Kenko Extension Tubes?

spanz

New member
I recently traded in my D200 for a D810. this morning I grabbed my kenko extension tubes, and tried to do some macro photography. The lens did not autofocus. Looking closely, I noticed that my kenko tubes have 7 electrical connection tabs, while my new camera and lens have 8 electrical connection tabs at the F mount.

So...ugh, I guess need to buy a new set of extension tubes! But I looked quickly online, and tubes that purport to be compatible with the D810, in the online picture, either have 7 tabs, or I cannot see the tabs to count them!

Does anyone know a MFG/Part Number that for sure is fully compatible with the D810?
 

spanz

New member
Good questions ryan. I just noticed that the kenko tubes ARE electrically working, but that the autofocus is weirding out on me. D810 with afs nikkor 24-85mm 3.5-4.5 lens, and 12mm kenko tube. When the zoom is set between 70mm and 24 mm, the autofocus stops working, and there is no motor noise when I try to focus. Hence why I thought the tube was busted. But if I zoom 70 mm to 84 mm, the autofocus magically starts to work again. I will have to try some other lenses.

I did not have this autofocus problem before with zoom lenses and either a D200 or D300 using the kenkos. Something specific to the D810 or this one lens is doing me in
 
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GracieAllen

Senior Member
It's been a few weeks, but have you found any fully compatible extension tubes? I've had the same experience with the 800/810 and it's inability to properly autofocus with extension tubes. Nikon, of course, says "NOT our problem". Kenko never even responded to my email asking about compatibility.

What's interesting to me is that a TEN-YEAR-OLD D2X can do it. An EIGHT-YEAR-OLD D300 can do it. But a D810, generations newer and more sophisticated can't. I've tried the Nikon 70-200, the Sigma 50-500, the Nikon 28-300. Stick an extension tube on any of 'em, and the autofocus jitters like crazy, making it unusable.

So far, I haven't found any replacements that state they WILL WORK.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
I'd say you're reducing the effective aperture of the kit lens so much that there's not enough light for the AF module to function.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I'd say you're reducing the effective aperture of the kit lens so much that there's not enough light for the AF module to function.

As it works at the longest focal length so smaller full aperture its unlikely,or thats my thinking this early in the morning.
 

GracieAllen

Senior Member
Just for giggles, since the 7200 arrived Friday, I put my "standard" closeup setup together and tried it this morning. D7200, Nikon 70-200/f2.8, and a 12mm OR 36mm extension tube (tried them both). It DON'T work. It's not impossible that it's an "aperture" problem, but I suspect not - it doesn't "hunt" the way a lens does when there's not enough light to lock on. It LOCKS momentarily, then jitters back and forth very quickly through a small range of focus. Doesn't hunt end-to-end. As I said in the earlier post, I DO NOT have this problem with my venerable D300 OR my even MORE venerable D2X. So, whatever is going on has something to do with the more "current" focusing systems I believe.

Whatever it is, it's a MAJOR pain in the rectum 'cause it makes photographing butterflies and other insects MUCH more difficult.

Since, last time I checked, Nikon doesn't even HAVE extension tubes that fully couple, and Kenko, whether aware of the problem or not, doesn't appear to care to do anything, I'd like to find an alternative that WILL work. Oh, and when I talked to Nikon, they did the traditional finger point, so they're not interested either. At this point, with a D810 and a D7200 sitting on the shelf, to get good autofocus with extension tubes, I have to resort to a EIGHT-YEAR-OLD D300! That strikes me as pathetic.
 

GracieAllen

Senior Member
Actually, I sent them an email shortly after I bought the D810 and found out it didn't work with the extension tubes. Kenko never responded... I find it extremely difficult to believe that Kenko has such poor quality control that they're UNAWARE of the fact that their extension tubes don't work on at LEAST TWO current Nikon cameras.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
My question is: Why would you want to use auto-focus when doing Macro work? To me, the only way to do macro is to manually focus and then move back and forth to get the focus. If you are on a tripod, LiveView is the way to go. I have the Kenko extension tubes and to me they are fine. Now unless the D810 has a different connection layout, which would surprise me very much (the F mount is supposed to be standard).

Try the manual focus for macro and you should be happy with the tubes you've already have.
 

GracieAllen

Senior Member
Chasing a lot of dragonflies, butterflies, and other moving insects are you, Marcel? My world isn't static. And having an autofocus that works, AND does the same follow-focus that I use routinely when photographing airshows makes my job a WHOLE LOT EASIER... Yeah, when shooting flowers in the wind box where I don't have to worry about movement and I'm doing focus stacks, sure manual focus is adequate, but the next time you're out chasing bumblebees on flowers, let me know how that live view works out for you.

And by the way, it's NOT just the D810 that doesn't work. The D800 doesn't, the D7200 doesn't. And I suspect a number of OTHER Nikon bodies using the current generation of autofocus don't work.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
I gotta agree with Marcel.... manual focus is the way to go in the macro world. AF usually selects the wrong focus point, so your subject ends up being horribly out of focus. Once you learn how to simply move forward or back just a bit to nail focus, it becomes a walk in the park.
 
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