to spend some time with a yardstick to learn what each tube does. I need to post some pics, too.
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10 years 2 weeks ago #368095 by garyrhook
I uploaded some closeups of a small orchid, and one small cactus. For scale, the purple portion of the flower is about 7/8" across, or about 22mm.. The cactus is maybe 1" across, or so.

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I'm calling this one "The Alien in the Orchid"
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These tubes will be fun.
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10 years 2 weeks ago #368115 by JeremyS
What iso was used to shoot those shots? I'm just curious because I too am looking at a set of extension tubes. 
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10 years 2 weeks ago #368123 by garyrhook
I was also experimenting with a friend's strobe and large softbox, manually controlling the output of the strobe. . These were at mostly 100, I think 1 or 2 were at 200, and the strobe varied between 40 and 90 watt-seconds at a distance of perhaps 2 feet. The softbox was 24 x 36.
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