Kenko tubes?

I'm planning to purchase kenko tubes to go with my 300mm/4ED + D80 combo for some early morning walks and close up photography.
Any opinion on the kenko version for Nikon? Should I get all three or may be 25mm to start with?

Thanks for your time.
PS: 300mm has 82mm front diameter so diopter is out of question (the largest I know is canon 500D, 77mm).

Prashan - The Kenko tube set is OK - but I personally wouldn't recommend them. After hanging my d200 off the back of a 300/4 and a Kenko tube, I noticed a lot of play in the connection within a month. But you could be OK with the d80 since it is lighter.

The Nikon tubes are rock solid, much more stout and well constructed than than the Kenko tubes in the tubes set. I haven't tried the Kenko Uniplus? tubes, but I do believe they are much more substantial than the tube set as well. But on a 300/mm, what's 25mm of extension gonna get you in magnification - not much. Maybe a 1.4 or 1.7x teleconverter could be the way to go.

Hi William,
Well. You are quite right, and I was also not sure about 25mm extension. However, am not looking at 'higher magnification' so to say but close focusing ability when needed.

I was talking about uniplus tubes too.

I'll check out nikon version. And also converter.

thanks.-

Another possibility Prashant and Tejaswita, is the Canon 500D Close-up diopter. Nikon also makes 2-element CU diopters but they are limited to the smaller mm sizes. The 500D goes up to 77mm and I'm planning on getting if for my 70-200mm lens.

Choices. Choices ....

Carol

I would not be at all surprised if you can use a 77mm diopter (with a step down ring) and have no vignetting problems. The D80 is a small sensor dSLR, so you aren't using a 35 mm image size. Then again, a 77 mm 500D is an expensive thing.

Pete D.

The Nikon tubes do not have the electrical contacts that the Kenko Uniplus have, and are not compatable with matrix metering, AF, VR, etc. I use a 25mm Uniplus tube when I need a bit closer focussing with my various Nikkors.

Note that Nikon has discontinued the manufacture of its achromat close-up lenses: 3T, 4T, 5T, and 6T. The Canon 250D and 500D are just about the only game in town, today.

Sorry to be contrary, but i have been using Kenko tubes for several years on my Canon gear without problems. I generally use it on a 100-400 and 1DMK2. I like them a lot.

Alex, you can get matrix metering with the "DX00" and "DX" bodies using the Nikon tubes. What you say about AF and VR is true of course.

Basil

Thanks all. Seems like Kenko Uniplus is the way to go.

Pete,
It is not about the cost really, I would love to get a 500D. However I'm not so sure about the whole 'step down ring' business.