One of our readers just sent us the following Ebay link which shows the Macro extension tube set for micro 4/3 cameras. I tried to google around and did not find any user report.
If you ever tried the set please let our readers know your impressions!
Thanks!
7 Responses
i would love to see the comment too!!
I especially like that the set consists of a body flange, a lens flange, and simple threaded tubes. This means that in addition to being useful for close-ups, it would make a good “starter kit” for creating your own crazy do-it-yourself lens adaptations to MFT.
I don’t own these adapters, but here are some observations about what to expect:
This set makes some sense as a base for other adapters to legacy manual-focus lenses. However, It would seem to be of questionable value for macro use with native 4/3 AF lenses, since they require electrical connection to the camera in order to implement manual focusing, aperture control and (perhaps) stability of the OIS elements in some models.
Even if the lens defaults to full-open, infinity fixed focus mode, there is no way to focus the lens from that point – the user would need to select one of the extension combos, then move the camera back and forth to get the subject in focus.
A continuously-variable extension/focusing tube – or a good old-fashioned bellows in compact form – would be more generally useful with both native Micro 4/3 and other lenses. Better yet, an adapter that brought through the electrical connections could activate the manual focus-by-wire and aperture-AE functionality of existing lenses – I still wouldn’t expect AF to work properly with such an adapter without camera firmware support.
Yeah, its a bummer there’s no electrical connection, since that would differentiate this from other macro solutions. As-is there’s no reason id buy this over my Nikon tubes.
I second, I third. Those are half baked.
In the macro range, you generally have to start by choosing the amount of lens extension that will give you the reproduction ratio you need, then focus by moving the entire camera-plus-extension-plus-lens back and forth (on a focusing rail, for example.)
So, the lack of AF support doesn’t seem like a big deal for this type of product.
The fact that you can’t stop down the lens, though, IS a big deal, since most macro photography has to be done at small apertures to get enough DOF. That would pretty much rule out the use of any native M43 lens.
Because of that limitation, I suspect that the main use of this kind of rig will be to extend “foreign” lenses for which M43 adapters already exist — enlarger lenses and C-mounts, for example. Basically, it will give super-close-up fans a smaller, lighter alternative to using tubes or bellows designed for 35mm cameras and adapted down to M43. That’s worthwhile, but it means this is not merely a niche product, but a niche OF a niche… and a fairly small one at that.
I have been looking for a set of these, to use on my Contax G or Leica M lenses on my M4/3 camera… I am so getting these!
Cheers
JR