Extension tube black-out: Using a Tamron 90 mm on my D750 today all went well but when I put a Nikon PK-3 27.5 mm extension tube on the shutter sounded like it worked but the shots...

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

Using a Tamron 90 mm on my D750 today all went well but when I put a Nikon PK-3 27.5 mm extension tube on the shutter sounded like it worked but the shots were black. The camera was set on f8 but the f-stop indicated was a right triangle next to F0. Is the camera incompatible with this tube or is something else going on? Your help is appreciated. Alan

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Alan, the Nikon extension tubes are manual only, I know PK-13 set is( just checked them). Try setting the camera to manual ( all manual).
While they are heavy and manual they are of great quality,I have a set of Kenko tubes that caused me nothing but aggravation ie. losing the electronic connection and in my opinion junk.
Frank

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

If this is like the equivalent situation in Canon with manual extension tubes, you will need to set the aperture of the lens first before you re-mount the lens onto the tubes. Otherwise the lens will shoot wide open.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

If this is like the equivalent situation in Canon with manual extension tubes, you will need to set the aperture of the lens first before you re-mount the lens onto the tubes. Otherwise the lens will shoot wide open.

You may have to do as you said, but I don't remember doing that. Just tested my Nikon tubes had no problem with how the aperture was set when mounting the lens to camera, first mounted the tube to the lens, mounted lens/tube to camera, set the lens to M and then set the camera to manual, bingo tried a shot no problems.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

If this is like the equivalent situation in Canon with manual extension tubes, you will need to set the aperture of the lens first before you re-mount the lens onto the tubes. Otherwise the lens will shoot wide open.

Yes. You must have bought a set of the same junk I did. Good for the lesson.
I think I do the same when reversing lenses. Turn on camera with lens mounted, select the aperture. Slowly remove lens WITH POWER ON.
BILL

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

Thank you for your suggestion, that was something I neglected to mention, both the lens and the camera were set to manual. I appreciate the reply.

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

If this is like the equivalent situation in Canon with manual extension tubes, you will need to set the aperture of the lens first before you re-mount the lens onto the tubes. Otherwise the lens will shoot wide open.

Thanks Mark I will try your suggestion.

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

Manglesphoto wrote:

You may have to do as you said, but I don't remember doing that. Just tested my Nikon tubes had no problem with how the aperture was set when mounting the lens to camera, first mounted the tube to the lens, mounted lens/tube to camera, set the lens to M and then set the camera to manual, bingo tried a shot no problems.

I had mounted the tube to the camera first so will try your process later today. Thanks for the reply.

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

newtoyou wrote:

Yes. You must have bought a set of the same junk I did. Good for the lesson.
I think I do the same when reversing lenses. Turn on camera with lens mounted, set the f. Slowly remove lens WITH POWER ON.
BILL

Thanks Bill I will give it a try. Alan

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Alan Wolslegel wrote:

I had mounted the tube to the camera first so will try your process later today. Thanks for the reply.

I tried both ways with the same results.
The PK tubes have no electronic connections (pins) you camera has to be set to manual focus, the aperture has to be set manually, the shutter speed I think can be controlled with the wheel on the camera.
If I'M wrong please correct me.
Frank

tinusbum Loc: east texas

Manglesphoto wrote:

I have a set of Kenko tubes that caused me nothing but aggravation ie. losing the electronic connection and in my opinion junk.
Frank

i always used vello tubes,everyone was always saying kenko were the best and all others were inferior.i finally bought a set of kenko,they cost more but imo they were no better or worse than the vello.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

I have never tried Kenko tubes. I just got a much cheaper brand (Neewer maybe). I expect they feel more plasticy than Kenkos, but they work ok. I say 'ok' because they will fail to let communications through every once in a while (maybe every 5X I mount them or so). But I just carefully detach and remount each tube, hearing the 'click' as they lock in place. And then they work. I suppose Kenkos would be more reliable but I really don't mind the issue.

I am not sure if there is a difference here between Canon and Nikon, but in Canon when using manual tubes you need to mount the lens on first, have the aperture set to what you want, and then push the 'preview' button. This closes the aperture to that setting. You then unmount the lens while the camera is still powered on and this leaves the lens at that aperture setting. You finally put on the tubes. This is sufficiently tedious and unnerving that i could never get too interested in using manual tubes or in reversing a lens.

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

I just tried everyone’s suggestions and in every combination And still get just black. Very disappointing to have issues with Nikon tubes but that’s life. My son just got Kenko tubes and the same body so I’ll have him try them and see if he has the same problem. Thank you all again for your help.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Not really enough info... What was your shutter speed? Was it at sync speed or slower? I shoot Nikon and I have no issues either. I mention the shutter speed in case you are using flash as too fast a shutter speed can blacken out an image... I doubt it's the gear. Most times it's operator error... Been there, done that....

Alan Wolslegel Loc: Thurston County, Washington

Screamin Scott wrote:

Not really enough info... What was your shutter speed? Was it at sync speed or slower? I shoot Nikon and I have no issues either. I mention the shutter speed in case you are using flash as too fast a shutter speed can blacken out an image... I doubt it's the gear. Most times it's operator error... Been there, done that....

Most likely is operator error lol, but it is the same result with and without flash. Thanks.