Macro extension tubes!

• scotty38886

  Member

  July 1, 2009 at 11:37 am

  i have a 70-300mm lens and a 18-55mm lens and i really like macro but obviously can’t afford a proper macro lens but i saw this on e-bay can anyone please tell me if these are a gimmick or will they give me some kind of a boost?

  here is the link

  http://cgi.ebay.ie/Macro-Extension-Tube-for-Nikon-D70s-D80-D40-D200-D60-D3_W0QQitemZ370216673707QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Photography_DigitalCamAccess_RL?hash=item5632a221ab&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A27|66%3A2|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50
  PD_BARBS

  Participant

  July 1, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  I use a set of these, and they are hard work. It enables you to get closer focus to the subject, but you can only manual focus using them. Depending on your budget, I would look at picking up a set of Kenko tubes or a Raynox DCR250.

  These are alright for a play around with, but I find them very frustrating and getting a decent shot is hard, but for a few quid, worth a try.
  PeteW

  Member

  July 1, 2009 at 1:11 pm

  I’ve just taken delivery of the same set of tubes, we’ll have to compare results !! One thing you will need though is a lens with an aperture ring on it as all electrical contact between lens and camera is lost on the ones I got.
  scotty38886

  Member

  July 1, 2009 at 2:14 pm

  lol ok, how do i know if i have an apeture ring on my lens, its a sigma 70-300mm apo
  pft

  Member

  July 1, 2009 at 4:17 pm

  PeteW wrote:

  I’ve just taken delivery of the same set of tubes, we’ll have to compare results !! One thing you will need though is a lens with an aperture ring on it as all electrical contact between lens and camera is lost on the ones I got.

  You can get around this by turning on the camera, setting the desired aperture, hold down the aperture preview button on the lens while removing the lens. This fixes the aperture on the lens allowing you to attach the extension tube. Problem is you have to repeat if you want to change the aperture.

  I’ve had a few good shots with extension tubes on a 450D with 18-55mm lens, but they are a bit of a pain to use. Well worth it if you want to experiment with macro without a big outlay.

  
  PeteW

  Member

  July 2, 2009 at 12:37 pm

  Scotty,

  I’ve just posted some results of my initial muck around with these tubes –

  https://www.photographyireland.net/viewtopic.php?t=30690

  -pete
  plainoldme

  Member

  July 3, 2009 at 6:23 pm

  So if you were to use this kinda thing with say, a 50mm 1.8, manual focus, you shouldn’t have a problem right?