Finally tried the Nikon objective.

[Wild1]

Well the time has come after a long wait the Nikon 10x objective arrived and also the long awaited adapter plates from China. All is assembled on to the Canon 100mm Macro lens and two extension tubes total 37mm. This is all fitted to the canon 7D mk1.
Actually I don't know if I am doing this correct or not but the first thing that has hit me is,

The very small coverage area, much much smaller than I thought it would be.

The second thing was the maximum working distance from the lens only about 8mm.

Without the extension tubes I was hoping for a larger coverage area but had vignetting and still a small area, after putting the extension tubes I can get f5.6 no vignetting.
I shot the attached image at f5.6, ISO 100, 1/100. I used Helicon remote and Helicon focus at 1 step increments and a total of 301 pics in the stack.
This is my very first image using this technique of a portion of a dead bees eye, actually wanted to see more of the head but could only get his much.

Can I have some feed back please on what I have done and what I may need to do if I did it wrong?

Thanks in anticipation.

[ChrisR]

Which 10x Nikon? There are many.
What adapter are you using? Is it a flat one, with no added distance from the front of the lens to the objective?
Assuming it's an "Infinite" one:

Normal use of a 100mm lens as a "tube" lens would be to have it set to Infinity, otherwise you're taking the micorscope objective away from what it was designed to do.

There is little or no pont colsing the aperture onthe 100mm lens, so use it wide open.

The filed of view is can be calculated from the sensor width and magnification.
Using a 100mm lens, you get 5x, as the objective was intended to be used with a 200mm lens.
Your sensor is approximately 22mm across, so the FOV would be 22/5 = 4.4mm

By focusing the lens closer, and especially with extension tubes, the FOV will be smaller (and quality will degrade to some extent).

I would expext some vignetting on a 100mm lens, on your sensor. The different 10x objectives vary somewhat.
8mm working distance sounds about right.

[Wild1]

Hi Chris and thank you for the explanation,

The Nikon objective I bought is the one recommended by the extreme macro site,

Nikon plan
10x/0.25
infinite wd 10.5
MRL 00102
OFN22

This is what is written on the objective.

Ok point taken on the extension tubes and the aperture.

Yes it is flat adapters on the front of the lens.

What lens would you recommend? I also have the 70-200 f2.8 L lens. Would this be better?

This is a great site but sometimes is difficult to understand what is required so I apologise for my questions being a bit basic.

Thank you for your help on this.

[ChrisR]

sometimes is difficult to understand what is required so I apologise for my questions being a bit basic.

That's fine, it all gets easier after you've read everything a couple of dozen times

Yes the 70-200 f/2.8 should be good at or very near 200mm. That shouldn't vignette, but it'll give you less FOV of course, and 10x.
How much shorter you'll be able to go, I don't know.

There's obviously a "gap" between 1:1 (macro lens alone) and "several" :1, even assuming you had a lens of, say 140mm, which doesn't vignette and gives you 7x.

A few things you could do:
1) Get a 4x objective - see here http://photomacrography.net/forum/viewt ... 080#168080
The "BE" is quite good , and quite cheap

2) Stretch your macro lens with tubes - it'll start to deteriorate but 2:1 should be OK

3) put a Raynox or similar close-up dioptre on your macro lens, again for about 2:1. Quality is fair.

4) try a 2x converter on your macro lens, for 2:1. Again quality is fair. You can combine with tubes etc but quality drops.

5) try a Raynox DCR-250 (Focal length 125mm) as a tube lens. There are many threads here. They just about avoid vignetting, and give 125/200 x 10 = 6.25:1 with the 10x objective

6) Try a Raynox DCR-150 (Focal length 208mm) as a tube lens - your zoom should be OK though, and near enough the same focal length.

7) find an old good but cheap 135mm to use as a tube lens.


I'd go with the 4x BE. You'll need an rms adapter for it.