Time honored discussion :

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

Charles Krebs
Posts: 5865
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
Location: Issaquah, WA USA
Contact:

Post by Charles Krebs »

Yup, that the same Joseph. He stops by here time to time, is a Nikon buff, and is more into the "tech" than anyone I know.

AndrewC
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Post by AndrewC »

So here's a different view of things - for studio work you don't need to flash sync at < 1/1000 of a second, you don't need a super accurate focus and exposure system, dang it you don't really need that much on the camera at all. Myself, I find it annoying to be having to mount/demount my camera all the time so here's what I'm going to do: go sniping for a really cheap D100 body. Add an MB-D100 and I get a 10 pin remote connection (or I'll maybe even mod the D100 and wire a socket for a remote electrical release). Use flash for lighting so mirror slap won't worry me (the antishock setting takes care of most of it anyway), if it does just use a long exposure and rear curtain flash.

So the D100 has a tiny view finder and LCD. I don't care - it has a great sensor and I don't need or want 10Mpixel images :) I'll tether it to my desktop with Fast Picture Viewer and check critical focus and exposure on a full screen monitor.

Best of all, I can start carrying my D200 around again and maybe take some field shots, or even unearth my 600f4 "mine's bigger than yours and I've got the back problems to prove it" and go shoot birds'n'beasts again as well as bugs. Now if the prices of a used D100 suddenly shoots up I'll kick myself for posting this.

Comments ?

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

rjlittlefield wrote:Besides, let's not forget that a tangent is what you get when you stop going in circles and start making progress in one direction.
On the other hand, a true tangent never returns to the circle. :smt009

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

AndrewC
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Post by AndrewC »

Harold Gough wrote:
rjlittlefield wrote:Besides, let's not forget that a tangent is what you get when you stop going in circles and start making progress in one direction.
On the other hand, a true tangent never returns to the circle. :smt009

Harold
:)

DaveW
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:29 am
Location: Nottingham, UK

Post by DaveW »

Another one from Joseph on electronic shutters:-

http://myphotomoviecam.blogspot.com/200 ... tters.html

DaveW

The BAT
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:32 pm
Location: Ballarat, Australia

Post by The BAT »

AndrewC wrote:So here's a different view of things - for studio work you don't need to flash sync at < 1/1000 of a second, you don't need a super accurate focus and exposure system, dang it you don't really need that much on the camera at all. Myself, I find it annoying to be having to mount/demount my camera all the time so here's what I'm going to do: go sniping for a really cheap D100 body. Add an MB-D100 and I get a 10 pin remote connection (or I'll maybe even mod the D100 and wire a socket for a remote electrical release). Use flash for lighting so mirror slap won't worry me (the antishock setting takes care of most of it anyway), if it does just use a long exposure and rear curtain flash.

So the D100 has a tiny view finder and LCD. I don't care - it has a great sensor and I don't need or want 10Mpixel images :) I'll tether it to my desktop with Fast Picture Viewer and check critical focus and exposure on a full screen monitor.

Best of all, I can start carrying my D200 around again and maybe take some field shots, or even unearth my 600f4 "mine's bigger than yours and I've got the back problems to prove it" and go shoot birds'n'beasts again as well as bugs. Now if the prices of a used D100 suddenly shoots up I'll kick myself for posting this.

Comments ?
C'mon AndyC,
I just saved up enough money to buy a ripper S/H D200 that i've had my eye on.
Tell you what, you do the experiment, keep the results quiet and let me know when the time is right and i will buy a D100 at the new, lower market price. . . . deal???

bruce...

The BAT
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:32 pm
Location: Ballarat, Australia

Post by The BAT »

Hi Guys,
I don't know if this is allowed, or not, but I have asked about the 'best' lenses to be used for my pics and it has been mentioned, on more than one occasion, that the EL Nikkor 50mm 2.8 is an outstanding contender for the 'best' title. I have looked extensively throughout my resources here in Oz and I haven't been able to find one.
If any member has one for sale, would they kindly send me a PM with the details?
Thanks for taking the time guys,
Bruce...

rjlittlefield
Site Admin
Posts: 23562
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
Contact:

Post by rjlittlefield »

Harold Gough wrote:On the other hand, a true tangent never returns to the circle.
It does return if you're doing geometry on a sphere. But of course then the tangent line is itself a great circle too. And now even I'll agree that we're waaay off topic! :D

--Rik

rjlittlefield
Site Admin
Posts: 23562
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
Contact:

Post by rjlittlefield »

The BAT wrote:I don't know if this is allowed, or not, but ... If any member has one for sale, would they kindly send me a PM with the details?
Definitely allowed. There's no problem with "equipment wanted" or even "equipment available" postings as long as it's personally used stuff being exchanged or upgraded. Forum policy doesn't allow advertisements by dealers or individuals making a profit on the exchanges.

--Rik

The BAT
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:32 pm
Location: Ballarat, Australia

Post by The BAT »

rjlittlefield wrote:
The BAT wrote:I don't know if this is allowed, or not, but ... If any member has one for sale, would they kindly send me a PM with the details?
Definitely allowed. There's no problem with "equipment wanted" or even "equipment available" postings as long as it's personally used stuff being exchanged or upgraded. Forum policy doesn't allow advertisements by dealers or individuals making a profit on the exchanges.

--Rik
Thanks Rik,
It's a bit early for me to be opening my mouth to change my feet. . . .
I didn't want to offend, and I couldn't see a link to a classifieds section?
It is a real pity that you don't have a classified section, coz there must be a multitude of good gear that would love to be dusted off by a loving new owner. . . . :idea:

bruce...

DaveW
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:29 am
Location: Nottingham, UK

Post by DaveW »

I would have thought with darkroom equipment now being dumped wholesale Bruce with the digital change over there would be plenty of enlarger lenses like EL Nikkor's available in OZ. Have you tried EBAY? I got mine cheap off there.

I can only see a 75mm at the moment on OZ EBAY, but you can enter a search for the preferred 50mm f2.8 and save it and EBAY will send you an e-mail when one is posted:-

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-El-Nikkor- ... 286.c0.m14

Quite a few on UK EBAY:-

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trks ... Categories

DaveW

NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

The BAT wrote:Hi Guys,
I don't know if this is allowed, or not, but I have asked about the 'best' lenses to be used for my pics and it has been mentioned, on more than one occasion, that the EL Nikkor 50mm 2.8 is an outstanding contender for the 'best' title. I have looked extensively throughout my resources here in Oz and I haven't been able to find one.
If any member has one for sale, would they kindly send me a PM with the details?
Thanks for taking the time guys,
Bruce...
What problems do you forsee with your 105mm Micro Nikkor on bellows?
Have you seen these images; at page bottom
HERE
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

ChrisR
Site Admin
Posts: 8668
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:58 am
Location: Near London, UK

Post by ChrisR »

Here's quite a nice longer one..

Charles Krebs
Posts: 5865
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
Location: Issaquah, WA USA
Contact:

Post by Charles Krebs »

NU... nothing wrong there at all!

There were a variety of 105 micro Nikkors. Perhaps Bruce can tell us which one he has. But (way back :wink:) in his original post he mentioned that he was looking for solutions that might take him up to 5X. That's tough to do with a 105mm focal length unless you want to deal with a looooong extension.

I have the old (30+ years) f4 manual version, and the a more recent AF f2.8 (the version before the current VR version). The AF one I have does not look as good when extended on bellows as my old 105/4. For mechanical construction reasons alone, if you want to try the technique of reversing another lens on the front, the AF version I have is not as good as yours or the 105/4.

Bruce... There are other lenses that will work well reversed on bellows. Some will give equal or better images than the El Nikkor 50/2.8. The 50/2.8 El Nikkor is often recommended here because a 50mm focal length provides a nice magnification range when used on a bellows, they are very good optically, (normally) easy to track down at very modest prices.

When you consider the big bucks so much of our gear costs, it's refreshing to realize you can make pictures like this with a $25 lens!

rjlittlefield
Site Admin
Posts: 23562
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
Contact:

Post by rjlittlefield »

ChrisR wrote:Here's quite a nice longer one..
I know that Chris is joking, but I can't resist a serious response. That lens is not well matched to shooting macro with a DSLR. If you read the Nikon brochure posted by the seller, you'll see that the lens is optimized for 10X when used as an enlarging lens. The coverage of that lens is at least full-frame 35 mm on one side and 10X that on the other. But at 10X when shooting macro with a DSLR, you'll be using at most full-frame 35 mm on the camera side, and 1/10 of that -- 2.4 x 3.6 mm -- on the other side. So you would be in essence wasting 99% of the coverage area that was designed into the lens.

This would not be a problem except that 1) the cost is a lot higher than it needs to be, 2) the designer may have had to compromise central resolution in order to get good resolution over the larger coverage, and 3) the lens is ony f/5.6 and will not give nearly as good resolution as other lenses that are designed to work well wider open.

For high mag macro work, using a reversed lens, really all you care about is what would have been central resolution in the lens's original application. Microscope objectives are a completely different story, of course.

--Rik

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic