ecwoods Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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Hello everyone!
I primarily shoot macro (See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ellenwoods) with a Nikon D300 and the dedicated 105 mm. I've used Kenko extension tubes for three years now, but they've become incredibly shoddy. I primarily used just the 36 mm, as I did not like the bend when all three tubes were stacked, but it has been cantankerous and no longer registers electronically with the camera, at least not without directly supporting the weight of the 105 mm. (Shooting handheld is not a solution and even the smallest movements handheld cause loss of contact.)
I decided to breakout the 12 and 20 mm tubes and stack them, thinking that 32 mm would be close enough to 36 mm, especially given the 105 mm focal length of the lens. They do not function properly either, though the problem is much different. Despite infrequent use and showing no signs of cosmetic damage, the DOF was wacky (the image looked tilt-shifted), and the littlest bit of flash would overexpose the image. I thought I was going crazy for the longest time. I then tried using someone's extension tubes (also 12, 20 and 36 mm) to diagnose the problem, and they all worked just fine.
I unfortunately do not remember the brand I tried, but I was hoping to solicit help with finding another set of fully automatic extension tubes from a brand that is NOT Kenko. Considering the cost and the fact that they've failed, I see no reason to replace them. I've browsed around and have seen brands that are comparable in price (Promaster, ProOptic, Aputure, Vello, Polaroid, Vivitar), but I was wondering if anyone had first hand experience and could recommend one a set based on quality (i.e. good electronic contact, sturdy, metal, dark inside). Thank you.
I've looked at many posts, and it also seemed to be a post about Kenko versus Brand XYZ. I did not find a post that specifically addressed all the other competitors in relation to one another and this is the information I seek! Thank you!
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