RFI: Extension tube

[Andy]

Has anyone actually used an extension tube on a D70 with a non-digital lens? I use my 80-200 f2.8 a lot, but I want a closer working distance with it. I was in Hong Kong last month and figured I would pick one up. Well, almost every shop I went into said I can't use an extension tube  on the D70. They had no explanation as to why a film camera is different from a digital regarding an extension tube. And I don't understand why it would not work. I figure, as far as the camera is concerned, so long as the tube properly (it does have contacts) couples the lens to the body, it doesn't matter if the body is an F90 or D70. Am I missing something?

[Brian Bailey]

I don't know about Nikon, but Canon makes their extension tubes usable only on certain lenses (not sure about bodies).  Third party tubes don't share this limitation.

Have you tried http://photo.net/community/forums ?  It has probably come up in one of the Nikon forums.

BB

[Wulff]

Im a canon owner myself but the cameras are similiar enough that Im surprised to read that.

Canon TCs wont function properly (AF) with lenses whos widest aperature is less than 5.6. You have to use manual focus or tape the pins as a work around. Some 3rd party TCs will work but slugishly if the resulting max aperature  but they will work. So the issue there is the lens not the body.

Not sure about tubes, thats the first ive heard.

I had a quick look at Nikons site and noticed a couple things. Like Canon, Nikon appears to use a lens designation that denotes whether or not the lens is digital only, or digital and slr. For Canon they use the desigination EF and EFS.

Nikon from their site uses AF-S and AF AF-I designations. If Im not mistaken *only* a lens with the AF-S designation is solely for use with D SLRS.

The Nikon TCs say they are designed for AF-S and AF-I lenses so I would think youd be fine.

I couldnt locate tubes but I see no reason why theyd be different.

http://www.nikon.ca/lensesandspeedlights/
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[Andy]

Two Canon owners, eh? I am outnumbered. I must remember that when I want to start a Nikon vs. Canon war...  Thanks for the replies. I am glad that I am not the only one that can't see why the tubes would not work with the proper body/lens combo. I bought a Kenko 2X converter and, other than softening the images a titch, it works just fine. I'll get the extension tube and give it a try. I can always use it on my film Nikons if the D70 balks. I should have thought of this before.... :mrgreen:

[Kin Lau]

Not really D vs F, but the D70 was deliberately crippled by Nikon to not allow metering in certain circumstances, such as with MF lenses. No real technical reasons except marketing. The D200 is the 1st non-pro (ie D1? D2?) body to meter with older lenses.

I believe the Kenko Tubes workaround the problem with some trickery.

disclaimer: I don't use Nikon either.

[CK]

Andy,
If you haven't already done so, you might want to log onto www.nikonians.org.
There are numerous conferences there, indcluding ones specific to D70 users as well as lens and other equipment-related conferences. In addition there are specific conferences for wildlife, landscape, micro/macro shooters, wedding, glamour, etc. It is an excellent site and there is no fee for registration or posting unless you want to start posting photographs. There have been several postings related to tubes and teleconverters, and you can use there search engine to read earlier postings.
Hope this is helpful,
CK