How to use macro extension tube

Boomer

New member
I feel pretty foolish. I purchased a Fotodiox Nikon Macro Extension Tube Set to play around with extreme close-up macro shots. I realized these tubes are basically plastic tubes and the lens isn't electrically connected to the camera. I also realized that I'd have to manually focus.

Ok - what I didn't think about is that none of my lenses have manual f-stop setting (Nikon 18-55, 55-300, and 35mm fixed). No electricity means no f-stop setting. Looking at the image, I' guessing the lens' default to an almost completely closed aperture.

Am I missing something or do you have to have a manual lens to use macro extension tubes?

It only cost me $7.95 so it's not a tragedy if I screwed up.
 

gfinlayson

Senior Member
Manual extension tubes will only work with lenses that have an aperture ring. Depending on your camera body, even if you have an aperture ring on your lens, the body may not meter correctly/at all. Kenko do a set of auto-extension tubes which communicate all of the electronic info between the lens and the body so will work with G lenses, but they're considerably more expensive.
 
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