hi all

i have a bit of a rookie question. I bought an (admittedly cheap) extension tube, but my D5100 doesn't like it. It tells me that there is no lens attached when I use it. Is there something I have to turn off in the camera? I didn't get one with AF and bells and whistles since I was going to use it for macro and I don't use af anyway.. maybe I should have just splashed out.

any ideas? the extension tube is a Nikon brand one... my macro lens is a Tamron, but it didn't work with the standard nikkor either...

It's cheap because it doesn't work on most modern cameras! I'd guess it's a PK-13 or PN-11? At any rate, the problem is that this extension tube is just that: a tube. It has no mechanism for transmitting aperture settings from the lens, and since the camera now does not know how the lens is operating, it can't meter.

The only extension tubes that will meter on your camera are the ones from Kenko. They have the required electrical contacts to meter.

The old Nikon tubes are very well made but they only work on cameras that can meter with non-CPU lenses, basically the D300, D7000 and the FX ones.

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Brian... a bicoastal Nikonian and Team Member

My gallery is online. Comments and critique welcomed any time!

Ah, thanks Brian.

I'll look at the Kenkos..

anyone wanna buy a cheap extension tube?

Which Nikon tube do you have? I might be interested.

Alan

>Ah, thanks Brian.
>
>I'll look at the Kenkos..
>
>anyone wanna buy a cheap extension tube?

Just to add to what Brian said, the Kenko tubes will autofocus with all nikon AF and AFS lenses provided your camera body supports both type lenses. Of course AF is not very useful when taking macro photos with tubes. However it is useful if you want to use AF on longer lenses just to reduce the lens to subject distance.

Len

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Hi Tash,

Since the extension tube has no connections with the camera body you must use a lens that has an Aperture Ring (like your Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD Macro) and set the camera in Manual Exposure mode and Manual ISO. The extension tubes will not work with G-Type lenses that do not have Aperture Rings.

The cameras meter will not work so you will have to use a hand held Light Meter or the Trial and Error method (using the cameras histogram) to set the exposure. It isn't as hard as it sounds.

You will have to set the Aperture (f/#) on the lens via the aperture ring and the shutter speed and ISO on the camera body.
Focus the lens before you stop down the aperture because the more you stop down the aperture the darker the viewfinder will get.
Good Luck and Enjoy your Nikons!

Best Regards,
Marty

you've just made my cheap tube useful.. thanks you! (This will also force me to use manual mode - a good thing)