Do any of your extension tubes mate with the Oly teleconverters?

Coming from Nikon FF land, one of the ways I got more from my 105mm macro lens was to add the 1.4x teleconverter to it.

I noticed that the Oly 60mm macro has no room to accommodate the lens of the Oly 1.4x TC, but wondered if my extension tube might accommodate that, and allow me to add it in - but the inner circle of my extension tubes (Movo brand, Amazon US) were too narrow.

So, if you have the Oly 60mm macro lens AND extension tubes AND the Oly 1.4x TC - will the TC fit inside your extension tubes? If so, would love to know the brand and where you got them. Bonus for if they were a set of three. Double bonus if AF works with all three. TIA.

Seek out oneofone25 who does those miraculous images of grains of garnet, I'm sure that he has that problem sorted.

Guy Parsons wrote:

Seek out oneofone25 who does those miraculous images of grains of garnet, I'm sure that he has that problem sorted.

He has. He says the Pixco ones are the only ones that work but you need to carve out a little of some plastic that's on the inside to make room for the converter.

I ordered a set directly from Pixco in China. About a month ago. Tracking says they are still transported within China. I couldn't find any for MFT more locally, but that's probably a better option if possible. Quicker at least.

They are cheap when bought directly from Pixco and shipping is free, so I can take the VAT and custom fees that will be slapped on.

https://pixco.com.cn/products/automatic-macro-extension-tube?_pos=1&_sid=fd74720ee&_ss=r&variant=31613115269203

Hi, The 10mm Pixco one fits without modification but you need two 10mm tubes to complete the fit. The second tubes is not important to fit the multiplier. Alternatively, as oneofone25  has leterly done you can dremmel out the inside diameter to fit, I found this easy to do, in nthis case you only need the 16mm tube to connect lens to multiplier.

Hope this helps

WileEC_ID wrote:

Coming from Nikon FF land, one of the ways I got more from my 105mm macro lens was to add the 1.4x teleconverter to it.

I noticed that the Oly 60mm macro has no room to accommodate the lens of the Oly 1.4x TC, but wondered if my extension tube might accommodate that, and allow me to add it in - but the inner circle of my extension tubes (Movo brand, Amazon US) were too narrow.

So, if you have the Oly 60mm macro lens AND extension tubes AND the Oly 1.4x TC - will the TC fit inside your extension tubes? If so, would love to know the brand and where you got them. Bonus for if they were a set of three. Double bonus if AF works with all three. TIA.

The front lens element of the MC14 (Oly 1.4x TC) protrudes 6.4mm and is 25.9mm diameter.

On my set of extension tubes (Fotga 10mm & 16mm) the internal diameter of the 10mm tube is 27.2mm, so the MC14 fits without modification. However the 10mm length doesn't provide enough length clearance for the 60mm lens. Adding an unmodified 16mm extension tube to the 10mm tube provides enough clearance.

The internal diameter of the 16mm is slightly smaller at 25.2mm, which prevents its attachment directly to the MC14.

So with an unmodified set of Fotga extension tubes (10m & 16mm) the only working combination is:-

Camera+MC14+10mm+16mm+60mmMacroLens

If you want to attach the MC14 to the 16mm tube you need to file/grind off a small amount of the tube's internal baffle.

The material is plastic and easy to remove with a hand file. You could use a power tool (e.g. Dremel) but it would be easy to over do it. The procedure is easy. File a bit off, trial fit, file a bit more ...repeat until it fits. You only have to remove about 0.5mm all round.

Enlarging the hole doesn't affect the functionality of the 16mm tube in any other way.

Once enlarged the following combination is possible.

Camera+MC14+16mm+60mmMacroLens

Pixco extension tubes are similar to Fotga ones in their sizing and materials. The 10mm is wide but not long enough and the 16mm is long but not wide enough (in it's unmodified form) but the 16mm is easy to modify. Both brands offer pass through electronics so AF and aperture lens control works normally.

I got my Fotga tubes from Amazon UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fotga-Automatic-Extension-Olympus-Panasonic/dp/B076BC33Q9/

Pixco ones can be found on eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pixco-Auto-Focus-Macro-Extension-Tube-Adapter-for-Micro-4-3-mount-M43-OM-D-GX7/221372792506

Kenko tubes have narrower holes and won't fit without modification, which is more difficult due to their metallic material construction.

Examples of the magnification that can be achieved in this post from OneofOne, who uses a modified Pixco 16mm tube.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64730309

Thanks all for your help on this. You have provided the help I was hoping for. I will invest in a "sacrificial" set of extension tubes that I will shave down. As a card carrying DIYer I have plenty of tools that will allow me to approach this carefully.

Great help - thank you!

I just tried a Nanoha 16mm ext tube with the MMF-3 adapter and the EC-14 TC using the Oly 4/3 50mm macro.

Rather cumbersome, but it works.

Peter 1745 wrote:

The front lens element of the MC14 (Oly 1.4x TC) protrudes 6.4mm and is 25.9mm diameter.

On my set of extension tubes (Fotga 10mm & 16mm) the internal diameter of the 10mm tube is 27.2mm, so the MC14 fits without modification. However the 10mm length doesn't provide enough length clearance for the 60mm lens. Adding an unmodified 16mm extension tube to the 10mm tube provides enough clearance.

The internal diameter of the 16mm is slightly smaller at 25.2mm, which prevents its attachment directly to the MC14.

So with an unmodified set of Fotga extension tubes (10m & 16mm) the only working combination is:-

Camera+MC14+10mm+16mm+60mmMacroLens

Has anyone tried this with the Olympus 30mm macro ?

The rear element of the 30mm is recessed by around 5mm so it looks like one could use  just the 10mm extension tube between MC14/20 and the lens.

stokey wrote:

Peter 1745 wrote:

The front lens element of the MC14 (Oly 1.4x TC) protrudes 6.4mm and is 25.9mm diameter.

On my set of extension tubes (Fotga 10mm & 16mm) the internal diameter of the 10mm tube is 27.2mm, so the MC14 fits without modification. However the 10mm length doesn't provide enough length clearance for the 60mm lens. Adding an unmodified 16mm extension tube to the 10mm tube provides enough clearance.

The internal diameter of the 16mm is slightly smaller at 25.2mm, which prevents its attachment directly to the MC14.

So with an unmodified set of Fotga extension tubes (10m & 16mm) the only working combination is:-

Camera+MC14+10mm+16mm+60mmMacroLens

Has anyone tried this with the Olympus 30mm macro ?

The rear element of the 30mm is recessed by around 5mm so it looks like one could use just the 10mm extension tube between MC14/20 and the lens.

I don't own that lens, but the extension and distance might make this a no go. Remember the lenses are designed to expose a sensor at an expected distance. That we get away with any of this nonsense at all is pretty crazy, but it tends to work more predictably with longer focal lengths.

Works for me with Fotga extension tubes (16mm + 10mm) and MC-14, but I need to use  both of the tubes (in specific order, too lazy to check which). No modifications needed.

I ordered a set made by Meike (Amazon US), as others would take awhile and I have read of good experience with this brand - with the assumption that shaving out is the key.

However I have shaved out enough (I think - the TC fits inside easily) but the MC-14 seems unwilling to connect to this extension tube. I'm going to shave it out a little more, but I'm not sure what to think. The extension tube connects fine to lenses or the camera and works fine, too. So, I'm hoping I am a little off center in my shaving and more will get this solved. That is my hope. Perhaps later today.

FWIW, I have a small round metal file that is doing most of the work, then a large rounded on one side/flat on the other file whose small end is just small enough to fit the space to smooth things from the small file and my final stage is course sand paper the opposite direction. It really smooths things out and cleans it up nicely. I didn't trust myself with a Dremel - although now that I say that I am reminded of the round sanding disks I have - might have to check that - that could work, with the ET in a vice to keep it still. Hmm . . .

WileEC_ID wrote:

Thanks all for your help on this. You have provided the help I was hoping for. I will invest in a "sacrificial" set of extension tubes that I will shave down. As a card carrying DIYer I have plenty of tools that will allow me to approach this carefully.

Great help - thank you!

I did not shave my Pixco 16mm because the pictures I saw looked like they had lost the black damping and could throw reflections and impact contrast.

I have a set of Pixco and a set of Kenko.  I use the Pixco 10mm and Kenko 10mm or Pixco 16mm on either the MC-14 or MC-20.  This gives me either 20mm or 26mm extension.

If you really want 16mm extension, then shave away.

The reason Pixco works is because they have a deeper recess on the contacts ring that does not contact the mount-prevention tab on the TCs.  I don't know of any other tubes that will work.

john isaacs wrote:

WileEC_ID wrote:

Thanks all for your help on this. You have provided the help I was hoping for. I will invest in a "sacrificial" set of extension tubes that I will shave down. As a card carrying DIYer I have plenty of tools that will allow me to approach this carefully.

Great help - thank you!

I did not shave my Pixco 16mm because the pictures I saw looked like they had lost the black damping and could throw reflections and impact contrast.

I have a set of Pixco and a set of Kenko. I use the Pixco 10mm and Kenko 10mm or Pixco 16mm on either the MC-14 or MC-20. This gives me either 20mm or 26mm extension.

If you really want 16mm extension, then shave away.

The reason Pixco works is because they have a deeper recess on the contacts ring that does not contact the mount-prevention tab on the TCs. I don't know of any other tubes that will work.

And - I may be affirming that little tab issue - it had not been mentioned, so I made the assumption that the issue was dimension of the EC-14 extension.

That said - others here are using tubes from Fotga without issue.

Live and learn.

EDIT: Is the green box around the tab you are talking about?

john isaacs wrote:

WileEC_ID wrote:

Thanks all for your help on this. You have provided the help I was hoping for. I will invest in a "sacrificial" set of extension tubes that I will shave down. As a card carrying DIYer I have plenty of tools that will allow me to approach this carefully.

Great help - thank you!

I did not shave my Pixco 16mm because the pictures I saw looked like they had lost the black damping and could throw reflections and impact contrast.

I have a set of Pixco and a set of Kenko. I use the Pixco 10mm and Kenko 10mm or Pixco 16mm on either the MC-14 or MC-20. This gives me either 20mm or 26mm extension.

If you really want 16mm extension, then shave away.

The reason Pixco works is because they have a deeper recess on the contacts ring that does not contact the mount-prevention tab on the TCs. I don't know of any other tubes that will work.

Interesting - I didn't read anyone mentioning that tab, so I made the assumption the issue was with the lens element that sticks out from the EC-14. My mistake.

Live and learn.

WileEC_ID wrote:

john isaacs wrote:

WileEC_ID wrote:

Thanks all for your help on this. You have provided the help I was hoping for. I will invest in a "sacrificial" set of extension tubes that I will shave down. As a card carrying DIYer I have plenty of tools that will allow me to approach this carefully.

Great help - thank you!

I did not shave my Pixco 16mm because the pictures I saw looked like they had lost the black damping and could throw reflections and impact contrast.

I have a set of Pixco and a set of Kenko. I use the Pixco 10mm and Kenko 10mm or Pixco 16mm on either the MC-14 or MC-20. This gives me either 20mm or 26mm extension.

If you really want 16mm extension, then shave away.

The reason Pixco works is because they have a deeper recess on the contacts ring that does not contact the mount-prevention tab on the TCs. I don't know of any other tubes that will work.

And - I may be affirming that little tab issue - it had not been mentioned, so I made the assumption that the issue was dimension of the EC-14 extension.

That said - others here are using tubes from Fotga without issue.

Live and learn.

EDIT: Is the green box around the tab you are talking about?

Yes, the green box is around the tab.  That tab keeps non-compatible lenses from mounting on the TC.  Compatible lenses have a recess or groove that clears the tab, allowing the lens to mount.  The Pixco tubes are recessed (they don't have a groove), so that they clear the tab.  My Kenko tubes are not recessed, and so they contact the tab which prevents mounting them on the TC.

I looked at some pictures of the Fotga tubes, looks like they are recessed and will mount (as long as the optics hole is large enough).

john isaacs wrote:

WileEC_ID wrote:

john isaacs wrote:

WileEC_ID wrote:

Thanks all for your help on this. You have provided the help I was hoping for. I will invest in a "sacrificial" set of extension tubes that I will shave down. As a card carrying DIYer I have plenty of tools that will allow me to approach this carefully.

Great help - thank you!

I did not shave my Pixco 16mm because the pictures I saw looked like they had lost the black damping and could throw reflections and impact contrast.

I have a set of Pixco and a set of Kenko. I use the Pixco 10mm and Kenko 10mm or Pixco 16mm on either the MC-14 or MC-20. This gives me either 20mm or 26mm extension.

If you really want 16mm extension, then shave away.

The reason Pixco works is because they have a deeper recess on the contacts ring that does not contact the mount-prevention tab on the TCs. I don't know of any other tubes that will work.

And - I may be affirming that little tab issue - it had not been mentioned, so I made the assumption that the issue was dimension of the EC-14 extension.

That said - others here are using tubes from Fotga without issue.

Live and learn.

EDIT: Is the green box around the tab you are talking about?

Yes, the green box is around the tab. That tab keeps non-compatible lenses from mounting on the TC. Compatible lenses have a recess or groove that clears the tab, allowing the lens to mount. The Pixco tubes are recessed (they don't have a groove), so that they clear the tab. My Kenko tubes are not recessed, and so they contact the tab which prevents mounting them on the TC.

I looked at some pictures of the Fotga tubes, looks like they are recessed and will mount (as long as the optics hole is large enough).

Thanks for the reply. I may have to put the extension tube next to the 40-150 to verify if I can remove some excess plastic on the tube I have to allow for that to fit.