Nikon D200 with PK-13 and 105mm

[derek_thornton]

I just purchased a PK-13 and attached it to the D200 with 105mm f/2.8 VR. When

set on P, M, A and S it reads f/0 and does not auto focus. I am pretty sure

that I read that you lose auto focus with Nikon tubes and it does not bother

me. However, I thought that it would meter with D200? Is this right, maybe a

defect, requires manual aperture lens?

 

It is also very tight mounting to the D200, any way to loosen up?

 

Any help will be appreciated

[Michael R Freeman]

The 105mm f/2.8G VR is *not* compatible with the PK-13 tube. The Nikon PK/PN tubes required AF, AF-D or AI/AIS lenses. G lenses won't work.

[narayan]

Derek, the PK-13 is a manual extension tube, which does not couple autofocus and aperture. If you are talking about the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR macro lens, then PK-13 (or any other nikon extension tube) is not the right tube to use because you will not have aperture control on this "G" lens.

 

If you really want magnifications greater than lifesize with this lens, you'll probably have to rely on third party tubes like the one Kenko makes. From what I've read, these should couple autofocus, aperture, and metering. Or maybe try a TC and/or diopter lens.

[derek_thornton]

I was planing to use with the 300mm f/4 that I have not yet purchased. Is it compatible with the new 300mm f/4 or do I need the older version?

[joseph_smith3]

Hi Derek, as already posted, effectively you cannot mount any Nikon ext tube to this lens because it is a G lens. You can add a Nikon tc and maintain metering and possibly AF depending on light available and f stop selected.

 

Do a search of this site about this lens and you will find a lot more on this subject. It should answer the issue about non Nikon ext tubes.

 

If you had the older Nikon AF D 105 f 2.8 macro lens version, you can add Nikon ext tubes and maintain metering on your D 200. Joe Smith

[joseph_smith3]

Derek, Any of the Nikon ext tubes you can buy new today will work fine with any Nikon AF-D or AF-S lenses, including the 300mm f 4's and your D 200. Joe Smith

[narayan]

Joseph, is metering preserved when the PK-13 or PN-11 tubes are used with the 300mm AFS (with the D200 and F100)?

[joseph_smith3]

Hi NK, Yes, metering is preserved when any one or more than one of the Nikon ext tubes including the PN-11 are used with either the F 100 or D 200.

 

Now if I had that 105mm VR, and if I were handy with tools, I might consider making my PN-11 tube electronic.

See here for more details: http://damien.douxchamps.net/photo/pn11/

If it were electronic, then maybe that G lens might have some real macro value to me.

I found this link at Nikon Links under Macro.

 

Joe Smith

[narayan]

Thanks, Joe. Thats an interesting link.

[frank_skomial]

The article is interesting in the part that it requires disassembly of a perfectly good Kenko tube, removal of parts from it, and installing those parts in the Nikon tube.

 

One would perhaps simply asked why not to use the Kenko tube at first place ?

[hannu]

Frank,

 

the Nikon tube has a tripod collar which allows for rotation. Also, the Kenko tube body is plastic, not metal.

[vivek iyer]

"One would perhaps simply asked why not to use the Kenko tube at first place ?"

 

Frank, The Nikon tube has the best air available for photography using a Micro Nikkor. :)

 

It is the "tripod-collar" legend that has elevated this air filled PN-11 to a higher level of existence. It is an overlooked fact that the center of gravity of set-ups do change with the type of camera used, the weight/length of the lens used.

[joseph_smith3]

I learned the hard way that with Kenko tubes you sometimes get vignetting depending on the Nikon lens you use. All you have to do is look at the diameter of the kenko tube compared to the diameter of the Nikon tube and you can see the problem. The Kenko's diameter is much smaller. The writer of the electronic PN 11 tube link mentions the same problem.

 

Another issue is that the Kenko tubes tend to separate if there is a heavy lens attached to it, like a 200mm macro lens or a heavy camera body with a battery pack. And the problem multiplies if you add a second tube. Under careful conditions these issues might not be a problem for some macro shooters. However, if you are chasing dragonflies in the field and your 200mm or 300mm lens is attached to one or two tubes on your ballhead/tripod, you do not want the risk of the camera or lens separating on you and falling to the ground or getting images with vignetting.

 

Whenever I use my Nikon 55mm macro lens, a manual focus one, with my D 200, I mount it to my PN-11 tube just so I can mount the PN-11 tube to my ball head instead of mounting my camera to the ballhead. I do not need the extra magnification, but I do like the better balance. Yes, it is overkill, but in macro work, every bit of an edge helps. Joe Smith

[blumesan]

@Joe Smith:

 

With the MF 55/2.8 macro plus PN-11 tube, what is the working distance of this combo?

 

Cheers/Mike

[Michael R Freeman]

The free working distance of the 55mm f/2.8S Micro-Nikkor plus PN-11 tube at minimum focus is approximately 38mm / 1.5in (subject to front edge of filter attachment threads).

[blumesan]

Michael, thank you.