Need help with Macro Extension tubes

[chvenkatarajesh]

Hi,

I am new to digital photography and i started taking some decent pics with the help of my beginners camera Nikon D3100. I have 2 lens with it 18-55 VR AF & 55-200 VR AF lens. But i would like to take some cool macro photos which i couldn't really get them with my lens.

After doing some research, i found that extension tubes are good replacement for the macro lens (I can't afford a Nikon macro lens as they are expensive for me). I found out Kenko and Zeikos on net. Kenko seems to be very expensive(almost 160$, almost double the Zeikos) and Zeikos comes around 72$. Is there really a difference in these two extension tubes? If i go with Zeikos, will they work fine with both my lens?

Can someone suggest me with this? Are there any other ETs in the market that comes around the cost of Zeikos and good? Please help me out.

 

[joealcantar]

No optics involved really, basically just a spacer between camera and lens so the cheaper brand should work fine. Higher end you may have autofocus and such but ahh, just back up a little or move forward some depending on the subject.
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Shoot well, Joe

 

[chvenkatarajesh]

Today i got Zeikos AF extension tubes for my Nikon D3100 and for my disappointment, I can't set the aperture when i put on these to 18-55mm lens Autofocus is not working properly and i can't take pictures in any other mode except manual mode. Flash is also not enabled on the Manual mode. This tubes need a lot of lightening and since my flash is not enabled, i can't take indoor macro pictures. I am not satisfied with the pictures i take with these tubes.

Is this something that that tubes are not fitted properly to the lens and camera? Did anyone experienced the same with these for D3100? Need some help on what i should do.

 

[Formatted]

Be prepared to get what you pay for.

 

[Timoris]

I am working with 7$ Extension Tubes off of eBay. Works just fine for me.
No electronic connectors, of course so to set aperture, go to Aperture Priority, press the DOF preview button and disengage the lens from the camera.
Voila.

 

[shebu_18]

@Timoris: Does this not work only for canons? Nikon sets the aperture on a trigger system. Canon sets the the aperture in the lens.

@chvenkatarajesh: The ones from kenko could had the focus and aperture part in the tubes. The ones you bought don't have that so you need to focus manually, and set aperture manually. You need a D-type lens that has a aperture ring on it, a 50mm f1.8 should make the trick. The flash should work in any mode, it doesn't matter if it is auto or manual.

 

[Dusica]

I bought cheap ones from Ebay. They work just fine, but bear in mind that you will need A LOT of light and patience.

 

[DeadEye]

I would not care about the aperture,mode,and such. Shooting with tubes or bellows is done wide open for best results anyway~ Only a very small portion of the lens is used the dead center of it. Try to modify an old lens cap with a hole in it as a sort of outside iris,this will do two things beneficial,most important it will flag off the light from the unused portion of the lens that the image is not using, this light when allowed into the lens will degrade the IQ by bouncing all over the place. Shoot in Manuel mode and Manuel focus and use off camera flash. I prefer to use a tripod with a focus rail. Heck at macro a millimeter movement is huge focus difference. I remember a thread were everyone showed their macro setup,look for it.

Cheers D.E.