The 300PF as a stabilized Macro on 23mm & 52mm extension

[Bjørn Rørslett]

This has a bearing on what is the best approach to avoid the dreaded issue of  'empty' magnification. Going to a larger format which requires less secondary magnification is not always optimal. One has to consider each case independently and optimise accordingly.

[Frank Fremerey]

longzoom: I bought the Canon 500D Diopter a while ago and carry it in my bag, but did not use it yet. Good reminder to use it.

[Frank Fremerey]

Following the discussion here I got myself a 500D, the best available Diopter as far as I know. I tested it side by side in the spring flowerd garden. The clear winner by roughly one light year is the 23mm AF-S extension by Dr Lens!

I do not show the diopter shots here, I might post them in "my best unsharp picture"

[longzoom]

Yes, nice samples, Frank! It means that there is not any easy equal approaching in the ART! My 80-400G was not as successful with EXT, as it is with diopter, with its fully workable AF and VR, what is critical for me. THX!   LZ

[Frank Fremerey]

Yes, nice samples, Frank! It means that there is not any easy equal approaching in the ART! My 80-400G was not as successful with EXT, as it is with diopter, with its fully workable AF and VR, what is critical for me. THX!   LZ

Thank you. What also shines here is the next to nothing color rendition of the D850. These images are not polished at all, the quality of the extension plus 300PF is simply stunnig. Plus I feel the subtle color transitions the D850 is able to record are very difficult to maintain in an edit with more pop!

PS: I will keep the 500D Diopter for the time being, trying it with other lenses

PPS: What I really like about the EXT is that I have a lot of compositional freedom. The diopter forces me into a very small frame variation. I have to focus by body movement, while the EXT enables me to move in rougly 70 centimeters of focus range.