Macro extension tubes for Canon with good build quality? (1 Viewer)

[opisska]

We have recently fallen deep into macro, mainly to collect photos of insects and thus have bought a set of extension tubes from Meike, which looked like a reasonably known brand and they had good reviews.

But those tubes are an absolute piece of crap.

I don't even know how anyone has the audacity to sell this - the tubes are simply not manufactured correctly and they don't hold the lens securely enough, to the point that the lens has fallen out several times and ended up on the ground while being carried around and the repair is gonna cost a few hundred euro. This is an L lens (70-200/4) with a metal mount and this has never happened to us with any lens mounted in a camera. But the bracket in the extension tube is just wrong ...

Can someone please recommend some actually reliable extension tubes? Contacts for AF are absolutely necessary.

 

[Owen Krout]

To be Captain Obvious - Canon sells extension tubes specifically for their own EOS lens/camera mount. Not the cheapest, but will fit up and work properly and cheaper than a lens repair. Should be available on the used market and short of outright abuse there is little to go wrong with a used one.

 

[opisska]

Heh, they do? I have to admit I somehow missed that, so thanks, Captain!

 

[pdwinter]

I have found Kenko extenders to be of a good build quality (I have been using one permanently attached to my 100mm macro for 8 years with no problems) so I would think their extension tubes would be also - and you can get a set of three for the price of a single Canon extension tube e.g. Kenko DG Canon AF Extension Tubes Set (36mm 20mm 12mm) | Wex Photo Video

 

[Richard G]

Another vote for the Kenko extension tubes. Picked up a set from MPB for about £45.

 

[opisska]

We bought the Kenkos, seem good for now, much more solid than the previous ones, but only time will tell if the lens falls out or not