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Photography Question 

Radha
 

Regarding extension tubes


Hi, well, its me again :-) Anyways, I looked up extension tubes on amazon and they have the Nikon PK-12 Ai Auto Extension Tube 14mm. I have a Nikon D70 and a 18-70mm 3.5-4.5 lens. Can anyone tell me if the above mentiones extension tube is compatible with the lens I have? And what are your opinions on the above mentioned extension tube capabilities?

Thanks,
Radha


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April 12, 2006

 

Michael H. Cothran
  Radha,
I'd suggest contacting Nikon's Technical Support directly. If you're in the US, the number is 1-800-NIKONUS. They can provide you with accurate information about any Nikon product, and how they work together. My suspicion is that it will mount, but nullify your metering capabilities on cameras such as the D50, D70, N80, etc, but should allow metering on the F6, F100, and D2X. In addition, a 14mm extension tube is going to be somewhat mild in effect on most lenses.

Now...here's a little information on extension tubes (that I can speak of with authority) to help you decide which one(s) to purchase.

The length of an extension tube is directly related to the focal length of your lens in terms of how close the lens/tube combo will focus.
Any given lens requires an extension equal to its focal length to achieve 1:1. For example, with a 70mm lens, you would need 70mm worth of extension to reach 1:1. 35mm of extension (1/2 the focal length) would yield 1:2 magnification. A 14mm extension tube combined with your lens @ 70mm would yield a magnification of 1:5 (70 divided by 14). Not too close, but it really depends on just how close you want to get to whatever you're focusing.
There are lots of off-brand extension tubes sold usually in sets of 3. Since there is no glass involved, it makes no real difference (in my opinion) whether it is Nikon brand, or some other brand. You might want to check out some of these offerings, as you'll undoubtedly get more extension for your money this way.
FYI - you can pile on as many extension tubes as you like - however there does come a point when the rig becomes a little wobbly and unwieldy.
Michael H. Cothran


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April 12, 2006

 

Radha
  Hi Michael,
Thanks once again for your response. I shall call Nikon and see what they have to say.

Radha


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April 12, 2006

 
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