Extension Tubes

[digiman]

I am going to buy a set of extension tubes in the next few days. I just wondered if there was anything I should look out for? Is it the age old saying that you get what you pay for? I have seen sets on ebay varying from around £15 to around £50 for what looks to me to be exactly the same product. Having no optics in them, my question is, what can go wrong?? I guess the AF would be the main thing. But i would assume MF would be preferable anyway.
Just wondered what you thought,

Cheers,

Garry

[CountDavid]

Re: Extension Tubes

Hi Garry- as you say as there is no glass involved that quality issue is out of the way.
The main thing I think is to be sure you have connectivity from the camera body to the lens you will stick on the end of the tubes or tubes. I use mainly MF with my tubes (an old Jessops set) but you still need the connectivity to get the body to shut the lens down to whatever aperture you use.
Good luck with this extension to your kit

David

[Alan_H]

Re: Extension Tubes

Garry, at my camera club one of the members had a set which she had bought on E Bay and the quality was far from good and one tube would not lock on, I had a set of Jessops which were about £70 a long time ago and I don't know if Jessops still do their own brand Canon as with everything is over priced but I think the Kenko ones would be my choice now

Alan

[the black fox]

Re: Extension Tubes

i have had in the past a pair of canon ones they worked fine and felt nice on ,but i now have a set of the chinese made full A/F ones cost the princely sum of £17 off of e/bay a couple of years ago ,do exactly the same job ,never had a problem with them .the only think to watch for is the lens release lever can be knocked a bit to easily for my liking .but photograph wise no difference at all

[digiman]

Re: Extension Tubes

Thanks all for your input. I hadn't considered the connectivity side. I guess if I bought a set, I could try them, if I wasn't satisfied, I send them back. The lens release would be a concern if that seemed loose or easily activated.

[DrJon]

Re: Extension Tubes

I always thought Kenko were a good place to start looking at Extension tubes as they tend to be well made and have electronic contacts, so at least compare anything else you're looking at against them.

[CountDavid]

Re: Extension Tubes

I hadn't considered the connectivity side.

Garry - some of the cheapo ones are just tubes - a bit like a plastic version of a toilet roll centre. You need to be sure that the contact points are there and are the canon pattern too.

David

[digiman]

Re: Extension Tubes

Thanks guys for the info,

Garry

[Iron Man]

Re: Extension Tubes

Another vote for the Kenko tubes......mine are still going strong after 6 years.

[the black fox]

Re: Extension Tubes

the cheap ones i got from e-bay do the same job ,the contacts are gold plated brass ,they have a nice red rim on each tube as i said i would take care with the release switch ,but its something you tend to use for a specific job then probably not use again for another year so no great problem if your aware of it .i have had mine a couple of years and used them once

[El Sid]

Re: Extension Tubes

Do you have any EF-s lenses? A lot of the cheap tubes are EF only and can't be used with EF-s glass. The latest Kenko ones are claimed to be EF-s compatible