Vello Auto Extension Tube Set focus issues

I recently bought the Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Nikon, and I'm having trouble figuring it out! I've attached each of the 3 extension tubes to my AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1.8G and AF-S Nikkor 85mm 1.8G lenses (on my D7100) individually, and rarely can I get a macro photo in focus. Most of the time, neither lens will focus at all, in either Auto or Manual focus modes.

I've Googled my heart out to find help and come up empty handed. Can anyone please provide guidance/instructions? Perhaps I'm not standing at the correct distance for the shots, but I've also varied my distance and still been unable to focus. Really don't want to return this kit - would love to get it to work for me!

Thanks!

elysejankowski said:

I recently bought the Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Nikon, and I'm having trouble figuring it out! I've attached each of the 3 extension tubes to my AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1.8G and AF-S Nikkor 85mm 1.8G lenses (on my D7100) individually, and rarely can I get a macro photo in focus. Most of the time, neither lens will focus at all, in either Auto or Manual focus modes.

I've Googled my heart out to find help and come up empty handed. Can anyone please provide guidance/instructions? Perhaps I'm not standing at the correct distance for the shots, but I've also varied my distance and still been unable to focus. Really don't want to return this kit - would love to get it to work for me!

Thanks!

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With extension tubes, the lens focus ring has very little effect. Instead, you have to focus by moving either the camera or the subject back and forth, until you find the spot where it is in focus. This is a main use of the focus rails. We can often do the same by putting the subject on a board, which we can slide back and forth.

The 85mm f/1.8G is a great lens, but it doesn't focus nearly as close as I'd like it to, and even with the extension tubes shortening that distance you may not be able to get it to focus as closely as you'd like. With the tubes on, it should at least focus on something, but as Wayne says, with tubes you usually want to use rails or camera movement once you get in close. Even with my 105mm macro, when I'm handholding it's an interesting proposition when I get real close.

Yes to what Wayne and BackDoorHippie said. If you really want to get into macro photography, this bellows and rail thingy is what you need to get. Not only can you focus, the front also can tilt and shift to take care of perspective correction. The problem with using just extension tubes is that they are of fixed length and for every length, there's just one focus position and the adjustment of the lens itself is but a micro portion of the travel needed to get the focus correct.