Improvised macro - mighty mite!

[Gerel]

Been experimenting with improvised macro set ups, trying to see just how close I can go using a home made reversing ring with an 18mm lens. The aperture was pre-set to f-11 before reversing the lens to get a bit of DoF, means brightly lighting the subject so as to be able to see anything to focus on. Used a flash on quarter power to fill in. Exposure 1/200s

The mite was about 1mm in length.



Steve
(saving up for a real lens )

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Gerel,

Just noticed your thread after replying to the "reversed lenses" thread.

I am assuming that you are using the technique of having a manually controlled reversed lens, attached to the front of a DSLR mounted lens, and would be very interested if you might give some advice on the set up you are using (i.e. what camera lens, what reversed lens, how you calculate exposure etc.).

I've spotted some of your very impressive "high-magnification" macro images previously. Am I right that these would have all been taken using similar technique?

Regards
Mike.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I am assuming that you are using the technique of having a manually controlled reversed lens, attached to the front of a DSLR mounted lens

The usual way that a lens was reversed in the 'old days' was that the standard lens was reversed and attached to the body with an adapter that screwed into the filter mount, with the other end attaching to the body. It was much easier to do with screw fitting lenses such as the Practica or Leica screw mounts.

IIRC one of the advantages of reversing the lens was that standard lenses performed optically better that way at close focusing distances. Also because of the front element being recessed, it gave a sort of 'built in' extension ring.

Jim

[NickCantle]

That makes sense now. The only qualm I'd have with doing that is leaving the mount end of the lens wide open to dust- or am I missing something?

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

....The usual way that a lens was reversed in the 'old days' was that the standard lens was reversed and attached to the body with an adapter that screwed into the filter mount, with the other end attaching to the body.....

Some of the web based tutorials suggest a better option is to have a standard lens mounted on the DSLR, and then attach a reversed lens to the front of that. (A simple reversing ring can be made using two threaded Cokin filter assembly adaptors mounted back to back).

Apparently, reversed wide angle lenses give more magnification, and some reversed zoom lenses can give results bordering on microscopic values of magnification.

Regards
Mike.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

That makes sense now. The only qualm I'd have with doing that is leaving the mount end of the lens wide open to dust- or am I missing something?

Yes you are right Nick, the mount end of the reversed lens is open to the elements, so not something that you would be wanting to do with pristine AF lenses.

Not too much of a problem though, if you can make use of some old SLR lenses you may have - i.e. like in my case, my old Canon FD lenses which are currently just gathering dust.

Regards
Mike.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Some of the web based tutorials suggest a better option is to have a standard lens mounted on the DSLR, and then attach a reversed lens to the front of that.

That's interesting - I'd not heard of that! I wonder what effect doubling the amount of glass would have on image quality.

Jim

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

That's interesting - I'd not heard of that! I wonder what effect doubling the amount of glass would have on image quality.

Jim

That'd have to degrade the image quality!

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

That's interesting - I'd not heard of that! I wonder what effect doubling the amount of glass would have on image quality.

Jim

Some interesting info on the pro's and con's of the double lens technique here: -

Reverse-Lens Macro Photography [tutorial] StephenElliot.com

Regards
Mike.