Defective - Viltrox DG M43 Extension Tubes

Recently supplied Viltrox DG-M43 extension tubes are defective:

1 - lens does not lock onto larger tube
2 - single tube works intermittently with lenses, often focus does not work
3 - two tubes used together always fails with a connection error message

Tubes work better (fewer errors) with E-P1 and are essentially useless with Panasonic G6. Five different m4/3 lenses tried, same results.

Link Delight (vendor) asked me to provide them with a video describing the problem for Viltrox, where better to put it than on YouTube. I've never had to go to the trouble of making a video before, so I certainly hope I'll be getting a full refund. It's a lot of work for a $30 adapter!

If you have similar problems please leave a comment.

Thanks for watching.

[Antoniy]

Thank you. This video stopped me from buying tubes at the last moment :)

[frankfernandez]

Thanks for posting this vid, you just saved me $36, guess I'll have to save up for the Kenko's

Thanks again!

[yungys]

well I just got one and tested.  It's working without any problem.  Will try out some photos later.

[harryte]

Damn, I wish I had spent some time looking around before I bought these at DealExtreme for USD30. The tubes I received cause exactly the same erratic and inconsistent behavior as shown in your vid. Works OK with a 14-42mm lens using one single tube but not with two tubes. The tubes do not work at all with a 45-175mm lens. I do not have high expectations but I have opened a ticket with DX, so let's wait and

[bjrnkarenilssen]

Mine works just fine - on my Olympus OM-D M10

[ErdenizS]

Just got a set of these as a side deal to something (which, funnily is a Tokina lens for Canon mount).

Tried them briefly on my E-P3. The second tube (16mm one) is the problem. Just like the original poster comments, 16mm tube simply fails to correctly alighn connectors on lenses. I've only tried with Oly 14-24 II R MSC lens as far AF lenses go. 10mm tube works like a charm. 16mm alone does not, and combination of two does not either. Although the kit lens locks with a nice click, if I turn the camera on I'll see a black screen and "-.-" as aperture value, and the shutter won't fire. If I (risky stuff to do) slightly turn the lens counter clockwise, image will infact appear on screen and I can fire the shutter, yer auto focus and aperture setting will still not work. It seems to me that it's an alignment problem on second tube's mount, though it may be more serious than that as well, it'd be surprising to see them get the electronics right on one piece and wrong on the other..

If I try adapted manual lenses on it, I can use both tubes fine, since there is no data traffic to cause an error at all. I tried Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4, Meyer Optik 50mm 1.8 and Porst 75-260 f.45 manual focus lenses. It seems contrast and detail retention is very nice with them, so it's a shame this doesn't work with it's intented system, so much potential gets hurt...

[telelaci]

Hi Hinde, you forgot to give an update on this. Have they replaced the tube at last ? Or you have found a workaround ? What was the end of the story ?

[davidp]

Hi. I've been looking at extension tubes for my GH3. Did you get the non-locking and error message issues resolved with the Viltrox tubes? Has anyone else had these problems?

[kisssanyi]

Olympus e-pl6: impeccable operation (y)

[hindesite]

Well, all of my one copies are bad :-)

Haven't heard back from the vendor or manufacturer, and I'd doubt if the manufacturer will say that all of their product is bad, but from what I've seen it may well be, since both of my tubes are in some way defective.

Hopefully others can comment if they have similar experience, but these have only recently been released. There really isn't any sensible reason to buy these based on my experience.

I'll update when I hear back from somebody.

[Micasdete]

I too have the problem with this tubes (i used fuji x mount), 10mm don't work and the 16mm malfunctioning...