NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Bjørn Rørslett on June 15, 2016, 19:43:30
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This is a spin-off from the 'Old School Nikkors' thread, in which a lot of interesting stuff and examples of close-ups were posted. It is believed this material would be easier accessible if the material is presented in its own dedicated thread. The Admins will go through that thread and move suitable posts over here in due time.
Feel free to contribute any relevant information on close-up techniques, gear of choice, and picture examples here.
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My close-up lens choice, time after time, will always be the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8. I've been shooting with "real world" equipment (not thousand dollar lenses) for over 40 years and have not seen better. - Just my opinion. I wish I did have crazy amounts of money so I could try expensive gear. But I don't.
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The Micro-Nikkors are great, but they will only get you out to max. 2:1 or something. If one is lucky to have the full set of Macro-Nikkors or similar specialised lenses, 20:1 or better is available, but the setup is hardly field-friendly any more.
In the range in between lots of solutions exist and I hope members share their experiences.
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I'll bite with one setup that works pretty well on DX format, and because it is very light and small allows for hand holding, even though it has no focus or aperture control at all.
The picture is a couple of years old, and the head shown is no longer in use. I now have Kirk ball head. The Manfrotto head shown was jerky.
The camera is a D3200, in manual mode of course. The lenses are from a turret set that came off a Compugraphic typesetting machine. The range of those I have varies, in part depending on how far they're inserted into the holder, but they work pretty nicely down to about 1:2 or a little more. The aperture of the lenses is approximate, but seems to be around F5.6 for the shorter ones, F8 or so for the longest, which is about 1:3.5.
The adapter is a Konica microscope adapter with a Nikon bayonet retrofitted. The rail is from a Minolta auto bellows, which was beautifully engineered in two pieces. The tripod pad was home made originally for a Nikon F, the rear section cut off so it would stow better in the case. Current Kirk setup has a home made Arca pad. The flash is a Nikon SB-15 on a tilt adapter from some bubble pack rack long ago. Because it uses a cable to get past the tilt, it also serves as a hot-shoe to cable, or cable to hot-shoe adapter. The built in flash works pretty well too. It's all manual, of course. No metering, no TTL, etc. here.
Of course, there's not much Nikkor in this rig. For Nikkor goodness, I have the 85/2.8 D tilt shift lens, which is very nice despite not going deeper than 2:1 without extensions, but it's also heavy and the home made rig is easier to hand hold.
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To clarify, by "1:2" do you mean half, or double, life-size magnification?
Your nomenclature indicates their magnification is m=0.5, but that is in conflict of the statement "2:1" for the 85 mm PC-Nikkor, the latter which only does 0.5X (m=0.5 or 1:2).
By the way, nice to see the old SB-15 in use again. It really was a nifty flash unit for its time.
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I do not do that much close-up photography so I have not invested in gear heavily there.
Items I do use are:
105mm and 55mm micro Nikkors
PK-11, PK-12, PK-13 and PN-11
But when I want to get real close I mount the 200mm f4 Nikkor-Q.C on my camera, stick a HS-7 hood on the front, in reverse, and again in reverse, mount either a 50mm f1,4 or 24mm f2,8 on the HS-7/200mm f4 for a ~4x or ~8x enlargement.
Will post photographs later
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To clarify, by "1:2" do you mean half, or double, life-size magnification?
Your nomenclature indicates their magnification is m=0.5, but that is in conflict of the statement "2:1" for the 85 mm PC-Nikkor, the latter which only does 0.5X (m=0.5 or 1:2).
By the way, nice to see the old SB-15 in use again. It really was a nifty flash unit for its time.
Sorry, I always get that backwards. The 85 gets 1:2 of course, and the home made rig gets varying amounts with 2:1 being pretty comfortable, and something around 3.5 to 1 near the max.
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(https://c8.staticflickr.com/2/1619/25489794063_494871aa32_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/EQrRHZ)20160326-056 (https://flic.kr/p/EQrRHZ) by (https://c4.staticflickr.com/2/1574/25471389083_4d0e789a3e_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/phot[url=https://flic.kr/p/ENPwyK)20160326-056-4 (https://flic.kr/p/ENPwyK) by longzoom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/longzoom/), on Flickros/longzoom/]longzoom[/url], on Flickr. It is part of the lettering on $50 bill, crop. The old 70-210/4-5.6 AF Nikkor was in use, with Nikkor 50/1.8 G set on it , in opposite direction, wide open. So the magn. about 5:1 was reached. A crop to show the resolving power of this monster combo. In case of emergency one needs a tape only, and piece of paper to keep the aperture of 50 wide open - put it under the aperture lever. LZ
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When one stack two lenses, it is tempting to operate the aperture on the master lens next to the camera. However, one should definitively stop down the first lens (the reversed one) to get best quality. Set the master lens wide open.
There are nifty adapters that allow a reversed lens to stay open until time for the actual capture. Look for E-2 or BR-6.
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Thank you, Bjorn! Unfortunately, in my case, there is no way to step down the G lens, but put a smaller piece of paper under the aperture lever, to let it be close, to, say, 5.6 or 8, or anything between. Thanks, will try this way next time! LZ
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Use an E2 or BR-5/6 adapter and block the aperture at a suitable position so it won't stop all the way down. A piece of a broken match stick is the perfect tool for the job ... With the adapter you can keep the aperture open until shooting starts.
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I get good results with the 55/2.8 AIS mounted on Olympus OM-D E-M1 via an adaptor (Novoflex). The crop factor yields an apparent 1:1 magnification. Image is very clean. Focus peaking works and is helpful. As the stabilisation will also work, this is a good, light combination for field work. In addition, the FL is also suitable for other purposes, although I prefer to mount a canon FD 50/1.4 (if not the oly 45/1.8).
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You still get 1:2, but less coverage ...
The distinction is important because it influences the calculated depth of field and above all, the effective aperture and thereby the exposure.
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I said "apparent" ;)
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True, but keeping the distinction in mind is important. Magnification is a scale and thus is not influenced by format. Coverage at a given magnification is. Life-size 1:1, or m=1, can be covering a small flower, or a human face. The first is for 24x36(FX), the latter is with 8x10" cameras. The depth of field at the same aperture is exactly the same in either case.
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I have three true "close-up" lenses acquired over time -- the 60mm/2.8 AFD micro, a 105mm/4.0 AiS micro with 1:1 extension and the 200mm/4.0 AFD micro.
I use all three depending on the circumstances, with the 200mm mostly for the slightly shy critters.
In addition, I have also found that certain lenses, together with a TC, make a good combination for close-ups of really shy critters. Specifically, I've used the 300mm/4.0 AFS with either TC1.7 or TC2.0 to maintain the minimum focus distance while substantially increasing magnification. Works well for larger butterflies and lizards.
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(https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8338/8182170323_82f2c67a89_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/dt2Lb8)20121029-085 (https://flic.kr/p/dt2Lb8) by (https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8342/8182171929_373bfdb665_b.jpg) (https://www.[url=https://flic.kr/p/dt2LDP)20121029-085-3 (https://flic.kr/p/dt2LDP) by longzoom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/longzoom/), on Flickrflickr.com/photos/longzoom/]longzoom[/url], on Flickr. My old Nikkor 105/2.8 at f8.0 on D800. Crop. ISO 1600. Full EXIF on Flickr, if someone interesting to see most sharp image. Thanks! LZ
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(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7028/6457677673_90fed4b52b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/aQDhAe)Copy (2) of 1110a 158 (https://flic.kr/p/aQDhAe) by (https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7149/6457681023_5f89acf077_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.co[url=https://flic.kr/p/aQDizZ)Copy of 1110a 158 (https://flic.kr/p/aQDizZ) by longzoom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/longzoom/), on Flickrm/photos/longzoom/]longzoom[/url], on Flickr. The same lens to middle distance, crop about 300% - not the best ever seen, but fully acceptable, as for me, of course. LZ
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(https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7023/6499086717_8dc9ea0e66_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/aUiw4g)vac 06 071 - Copy (https://flic.kr/p/aUiw4g) by (https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7031/6499088769_c9dd2b295a_b.jpg) (https://www.[url=https://flic.kr/p/aUiwED)Copy of vac 06 071 - Copy (https://flic.kr/p/aUiwED) by longzoom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/longzoom/), on Flickrflickr.com/photos/longzoom/]longzoom[/url], on Flickr. But this Sigma 70 is still working for me, even on the old D2xs (not so good) sensor, with its limited DR. Crop. LZ
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My favoured setup for magnifications in the region of 1.5x life size is:
- AFD 105/2.8 micro.
- PN-11 with RRS B5 plate
- AI compatible camera (previously FM3a, now D600)
- Tripod and ball-head with Arca-Swiss clamp
The AFD 105 micro is preferred for this setup because it is compatible with the PN-11 (AFS G micros are not usable with the PN-11 or other Nikon extension tubes). The 105mm focal length setup gives a comfortable working distance for this magnification. A longer lens with more working distance will make it is harder to locate the small target in the viewfinder – unless you are lucky enough to have set up the camera pointed more or less directly at the subject and in focus, all you will see is an out of focus blur with little clue about which way to focus or move. A longer lens also requires more extension to achieve the same magnification which can become unwieldy.
The PN-11 is a large extension tube at 52.5mm (half 105mm). Therefore it is large enough to give a useful increase in magnification with the 105 micro. The magnifications that can be achieved range from 1:2 to about 1.7x life size. However I don’t recommend using this combination for magnifications less than 1:1 since the lens will be “focused” for longer distances and the optics won’t be well configured for macro shooting, resulting in field curvature and other aberrations.
When macro lenses with floating elements (CRC) such as the AFD 105 micro are used with extension tubes, best results are obtained when the lens is focused at or near to the close focus limit where the lens optics are optimally configured for macro photography. The general rule is to use the shortest extension tube to achieved the desired magnification, and rack the macro lens all the way out. So, for magnifications just beyond 1:1 I'll use the shorter PK-13 instead.
The PN-11 features a rotating tripod mount, which enables the camera to be supported nearer the centre of balance for improved stability and less stress on the lens/camera mounts. It also permits you to rotate the camera from horizontal to vertical, or anywhere between, while staying on target. Many macro subjects such as flowers look equally good in vertical and horizontal formats so this feature is very useful.
My PN-11 has an Arca-Swiss type RRS B5 quick release plate. It fits in the tripod in a fore-aft orientation which means the clamp can be used as a short focusing rail – once the tripod is in position and the lens is focused to more or less the desired magnification, focusing can be achieved by moving the whole system within the clamp. Critical focusing can then be completed by adjusting the focus ring without affecting the magnification or framing too much.
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My PN-11 has an Arca-Swiss type RRS B5 quick release plate. It fits in the tripod in a fore-aft orientation which means the clamp can be used as a short focusing rail – once the tripod is in position and the lens is focused to more or less the desired magnification, focusing can be achieved by moving the whole system within the clamp. Critical focusing can then be completed by adjusting the focus ring without affecting the magnification or framing too much.
I use a Wimberley C-30 Quick Release Clamp as a macro slider with a PN-11 or with a camera with a cross plate. The Wimberly C-30 is 107mm long and it's quite smooth for focusing. Wimberley announced they were discontinuing the C-30 and I wrote to them and asked them not too and explained my use of it. I see it's still available. I touch up with the focus ring as needed. I am totally sold on Arca-Swiss and love that I can interchange Wimberly, Really Right Stuff and Kirkphoto's accessories freely.
Dave
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(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7356/14062819776_2b2c63cf1c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nqFCnW)20071209-Copy (2) of Copy of Copy of 1207 004-2 (https://flic.kr/p/nqFCnW) by (https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7309/14085915175_65957dc0a2_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/ph[url=https://flic.kr/p/nsHZQt)1207 004 (https://flic.kr/p/nsHZQt) by longzoom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/longzoom/), on Flickrotos/longzoom/]longzoom[/url], on Flickr. D3 and Sigma 70mm macro. Original and what I got after PS, for poetry book cover. It took me 10 min. to shoot and 3 hours to finish. THX! LZ
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Excellent processing there 👌🏾
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Thank you so much, Sten! Yeah, editing was not fast nor easy... But if you know where to go... THX! LZ