Snowflake Rig

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:36 pm

No, it's an anonymous cheapie, bought more in hope than expectation.
http://photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8951

No moths

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:27 pm

ChrisR wrote:I need something 3mm - 5mm , flattish and detailed

Wood, end grain, sanded very fine, like HERE?

--Rik

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:07 pm

Chris,

Whatever subject you choose, have good detail right out to the corners... that's where the men get separated from the boys!

DanielPBrown · Post by **DanielPBrown** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:19 pm

It seems that the Nikon CFN PlanApo 4/0.20 would be a good choice and will probably out resolve my OM 20. Is it still available new? If not could you recommend a place to look? Is it my imagination or are infinity objectives more common?
Thanks,
Dan

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:45 pm

will probably out resolve my OM 20

I'll let you know. I'm ill..

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:50 pm

The product list at http://www.nikoninstruments.com/Product ... Objectives shows only CFI's (infinity).

Modern high end microscopes use infinity designs because it is easier to design accessories that fit above the objective.

I have no idea where to look for a finite CFN PlanApo. Probably they turn up on eBay from time to time, but it could be a long wait.

--Rik

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:13 pm

Nikon CF finite objectives had their run between 1976 and 1996 (... at least 1996 was the year the Eclipse infinity microscopes were introduced.) Nikon has, for a long time, had no stock. You'll need to check eBay and used dealers, but the 4X Plan Apo doesn't show up very often.

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:33 am

This Test shows a small difference between the two objectives. I find the same qualitatively, but whether it would be visible after a little post processing, I wouldn't like to bet.
I haven't tried them pushed to 7-8x.

enricosavazzi · Post by **enricosavazzi** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:35 am

DanielPBrown wrote:
mgoodm3 wrote:The Oly 20/2 is better than the leica 25/2 - at least as far as the ones I own are. The Oly is a very good lens.

8x and above a good 10x objective is the way to go.
I'm surprised the Leica falls behind the OM considering the price and that it is a Leica after all.

Dan

I don't have the Olympus 20 mm f/2 but the f/3.5 (which is the earlier model in RMS mount). This is acceptable but not exceptional in resolution and very vulnerable to flare, and does not measure up to the Leitz Photar 25 mm f/2, nor to the Zeiss Luminar 25 mm f/3.5, nor to the Macro-Nikkor 19 mm f/2.8.

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:20 pm

Charles wrote:but the 4X Plan Apo doesn't show up very often.

You're right.

Rik wrote:Probably they turn up on eBay from time to time, but it could be a long wait.

It could. There has only been one to my knowledge in the past year or so. It came as a Buy-it-now, for $99, with a 4/0.13 at the same price.

I've seen them around secondhand at prices like $1200

But I think someone might be reading this thread, because ...
Ta-daa

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:08 pm

I purchased the Nikon 4x apo last May from the same vendor referenced by ChrisR in his link to the current eBay auction, so apparently the vendor has another one. The lens is perfect, and the vendor was quite helpful. I paid $500 and have zero regrets--the lens is worth it. If I remember correctly, this current auction started out with a buy-it-now of $510, which disappeared when the first bid was entered. If I didn't already have the lens, I'd have hit that buy-it-now without a second thought.

This Nikon 4x apo and my Nikon 10x N Plan are probably the two most useful lenses in my macro lineup (at least for that portion that goes above 1x mag). If I didn't have both, I wouldn't mess around--would just buy them and get on with making photographs.

--Chris S.