How good are alternatives (clones) to Mitutoyo lenses

[lothman]

Any suggestions for the tests? I would do it on a silicon wafer or is a laserprint better?

[DavyC]

Lothman,

Hope you get a good result with this objective!

[Barrelcactusaddict]

PS: Lothar, I fear we are hijacking your interesting and useful thread. Perhaps we should split this topic?

Might be better, for the lens I was provided a tracking number for 1 piece of the 10x lens but nothing showed up so far.

Any suggestions for the tests? I would do it on a silicon wafer or is a laserprint better?

I really hope everything arrives properly; maybe the tracking number is for just for one combined parcel containing all the objectives. Sometimes orders can be marked incorrectly on a website, and end up being shipped together. A long time ago I ordered off AliExpress, and that scenario happened to me (one order was marked shipped, the other not, yet both arrived together in the end).

[lothman]

Hi all,
today I received the lens and tested it against my copy of a Mitutoyo 10x. In the screenshots they are marked as "Mity" and "China", the seller said their brand name is "HOOPOU".
Tube lens was Raynox DCR150, camera Sony A7r4, Pmax Stack, stacking width was 4µm.

Here some links to setup and pictures:
My setup
Top Left
Top Right
Bottom Left
Bottom Right
Center

Larger files:
Mity PMax
China Pmax


So what do you say so far and what pictures would you recommend to do?
First test showed that the "China" is sharp to all four very extreme corners, my Mity is weak on the left side. Also the contrast seems better on the China.

[JKT]

So what do you say so far and what pictures would you recommend to do?
First test showed that the "China" is sharp to all four very extreme corners, my Mity is weak on the left side. Also the contrast seems better on the China.

I'd say you'd need a new Mitu ... if you wanted to stay with that brand.

More seriously, the Chinese objective does indeed seem to hold its properties all the way to the corners and as far as I know the Mitutoyo does not do that. It seems VERY promising. However, the behaviour of your Mitutoyo shows it is out-of-spec.

[Barrelcactusaddict]

That's great to hear it arrived!

I also wonder if that Mitutoyo's optics might be off in some way. Still, the clone looks like it does quite well; I'm kind of curious to see how the clone performs at 20x (i.e., with a 100mm telephoto lens), which is what I'd be doing in my setup. Of course, I'd be using it only to photograph insect inclusions in amber, so it wouldn't be used very often as a metallurgical-type objective.

Excellent setup, and great pictures as well!

[Scarodactyl]

I think it's safe to say that, even with the (definitely) damaged mitutoyo making an uncertain comparison, the performance is like a million times better than the other test results we've seen with that unbranded Chinese 5x clone, and it holding up on full frame is impressive. It does look like there's more CA than you'd expect from a a good mitutoyo but it's hard to say without a head to head.

[lothman]

another dusty and slightly tilted wafer shot with the "China", single shot run through Topaz Denois (Clear+sharpening)

Link to larger jpg

Suggestions for chromatic aberration test? Toner particles on paper?

[Chris S.]

Nicely done, Lothar.

Agreed, though, that your Mitutoyo 10x is a bad specimen. As you remarked, this is particularly evident toward the left of the image. This makes me doubt how even the center would compare with a good Mitutoyo.

At center, to my eye, the Mitutoyo and Hoopou lenses are rather close, though the Hoopou shows a bit less contrast in the details, and more false color. But again, I wonder if this Mitutoyo is quite as it should be even in the center.

The Hoopou's rendering does stay admirably even from center to edge.

--Chris S.

[Duke]

Not bad. Not bad at all.
I would bargain with the seller to keep lenses in exchange for the requested amount, of course.
Not only because I would want to keep it, but just to be sure it's not the one and only qualification sample or expensive Mitu/EO/thorlabs lens with custom-made shell.

[dolmadis]

Hi all,
today I received the lens and tested it against my copy of a Mitutoyo 10x. In the screenshots they are marked as "Mity" and "China", the seller said their brand name is "HOOPOU".

Hi, Thanks for your work on this.

You posted a link at the beginning of this epic discussion.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... 3e5fZvjNZy

Is that the Seller you purchased/procured from?

The prices look very attractive but sales are low.

Best, John

[lothman]

Hi, Thanks for your work on this.

You posted a link at the beginning of this epic discussion.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... 3e5fZvjNZy

Is that the Seller you purchased/procured from?

The prices look very attractive but sales are low.

Best, John

Yes I had a chat with this shop and then we switched to email. I'm still in contact with them, they are manufacturers not just Aliexpress dealers.

We will see how we could make this source available, ideas welcome.

[Scarodactyl]

The 50x/0.65 sounds potentially interesting too.

[dolmadis]

Yes I had a chat with this shop and then we switched to email. I'm still in contact with them, they are manufacturers not just Aliexpress dealers.

We will see how we could make this source available, ideas welcome.

I wonder if the manufacturer would be will to "recognise" this Group and take orders direct?

The manufacturer might then be able to make sure that everything supplied to us had met the highest testing standard and thereby assure Group Member Buyers?

Just a thought. Might need Admin to step in and advise?

best, John

[Chris S.]

Two side discussions have emerged and been moved to keep Lothman's thread on its original-topic. The moved posts can be found--and the side discussions continued--at these links:

Calculating magnification of objective on telephoto lens.
Telling a bad second-hand Mitutoyo from a good one.

--Chris S.