EDIT: The Emperor dragonfly has an average wingspan of 106mm. These first two images (and the others) are 'as shot … i.e. no cropping. Thus actual magnification can be accurately calculated using the 24mm x 36mm frame's 43mm diagonal. The wingspan occupies 36mm of that 43mm diagonal … thus magnification = 36/106 = 0.339 … i.e. approx one third life size … 1:3 or 1/3 or 0.33 … but more correctly 0.34. The figure is useful for calculating effective aperture i.e. f' = f(m + 1) where f = set aperture and m = magnification.
And Novoflex based apparatus used:
Novoflex 'Noflexar T' 400mm achromat (triplet); Novoflex follow focus mount; Leica R bellows; Leitz R 2x APO extender; Novoflex Leica R to Leica 'L mount' adapter; Leica SL 601 full frame mirrorless camera.
Each Emperor dragonfly image is 'as shot' i.e. no cropping. Subject distance to image plane approx 4m to 5m . Magnification up to approx 0.34. Set aperture is max. f5.6 … but f11 with 2x extender; effective aperture approx f14.7; ISO 1600 on a dull day; shutter speed 1/125 to 1/400 sec. Apparatus supported on Jobu gimbal / Gitzo tripod. Rough focus via Novoflex follow focus trigger; fine focus via the Leica R bellows. Apparatus is capable of magnification in excess of 1:1 at shorter subject distances with longer bellows extension.
Novoflex follow focus mounts and Novoflex / Noflexar achromats (400mm, 600mm and 64cm) date from the 1950s when they were popular for wildlife and sports photography prior to common use of long telephoto lenses. Novoflex lenses are not of telephoto construction … they are 'telescope' type lenses. Today they can be purchased relatively cheaply secondhand e.g. this lens and mount cost less than $100 … plus the cost of the bellows and APO extender. Novoflex still support the system and offer adapters for most modern cameras.
Best wishes
dunk
