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27-01-2008, 05:23 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,859
| | | Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Ive seen marks fantastic macros (MH68) with a fz20(?) and one of the raynox DCRs Ive found for a few place online threw ebay but was wondering if anyone knew anywhere in london (particularly tottenham court road) that would stock the lense? Ive found the thread adapter for my fz7, for £18, which seems reasonable, but would I need a tripod to use it? And will super macro work? Also is the dcr250 depth of field to shallow to use in the field?
any help appreciated  |
27-01-2008, 05:37 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SE Northumberland
Posts: 2,164
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Hi Neil. Not sure about UK dealers for the lenses. I think Doug (TBR) got his DCR-150 from this country though so he may be able to help with that.
It depends how steady you are whether you need a tripod or not.I found one necessary to get pin sharp shots but others manage handheld.I used a tripod o 2 legs instead of 3, so it could be rocked back and forth to use the focussing method below.A lightweight tripod would be ample for a small camera like the fz8 if you decided to buy one.
Best way to use the Raynox lenses is to knock the camera into manual focus, then get roughly within the focussing range of whichever Raynox lens youre using (DCR-150 is approx 8 inches from subject, DCR-250 approx 4 inches) and move the camera back and forth slightly until you get the focus you want.
Another way, which i think from memory Matt uses, is to autofocus on the subject, then in the same way, fine tune focus by moving the camera towards or away from the subject. Either way is far more accurate with these lenses than relying solely on autofocus alone. The depth of field is very shallow on both lenses, hence the more precise methods needed to get proper focus.
With the magnification involved with both lenses, using flash helps a lot in freezing camera shake and getting sharp subjects. I know with the fz7 there isnt a hotshoe mount so youre limited to the onboard flash. Diffusing it with either a homemade diffuser , or something simple like tissue paper over the flash can help give more even and subdued lighting.
Ta for the kind words about my macros Neil, if you need any more info i`ll be happy to help.
Mark H
Last edited by mh68; 27-01-2008 at 05:50 PM.
Reason: text correction
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27-01-2008, 05:39 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 4,357
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
I think you'll need to buy from internet traders from what I can gather.
I rarely used my DCR250, the magnification was just too great to make it very practical. But the 150 is excellent. It doesn't need a tripod if you have steady hands, although when operating at full zoom the DOF is very, very shallow. I'd say it's a must-have accessory for anyone with an FZ camera.
Here's one or two I took last summer with my FZ30 and DCR150.  
Matt |
27-01-2008, 06:46 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hidden in the clover
Posts: 1,561
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Eh up Neil.
Yes, as Mark (MH68) said, I procured my 150 from the UK. Or so I thought...
Went via Blitish, sorry, British Bargains on Amazon. They promised me it within 5 days, ya dee ya dee ya.
Three weeks later (and it was actually shipped from the east coast of north america), many emails later, no phonecalls (british bargains aren't on the phone), it arrived.
Not a bad price though.
From the vocab in their template apology letters, blaming the postal strike??? the recent holiday shopping (in october / november???), I was even expecting them to blame the delay on the Boer wars...  , even if one COULD phone them, their pigeon english and poor customer service would prove problematic if one wanted intelligent conversation about delays.
I've only ever written ONE bad review of anything (written quite a few good ones of various things).
British bargains got my ONLY bad review - then they emailed me a few days later, and promised me a partial (they quoted 2 figures at me, £5 and £10) refund, IF I removed the "offending review".
No way Jose.
I'd rather keep the bad review up there, so others don't fall into the same trap, and the company eventually has a chance of going down the dunny.
Annnnnyway Neil - please do NOT fall into the trap of buying through Amazon and British Bargains.
There is a good spanish company (easily findable ont' web) that a colleague in the office used about 2 weeks ago - who stock the raynox clipons, and it seems that company is a very good bet at a decent price...
NB. British Bargains are based in a warehouse off TCR I think.
Don't go there Neil!!!
As for the use of the lens - well, Matt and Mark are very experienced er.... cough cough... "users", so I'd listen to their advice.
Yes the DOF is tiny, but the ease of use is so great (and good price too) that you'd be mad NOT to get one...
Doug ps. Word of warning here Neil. On buying a Raynox, I hope you realise you will NEVER EVER EVER be able to walk past ANY insect, fly, bug or spider, EVER again.
My poor old girlfriend has already been "rolling her eyes" at me CONSTANTLY climbing on chairs to get that magic 8" away from the latest spider in the house! She's also getting very bored of shining torches under window sills at night!
Thats what the DCR does to you!!!
Last edited by The Black Rabbit; 27-01-2008 at 07:07 PM.
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27-01-2008, 07:13 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SE Northumberland
Posts: 2,164
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
You`re certainly not wrong there Doug....it took me weeks with the raynox before I ventured past the garden 
Mark H |
27-01-2008, 08:03 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,859
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
No need to worry about that - my reputation is way past that already. hence the wanting dcr-150. I cant work out how it connects to my camera thou  There is a lens adapter avalible online but am i right in thinking the dcr 150 will fit onto the sun visor thingy?
Thanks everyone for their help |
27-01-2008, 08:12 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SE Northumberland
Posts: 2,164
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Yes it`ll fit straight onto the fz7 lens hood (it just clips onto the filter threads), but if its anything like the fz20, the rear glass of the raynox will be too far away from the front element of the fz7`s lens to give a decent image. The proper adaptor you mention will allow the gap between raynox and fz7 lens to be pretty minimal so you`ll get the best possible quality.Bear in mind too that these Raynox lenses can usually only be used above around 8x zoom on the FZ models where the lens extends (as in your fz7) due to vignetting (dark corners on the image) at lower zoom settings than this. Not a great drawback though as you`ll most likely use it at full 12x zoom anyway.
Mark H |
27-01-2008, 08:38 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 5,028
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit  | pffftttttt That's sooooo true!!!!
and then you end up with a stack of photographs of... well..... - you're not sure what but they look fab! |
29-03-2008, 07:03 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,859
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Quick thanks to everyone - ive just ordered my Raynox dcr 150 and the panasonic dmw LAE2 adaptor should get here for mid week ready for when Iv finshed my exams hopefully |
29-03-2008, 07:58 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,318
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Would i need an adaptor for my fz30 or does it fit straight on? getting close to ordering one now....best deals around anyone?
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I am the original Nature Nazi ;) |
29-03-2008, 08:22 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Willingham, Cambs
Posts: 1,176
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
I have an FZ30 and the DCR150 just clips straight on with no adapter.
Colin |
29-03-2008, 08:42 PM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,773
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
The 150/250 clips on very easily-BUT-the little plastic grips on the side of the adaptor snap off very easily too. So you need to be gentle with it and be careful not to knock the front on anything. i'm on my second 250 kit!
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29-03-2008, 10:58 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,318
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wild-Woman The 150/250 clips on very easily-BUT-the little plastic grips on the side of the adaptor snap off very easily too. So you need to be gentle with it and be careful not to knock the front on anything. i'm on my second 250 kit! | Women
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I am the original Nature Nazi ;) |
29-03-2008, 11:00 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,318
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Quote:
Originally Posted by colincurry I have an FZ30 and the DCR150 just clips straight on with no adapter.
Colin | Good job because i just bought a new one off EBAY and didnt check....they appear to list them individually for all different makes and camera models...but ..i thought it was universal fitting? ...hmmm ...anyway i think i have the right thing..DCR-150 with the grippy push in side bits that snap off if your a woman?
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I am the original Nature Nazi ;) |
03-04-2008, 12:41 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,318
| | | Re: Ranox dcr 150/250 with fz7
Ooooh my DCR150 just arrived...i shall go off out in the sun to play with it!
ill probably be back on here tonight all frustrated that i cant get it to "work" or something though
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