ext tube weird problem

Gemkutter

New member
Hello and thanks for having me as a member. I am a real photonoob, just starting to learn so please bear with me.
I facet gemstones and am having a fit trying to photo them.
I just got a set of 3 extension tubes, no name brand, they fit and seem well made. All aluminum with matte black finish, probably anodized. But when I put any combination of tubes on the camera I get this array thru the viewfinder.
Doesnt matter if its turned on or not, doesnt matter what I aim it at, its always there. It still takes pics fine, but rather hard to focus with this in the way.
There is a center dot, always red, surrounded by 6 white dots, then the rest kind of grey/bluish. All in a perfect honeycomb pattern. It only shows up with the ext. tubes, with either one of my 2 lenses. Looks to me like a multiple reflection of the aperture opening.
I took the gem picture below with the pattern in the way. Not too bad, but the stone is the size of a penny. For small ones I cant tell if its focused because of all the visual interference from this pattern in the viewfinder. Kind of like looking thru a wet screen.
Again, the camera works just fine without the ext. tube or tubes. Mirror clean, nothing loose.

I will stop rambling now and wait for some hopefully professional advice from you guys and girls.

Nick, Stuck in SC


 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
The pattern you are talking about is the focus pattern that you see in the viewfinder. If you'd switch to manual focus you won't see them anymore. Or change your focus to single point and you'll only get one point in the middle or somewhere else if you select to.

Have you read your manual to see how the camera works. The different focusing options would explain all this.
 

Gemkutter

New member
The focus is on manual. The online manual is a joke. How do I change the focus point? I have the dial set on M and the a-m on the lens to M
 

Gemkutter

New member
This camera was given to me to photo my gems to help sell them. In the menu 'focus mode' is not available when the dial is on M, I think
 
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