Vello Extension Tube Set Evaluation

I like extension tubes. Not simply because they provide you a substitute for a macro lens, however as a result of they supply different views and focal lengths for macro pictures. What may very well be extra enjoyable than attempting to get macro photographs with a really extensive lens or a random nifty fifty? On this article, I’ll be reviewing the autofocus-capable Vello Extension Tube set for Nikon Z system, additionally out there for Sony E, Canon RF, Fuji X, Micro 4 Thirds, Nikon F, and Canon EF.

Development

The Vello extension tube set has two tubes of 12mm and 20mm. They’re plastic with a metallic mount. They’ve obtained contacts to permit the lens to keep up autofocus and aperture management. There’s additionally a little bit of climate sealing within the type of a skinny rubber strip.

They really feel fairly stable, however not as outstandingly strong because the FTZ/FTZ II adapter. The few lenses I’ve tried on them match properly with about the identical about of wiggle because the naked lens. {The electrical} contacts usually work properly, though on two events I managed to get the “F –” image to seem, indicating that aperture management was misplaced. Rotating the tubes a short while they have been locked on the digicam fastened the issue. It occurred not often, and didn’t impede my use of them, however could point out small imperfections within the tolerances.

Optical Options

The Vello tubes are stackable, so along with the 12mm and 20mm tubes, you additionally get a 32mm distance possibility. To calculate how a lot magnification these add to your lens, you should divide the extension tube size by the lens’s focal size. For instance, a 100mm lens with the 20mm tube would add an extension of 20/100 or 0.2x to the lens’s present magnification. If the lens beforehand may attain 0.1x magnification, now it may attain 0.3x.

Beneath is a chart displaying the extra magnification you get when attaching these numerous mixtures to 50mm, 85mm, and 105mm lenses. Keep in mind that the magnifications beneath are added to the lens’s present magnification!

	50mm lens	85mm lens	105mm lens
12mm Tube	0.24x	0.14x	0.11x
20mm Tube	0.40x	0.24x	0.19x
32mm Tubes	0.64x	0.38x	0.30x

These tubes do not need any glass parts, which is an effective factor for picture high quality. It signifies that they don’t add any additional lens aberrations to your photographs. (At worst, tolerance points may end in a “tilt-shift” impact, the place the depth of discipline is now not centered parallel to the digicam sensor; nevertheless, I didn’t expertise this.)

That stated, when utilizing an extension tube in your lenses, you’ll amplify any present aberrations and unsharpness on the lens. As a result of shut focusing distance, you additionally scale back the depth of discipline considerably. Briefly, should you’re sad with the sharpness of your photographs whereas utilizing an extension tube, it’s most likely not the tube’s fault. As an alternative, it’s your alternative of lens or aperture.

Good Lenses for Extension Tubes

It’s potential to make use of these extension tubes to achieve extra magnification in your present macro lens. The Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Z macro, for instance, could be able to 1.3x magnification with each Vello tubes hooked up. However I believe the true power of extension tubes is that you should use them on totally different lenses that have been by no means made for macro.

In actual fact, I used to be fairly excited to check these tubes on my Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens. On this lens, 32mm of tubes brings its somewhat lowly 0.17x naked magnification to a a lot cooler 0.81x.

After all, you would possibly ask, isn’t f/1.4 too quick for close-ups? Effectively, probably not. It depends upon the impact you want to obtain. Quicker apertures than f/2.8 can be utilized to create dreamy photographs that simply aren’t potential with a conventional macro, and to me, that is precisely why I obtained the extension tubes.

Macro lenses are extremely corrected and sharp corner-to-corner at shut focusing distances. That’s nice should you want a extra scientific macro model, akin to stunning close-ups of bugs the place all their stunning buildings are proven in razor-sharp element. However the imperfections of different lenses, particularly when magnified with extension tubes, give a sure look that I have a tendency to love loads for softer topics like flowers.

It’s with this angle that I discovered the Vello extension tubes to be… only a complete lot of enjoyable. It was fairly neat to shoot nearer photographs within the f/1.4-f/2 vary and get photographs that have been fairly sharp sufficient in a slender airplane, and dreamy in the remainder of the photograph.

Vello Extension Tubes in Observe

I enormously loved utilizing extension tubes to broaden the capabilities of my nifty fifty. You may get sharper outcomes by pairing it with a lens just like the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S, however that wasn’t my aim with these photographs. Truly, I by no means actually warmed as much as the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 till I attempted it with extension tubes.

As for autofocus, on all of the Nikon Z-mount lenses I’ve examined with the Vello extension tube set, the autofocus labored very properly. I additionally examined them with a couple of F-mount lenses (50mm f/1.8G and 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3) with the FTZ II adapter and surprisingly the autofocus labored fairly properly, too. So, you may get fairly a wide range of macro functionality with these tubes.

Can these Vello tubes exchange a macro lens? Effectively, macro lenses nonetheless have probably the most versatility in the case of macro pictures. Tubes prohibit your focusing vary so you’ll be able to solely take macros, whereas a typical macro lens can be utilized at any distance. Macro lenses actually are constructed for macro with their biting sharpness at shut ranges, they usually can usually obtain extra magnification than utilizing tubes.

However should you perceive the compromises of extension tubes, I believe that they’re a worthwhile addition to any photographer’s package. The Vello tubes carried out properly and don’t price very a lot, and I by no means skilled any vital points whereas utilizing them. Simply pair them with the correct lens for the character you’re after, and you may get some nice photographs.

Conclusion

The Vello extension tubes are a pleasant strategy to get to your lenses to focus extra intently. And, should you use them on sooner lenses, they may give you dreamy photographs not potential with a conventional macro lens. They work properly sufficient that I’ll positively be bringing them with me each time I intent to shoot macro.

In case you’re taken with these tubes, contemplate getting them at B&H utilizing the hyperlinks beneath to help our unbiased gear evaluations. They price $79.95:

1. Nikon Z
2. Canon RF
3. Fuji X
4. Micro 4 Thirds
5. Sony E
6. Nikon F
7. Canon EF

And let me know within the feedback if in case you have any questions!