Extension Tubes

[HeldInTheMoment]

As the title says, I am looking for Extension Tubes. Anyone have any good recommendations for the best quality and price?

 

[480sparky]

Kenko.

 

[petrochemist]

Best price will probably be a set of screw together Chinese ones for about $5.
They do work OK but have no electrical contacts for controlling aperture, and are rather fiddly. (Unfortunately each mount seems to have a screw different thread so I couldn't combine 2 sets to make the adapter I wanted.)
In each of the mounts I use I've been able to pick up tubes with bayonet fittings at each stage & electrical contacts for under $50. Quality of them all have been fine - no need to worry about poor glass though I've heard some people mention reflective insides, it not an issue I've seen on any of mine.

 

[table1349]

Kenko with electrical contacts.

 

[dasmith232]

I have bought three sets of Keno tubes and three sets of non-Kenko tubes. All three of the Kenko tubes have been a perfect fit in any combination on every lens. All three of the knock-off tunes have been limited in some way as to what order they could be stacked in or which lenses they would even attach to.

Why three sets of Kenko? My first set was before digital (full frame film). My second set was an attempt to get a crop set*. But I got another set of full frames. I never got around to returning them. But I still wanted a set of crop compatible tubes. So now I started buying cheap tubes that weren't even worth returning. Finally, I bought what I should have from the beginning: Kenko.

(This is on Canon where the crop lenses won't mount on a full frame body.)

 

[Derrel]

I bought na used Kenko AF set fifteen years ago...they still work great! I've found very little need for the longest of the three tubes, however.

I've heard that the ProOptic brand, sold by Adorama the last tiume I saw them, is also pretty well-made and quite decent.

I would not really want to use the el-cheapo, no-contacts type of extension tubes from the non-branded China manufacturers, especially with AF lenses and modern d-slr cameras.

I have used Nikon's pre-AI era, no contacts, M-2 extension ring, and that worked okay.

 

[nerwin]

Kenkos, Kenkos & Kenkos.

 

[OGsPhotography]

I have a set from a brand called Apurture, similar pricing to Kenko. Very sturdy and highly recommended from my nearby 400 km away brick and mortar.

 

[Derrel]

The Vello set for $79.95, found from the above link from gryphonslair99, looked to me like a decent metal tube alternative to the Kenko set., which is now around $124 or so--about where it has been priced for the last decade. Keep in mind--there are now a lot of plastic extension tube sets, and some brands have a choice of plastic at $49, or metal at around $65 or so.

Some vendors used to sell extension tubes as single units: the 12 and the 20mm are THE most-useful with most real-world lenses like 70-200 or 85mm etc; the two paired make 32mm extension. The long, 36mm tube is one that just is not all that uself for me--it's just too doggone much extension most of the time.

Some lenses will not function with extension tubes that are very long: short focal length lenses can quite easily have the MFD moved up to within the inside of the lens itself! This is especially common with like a 12mm tube on a 24-70mm lens; only the longer focal length range of the lens will actually allow you to focus on an object. For this reason, Nikon used to make some ultra-short K-ring sets, with very, very small amounts of extension, like as I recall 5.8mm as the very-longest of the five-ring set. These were for lenses from 28mm to 200mm if my memory is right.

It is likely that all you'll really need is a 12 or 13mm ring, and a 20mm ring. Some used to have 13mm, other brands had 12mm as the "short" tube.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Kenkos got the best reviews on my own research and the replies here agree, Kenkos it is!

THANKS AGAIN ALL!!!!!

 

[unpopular]

I have some Fotasy adapters. They're super inexpensive, yet extremely well made. Prob the best chinese adapters I've run across.

If they have extension tubes, they're probably pretty solid.

 

[table1349]

Kenkos got the best reviews on my own research and the replies here agree, Kenkos it is!

THANKS AGAIN ALL!!!!!

One of the nice things about the kenkos, they hold their value well so if you decide you don't like macro you can recoup most of your money.

If you end up liking macro and eventually get a dedicated macro lens keep the tubes. You can use them in combination to get closer than 1:1.

 

[LWW]

KENKO AF for the win.

 

[LWW]

Kenkos got the best reviews on my own research and the replies here agree, Kenkos it is!

THANKS AGAIN ALL!!!!!

One of the nice things about the kenkos, they hold their value well so if you decide you don't like macro you can recoup most of your money.

If you end up liking macro and eventually get a dedicated macro lens keep the tubes. You can use them in combination to get closer than 1:1.

Id never thought of selling them, but I looked at the new price and the $50.00 I paid about 15 years ago makes that seem realistic.