5:1 with Zhongyi Mitakon Creator 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro

[Guppy]

Hi

The shield of the African rose chafer.
The Mitakon 85mm is not a very high resolution lens and does not draw extremely high contrast.
The lens is not suitable for analytical photography, where the smallest detail should be visible with as much contrast as possible,
but it is suitable for beautiful and evenly lit images.
The somewhat lower resolving power, compared to optimal resolving lenses at 5:1,
can be compensated with adapted image editing.
The free working distance at 5:1 is 88mm.
Such a high free working distance and resolution, cannot be achieved with other lenses, bellows/extension rings, teleconverters
and certainly not with this short length of the lens.


http://files.homepagemodules.de/b649264 ... SZdrty.jpg
Camera: Nikon D810
Lens: Zhongyi Mitakon Creator 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro, improved Mark II version
Exposure: Flash
Aperture: 2.8
ISO: 125
Lighting: 4 flashes
Diffuser: Writing paper
Shooting file format (RAW/JPG): RAW
Tripod: Reprostand
Free working distance, WD (mm): 88
Species name: Eudicella gralli hubini
Multishot technique: Stack
Stacking software / method: Zerene Stacker / PMax
Imaging scale: 5:1
Number of stack steps: 63
Average stack step size (mm) with Cognisys StackShot: 0.015


For example, at 5:1 the free working distance with the ZEISS Luminar 63mm 1:4.5/A0.11, is 66mm
and the resolution is only just visible 10% higher.
The length of the Luminar 63mm with extension rings is 320mm,
the length of the Mitakon at 5:1 is only 165mm.

With the Rodenstock APO Rodagon (N) 1:2.8, f = 50mm, the free working distance at 5:1 is 44mm,
but the resolution is higher by a factor of 1.5.
The length of the lens with extension rings/bellows is about 275mm.

For soft and well illuminated objects the Mitakon 85mm is suitable.

Here is a picture at 2:1, free working distance 155mm.
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... f4fd6e2a28

Kurt

[lothman]

Hallo Kurt,
thanks for showing this lens. Did you have a chance to compare it with the Laowa 2,5-5x lens.
I found that Pixelshift on the Sony A7riv with the Laowa @2,5 still gives more details but no longer @5x, but there still the lens can support the high resolution sensor of the A7riv.
regards
Lothar

[Guppy]

Hi Lothar

Resolution is not everything, except in microscopy.
Pixelshift is successful when the lens resolves higher than the camera.
10 stacked images, with no change to the lens or camera from a still object, are higher resolution than a single image.
My tripod, or repro stand wiggle from frame to frame is as efficient as Pixelshift.

Yes, the Laowa 25mm F 2.8, 2.5-5X Ultra Macro resolves higher.
Ideal for flat objects, but when stacking objects with great depth there are problems,
because the perspective changes a lot from the first to the last image of the stack,
the more this is the case, the longer the strokes (artifacts) at the edge of the stack also become.

The first image shows an overview of a power strip,
with a normal entocentric photo lens, AF MICRO NIKKOR 105mm 1:2.8 D.
The pins (contacts) on the left and right can be seen slightly to the side.


Now a stack with the entocentric Laowa 25mm F 2.8, 2.5-5X Ultra Macro
at higher magnification

You can easily see the pencils on the left and right from the side.
The strokes (artifacts) on the left and right edges are long.

The following is a stack with an object side telecentric lens.
Melles Griot, INVARIGON P/N 59 LGU 042

You can see all the pins cleanly from above, the resolution on telecentric lenses is often not optimal.
They are used for product control and not for nice pictures.

And now a stack with the
Zhongyi Mitakon Creator 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro, Mark II version

All the pencils can be seen from the top, left and right only very minimally from the side.
The strokes (artifacts) are shorter as with the Laowa 25.
This is also because the free working distance is larger and the
Zhongyi Mitakon Creator 85mm is slightly telecentric on the object side.
A clearly discernible difference from the Laowa 25mm entocentric

Forgive the poor image quality,
but the difference in perspective is clearly visible.

For stacks with great depth, slightly telecentric can be an advantage,
the future will tell.

Kurt

[Guppy]

Sorry, only now I saw that there are already several interesting and detailed thread here:

https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... 25&t=41408
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... 25&t=39495

Kurt

[Lou Jost]

Nevertheless, it seems to me that the Laowa is sharper. And the streaks will probably go away completely if you reverse the order of the files before stacking them, using the Zerene "Re-order input files" menu item.

I like telecentric lenses very much for stacking, but often the non-telecentric lens gives a more natural perspective.

[Scarodactyl]

I'm glad to see some practical examples of this lens in use. It had a bit of an odd journey to market and is kind of an odd duck, but I can see how the long working distance could make it nice to use in the field.