Macro tubes with electric contacts

Macro tubes with electric contacts · **1 Like**

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A set of Jessop macro tubes with electrical contacts has popped up on eBay. These are pretty rare. Last time I saw a set was over a year ago in Indonesia (and I bought them

). Nice snag for someone wanting to use modern lenses that need to talk to the camera for aperture control:

3x Macro Close Up Extension Tube Set 13 21 31mm Pentax PKA fit jessop branded | eBay

SSGGeezer · 06-21-2019, 12:12 PM

Only problem is that additional 25 dollars for the Royal Mail to send them here. The listing detail says for Nikon so they are obviously not Pentax fans.

**sbh** · 06-21-2019, 04:09 PM

Thanks for the hint. Already ended. Would have bought it right away.

**clickclick** · 06-21-2019, 05:37 PM - **2 Likes**

Welcome. Hope whoever got them frequents here.

**RKKS08** · 06-22-2019, 06:53 AM

I had looked for these for years, no offers or offered at crazy prices..

Then I started to have a close look at each picture on eBay.
And about a year ago there was one, offered just as "auto", with very low quality pictures, but there seemed to be contacts, difficult to see.

And I was right: noname in Pentax design, looking unused in perfect condition, and working flawlessly.
I think I won the auction (Gixen!) with about EUR 20. I know I was lucky.
.

sculptor666 · 06-22-2019, 08:32 AM

kenko makes some too, but all the tubes with contacts they i've tried vignette on ff (once stacked) and will have a haze in the center too(once stacked). the best ones are the pentax branded tubes... no contacts, but they have aperture linkage, and i shoot in M mode for macro anyway. no vingetting and no haze no matter how many get stacked. unfortunately they require a lens with an aperture ring.

**sbh** · 06-22-2019, 04:22 PM

Originally posted by sculptor666

kenko makes some too, but all the tubes with contacts they i've tried vignette on ff (once stacked) and will have a haze in the center too(once stacked). the best ones are the pentax branded tubes... no contacts, but they have aperture linkage, and i shoot in M mode for macro anyway. no vingetting and no haze no matter how many get stacked. unfortunately they require a lens with an aperture ring.

I'd like to use it pimarily with the DA*60-250 and the DFA*50 on K-1. I've tried some cheap manual rings without contacts but it's no good. The 60-250 has no aperture ring and the 50 doesn't even have the aperture mechanics any more.

Stacking them isn't my use case but rather just get a bit closer than the minimum focussing distance. The 60-250 has an impressive 1+m (3.x ft) of minimum distance. I'd be fine with the small ring.

Unfortunately all the ebay listings are without electrical contacts.

sculptor666 · 06-22-2019, 06:51 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by sbh

I'd like to use it pimarily with the DA*60-250 and the DFA*50 on K-1. I've tried some cheap manual rings without contacts but it's no good. The 60-250 has no aperture ring and the 50 doesn't even have the aperture mechanics any more.

Stacking them isn't my use case but rather just get a bit closer than the minimum focussing distance. The 60-250 has an impressive 1+m (3.x ft) of minimum distance. I'd be fine with the small ring.

Unfortunately all the ebay listings are without electrical contacts.

you could de-glass a teleconverter(some are available with all contacts for dfa50), but the holes are almost always very small... work on crop camera ok, but stacking them leads to pretty harsh hazing in the center, vingette on ff. i haven't tried de-glassing this particular teleconverter though:

Pentax K Mount Takumar 2x Teleconverter | eBay

no af, but has aperture control for 60-250... looks like opening is marginally bigger than 3rd party. here's one of the teleconverters with af contacts:

Kenko Pz-AF 1.5x Teleplus DG Teleconverter For Pentax K Mount | eBay

Not a Number · 06-22-2019, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by sculptor666

kenko makes some too, but all the tubes with contacts they i've tried vignette on ff (once stacked) and will have a haze in the center too(once stacked). the best ones are the pentax branded tubes... no contacts, but they have aperture linkage, and i shoot in M mode for macro anyway. no vingetting and no haze no matter how many get stacked. unfortunately they require a lens with an aperture ring.

Once upon a time I did some research which seemed to indicate Jessup's is/was a distributor of Kenko equipment which lead me to speculate the Jessup's tubes are actually rebadged Kenkos.

sculptor666 · 06-22-2019, 08:37 PM

Originally posted by Not a Number

Once upon a time I did some research which seemed to indicate Jessup's is/was a distributor of Kenko equipment which lead me to speculate the Jessup's tubes are actually rebadged Kenkos.

they are different than my kenko extension tubes, which look like this:

Kenko 36mm Automatic Extension Tube, Pentax KA/KAF Mount | eBay

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06-21-2019, 12:12 PM	#2
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Only problem is that additional 25 dollars for the Royal Mail to send them here. The listing detail says for Nikon so they are obviously not Pentax fans.

06-21-2019, 04:09 PM	#3
sbh Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Black Forest, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 849	Thanks for the hint. Already ended. Would have bought it right away.

06-21-2019, 05:37 PM - 2 Likes	#4
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,903 Original Poster	Welcome. Hope whoever got them frequents here.

06-22-2019, 06:53 AM	#5
RKKS08 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main Posts: 1,241	I had looked for these for years, no offers or offered at crazy prices.. Then I started to have a close look at each picture on eBay. And about a year ago there was one, offered just as "auto", with very low quality pictures, but there seemed to be contacts, difficult to see. And I was right: noname in Pentax design, looking unused in perfect condition, and working flawlessly. I think I won the auction (Gixen!) with about EUR 20. I know I was lucky. .

06-22-2019, 08:32 AM	#6
sculptor666 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 675	kenko makes some too, but all the tubes with contacts they i've tried vignette on ff (once stacked) and will have a haze in the center too(once stacked). the best ones are the pentax branded tubes... no contacts, but they have aperture linkage, and i shoot in M mode for macro anyway. no vingetting and no haze no matter how many get stacked. unfortunately they require a lens with an aperture ring.

06-22-2019, 04:22 PM	#7
sbh Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Black Forest, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 849	Originally posted by sculptor666 kenko makes some too, but all the tubes with contacts they i've tried vignette on ff (once stacked) and will have a haze in the center too(once stacked). the best ones are the pentax branded tubes... no contacts, but they have aperture linkage, and i shoot in M mode for macro anyway. no vingetting and no haze no matter how many get stacked. unfortunately they require a lens with an aperture ring. I'd like to use it pimarily with the DA60-250 and the DFA50 on K-1. I've tried some cheap manual rings without contacts but it's no good. The 60-250 has no aperture ring and the 50 doesn't even have the aperture mechanics any more. Stacking them isn't my use case but rather just get a bit closer than the minimum focussing distance. The 60-250 has an impressive 1+m (3.x ft) of minimum distance. I'd be fine with the small ring. Unfortunately all the ebay listings are without electrical contacts.

06-22-2019, 06:51 PM - 1 Like	#8
sculptor666 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 675	Originally posted by sbh I'd like to use it pimarily with the DA60-250 and the DFA50 on K-1. I've tried some cheap manual rings without contacts but it's no good. The 60-250 has no aperture ring and the 50 doesn't even have the aperture mechanics any more. Stacking them isn't my use case but rather just get a bit closer than the minimum focussing distance. The 60-250 has an impressive 1+m (3.x ft) of minimum distance. I'd be fine with the small ring. Unfortunately all the ebay listings are without electrical contacts. you could de-glass a teleconverter(some are available with all contacts for dfa50), but the holes are almost always very small... work on crop camera ok, but stacking them leads to pretty harsh hazing in the center, vingette on ff. i haven't tried de-glassing this particular teleconverter though: Pentax K Mount Takumar 2x Teleconverter \| eBay no af, but has aperture control for 60-250... looks like opening is marginally bigger than 3rd party. here's one of the teleconverters with af contacts: Kenko Pz-AF 1.5x Teleplus DG Teleconverter For Pentax K Mount \| eBay

06-22-2019, 07:13 PM	#9
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by sculptor666 kenko makes some too, but all the tubes with contacts they i've tried vignette on ff (once stacked) and will have a haze in the center too(once stacked). the best ones are the pentax branded tubes... no contacts, but they have aperture linkage, and i shoot in M mode for macro anyway. no vingetting and no haze no matter how many get stacked. unfortunately they require a lens with an aperture ring. Once upon a time I did some research which seemed to indicate Jessup's is/was a distributor of Kenko equipment which lead me to speculate the Jessup's tubes are actually rebadged Kenkos.

06-22-2019, 08:37 PM	#10
sculptor666 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 675	Originally posted by Not a Number Once upon a time I did some research which seemed to indicate Jessup's is/was a distributor of Kenko equipment which lead me to speculate the Jessup's tubes are actually rebadged Kenkos. they are different than my kenko extension tubes, which look like this: Kenko 36mm Automatic Extension Tube, Pentax KA/KAF Mount \| eBay