Lens "porn" with the Df: 36-72 mm f/3.5 Nikon SE

[John Koerner]

The max. magnification of the 25-50 is 1:10. Just checked.

For the 28-50, in normal mode, it is 1:11 max., whilst it will manage 1:1.4 in 'macro' mode. Thus for once, the 'macro' designation has some merit.

The 36-72 scarcely does better than 1:15.

Thank you for these figures.

Does the 25-50 make a similar improvement in 'macro' mode, or is 1:10 its closest reproduction ratio?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The 25-50 has no 'macro' mode ....

As for the 28-50, apparently the 1:1.4 figure has been mangled into 1:4 over time and nobody bothered to verify. Perhaps if the magnification has been presented as 0.7x, the error could have been prevented. We will never know.

[John Koerner]

The 25-50 has no 'macro' mode ....

As for the 28-50, apparently the 1:1.4 figure has been mangled into 1:4 over time and nobody bothered to verify. Perhaps if the magnification has been presented as 0.7x, the error could have been prevented. We will never know.

This is exactly why I want to test and record each of these lenses myself, because what you just said happens a lot (e.g., 1:1.4 gets morphed into 1:4, because 99% of those who "write reviews" just parrot their figures from some other source, without actually verifying and measuring themselves).

Your findings have cooled me down a bit on the 25-50 a bit, though its range reversed (albeit with a stepdown ring) remains optimal. The reviews of its image quality, including your own, make it seem optimal.

I am ordering all manual zooms which I think have reverse-macro relevance to review them in categories I feel are important for field use. I have a mint 36-72mm Nikon Series E and a mint 28-50mm en route. I will get the others over the next month or so, and post a rather large article on my findings.

Thanks for looking into it.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Hmm. I checked the 28-50 again for close focus and now arrived at 1:4 ?? Something odd must have happened the first time, perhaps an extension ring (with contacts pass-though) was on the lens and I forgot to write this down? User error affects all of us.

The other reported magnifications are all right.