On Macro Extension Tubes and Lenses

This is from http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/36225/can-i-use-macro-extension-tubes-with-a-non-manual-lens:

Can I use macro extension tubes with a non-manual lens?

	I am new to macro extension tubes and I want to buy one but I don't have a manual lens (one where I could change the aperture manually) so I don't know if an extension tube would work with my lenses or not. Could anyone help me out with this please? Also there are macro tube ranging from $10 to more than $100. what is the difference between the cheap ones and the expensive ones?

2 Answers

Yes you can. The more expensive extension tubes has camera-lens connections that let you control aperture. With the cheaper tubes you still have options: Obviously, you can use whatever aperture the lens uses when not connected (for Canon it's wide open, for Nikon it's fully stopped down). For Canon, connect the lens to the camera (without the tube), set your aperture, press the DOF preview button, with that button pressed detach the lens - the lens will now stay in that aperture until you reconnect it to the camera. For Nikon, the aperture is operated by a small mechanical lever, you can set an aperture by using something sticky to fix the lever position - make sure you use something that peels off completely and does not leave residue behind.