Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
08-30-2018, 04:29 PM   #1
Junior Member




Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 35
extension tubes

i there a way to build your own extension tubes?

08-30-2018, 04:51 PM   #2
Moderator
Not a Number's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Venice, CA
Posts: 10,509
I don't know why you would want to but certainly you could. You just need male and female bayonets and some way to attach tubes to them. If you want auto-tubes (with aperture lever) or KA contacts or AF then you have your work really cut out for you.

Anything is possible depending on the resources you have. 3D printing could make things simpler than machining parts by hand. You'll still need to do that if you want AF. Or gut old cameras, teleconverters, and lenses for parts.

The time and money spent you could probably just buy a good set of tubes or bellows.
08-30-2018, 05:01 PM   #3
Pentaxian
ChristianRock's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: People's Republic of America
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 9,895
Tubes aren't expensive, I don't think it would be worth the effort and you probably don't have the precision required for the connections.

Inverter rings are even cheaper and I find that they work well with some lenses such as the M 50 1.7.
08-30-2018, 05:02 PM - 1 Like   #4
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
carabez's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Cinco de Mayo
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 782
QuoteOriginally posted by jaq68 Quote
i there a way to build your own extension tubes?
I have a Sears Zoom with fungus in the front element and have an old ZF10 camera. With that both I'll make a home made "helicoidal tube ext"

I think that only removing all the stuff inside the Zoom lens and attaching the mount of the ZF10 in the front will do the job.

Let's see how it goes.

08-30-2018, 05:04 PM   #5
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
twilhelm's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Florida
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,369
Basic 3 piece tube sets can be had on ebay for $10 to $20.
08-30-2018, 05:09 PM - 1 Like   #6
Pentaxian
disconnekt's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SoCal/I.E.
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,698
Good chance that your local library has a 3d printer, so you can just 3d print them there if you need it in a pinch, you can find the design on thingiverse.com here: macro extension tube for pentax by jeebs08 - Thingiverse
08-30-2018, 05:29 PM - 2 Likes   #7
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
jatrax's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cascades
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,991
Simple way is to buy an old teleconverter and take the glass out.

08-30-2018, 06:29 PM   #8
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,171
QuoteOriginally posted by jaq68 Quote
i there a way to build your own extension tubes?
The cheap Chinese tubes screw together. You might be able to replace sections easily. Also cheap A series teleconverter can be deglassed to form an extension tube that maintains A series function.
08-31-2018, 01:18 AM   #9
Pentaxian




Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,306
Don't know what camera you are using, if you are going to buy the tube better get one that has electrical contacts and AF shaft so that it will work with all models, mine is a de-glassed old teleconvertor.


QuoteOriginally posted by jaq68 Quote
i there a way to build your own extension tubes?
08-31-2018, 01:45 AM - 1 Like   #10
pid
Pentaxian




Join Date: Jan 2010
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 566
QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Simple way is to buy an old teleconverter and take the glass out.

this often vignettes on FF but is fine for APS-C
08-31-2018, 03:07 AM   #11
Junior Member




Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 35
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by carabez Quote
I have a Sears Zoom with fungus in the front element and have an old ZF10 camera. With that both I'll make a home made "helicoidal tube ext"

I think that only removing all the stuff inside the Zoom lens and attaching the mount of the ZF10 in the front will do the job.

Let's see how it goes.
let me know how it goes
08-31-2018, 11:18 AM - 1 Like   #12
Pentaxian




Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Jersey C.I.
Posts: 3,573
The cheap tubes that screw together also jam together and being so flimsy can be a pig to get apart 'cos as soon as you grip them tightly they distort and jam even harder ... just my experience, YMMV
08-31-2018, 12:04 PM   #13
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,171
QuoteOriginally posted by kypfer Quote
The cheap tubes that screw together also jam together and being so flimsy can be a pig to get apart 'cos as soon as you grip them tightly they distort and jam even harder ... just my experience, YMMV
No problems at all for me. Maybe I'm babying them? I also use my DFA 100 WR more.
08-31-2018, 12:25 PM   #14
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
jatrax's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cascades
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,991
QuoteOriginally posted by pid Quote
his often vignettes on FF but is fine for APS-C
Not my experience but I would assume different TCs would behave differently depending on how the glass is able to be removed.
08-31-2018, 12:29 PM - 1 Like   #15
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,171
QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Not my experience but I would assume different TCs would behave differently depending on how the glass is able to be removed.
Since have smaller openings I'd guess. Also stacking several together might add to the issue. Of course adding some good glass back in (1.4x A rear converter) would possibly spread out the light enough to offset the tunnel effect. At the cost of some light.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
camera, dslr, duy, extension, extension tube, macro, photography, tubes
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
For Sale - Sold: (2) Sets of Asahi M42 extension tubes in their original cases. gsrokmix Sold Items 6 05-25-2017 03:56 PM
buy extension tubes for macrophotography with Pentax K100 D camera Govind Datar Visitors' Center 3 10-13-2016 12:15 PM
Macro How many sets of extension tubes to start with, please bladerunner6 Photographic Technique 4 01-02-2015 09:09 AM
Extension Tubes - Recommendations? Javaslinger Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 16 09-04-2012 05:00 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:57 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top