NEX Macro Option?

I play a bit more with macro setup. I bought a longest macro port for my housing, which is dedicated to Sony 100mm macro lens. That lens is a bit expensive for me at the moment so I used some old stuff. I try to fit Zeiss 135mm f3,5 lens with M42 screw and converter x2. On the outside I used 2x Inon UCL330 lenses.

This gave me a big piece of stuff which looks like that.

I did picture of the Kings eye on the polish 100 PLN money

Great

Macro lenses for use under local water is a big issue as the usual visibility is very poor. For bigger FF SLRs, we prefer using 50/60mm macro. Which is exactly the 30 mm macro. Using Touit 50 or Sony 90 produces other problems

Mark

I am not happy with 30mm macro lens and their very short focusing distance.

Now my setup is quire big, but actually it helps, because camera and port itself are enough big to handle directly the housing and macro port. This help me to take pictures "from hand" with reasonable focusing distance and manual focusing by moving the whole setup. I did few tests on land and I am happy with the results.

There are some pictures made with this setup.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1017917088237064.1073741854.100000563469734&type=1&l=54d9fcea50

Dear Tomek

Was it a tailor made housing?

Got the answer from your website.as you are shooting RX100 in a Acquapazza housing

Mark

The RX100 was my previous camera. Sorry I have to time to update the informations and pictures on the website.

I was very happy with that camera and housing made by Acquapazza, so when I switched for Sony then I bought again Acquapaaza housing.

The longest port which I have is dedicated for Sony 100mm macro A mount lens with LE-EA1 adapter.

I just read this article,

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/macro-photography-dome-port

and because BlueWaterPhoto pointed out that limited range of macro lenses are the weakest feature of NEX system then I will try to adopt some of on-land macro tricks for underwater photography.

This is my setup with short macro port dedicated for 30mm lens the same size is for 16-50mm lens and 50mm.

Dear TomekP

I visitied Aquappzza, and I did not notice any housings for newer Nex bodies say A6000. I do have a 5n which is very slow in AF

I switched to a 5R/5T and with 30mm macro, these bodies do not shine. AF speed is again not impressive

I coupled the lens with extension tubes and the MWD becomes a few mm only.

I think that kit lenses 16-50mm, 18-55mm or just 50mm with macro wet diopters are better than 30mm macro lens.

I do not like to use autofocus during taking macro so for me there is no reason to change my old camera

I see...I depend heavily on autofocus coz my eyes did not see clearly down under

My eye are also not very well so I have to use mask with correction glasses and magnifying loupe on the camera screen and in manual focusing it is possible to use additional digital magnification to adjust focus.

I tested macro setup in open water, I have some doubts but now I know that it is possible to take picture and adjust focus manually by moving camera

Esox Lucius eye - one attempt - one shot .... then He decided that flesh light is not nice for Him

perch spawn

mussel "mouth"

Anyone here been able to try the new FF Zeiss 90mm Macro on NEX or anything else?

First dive using the new Sony FE 90mm F/2.8 macro with the Sony A7 II in a Nauticam NA-A7II housing, Two Inon Z-240 strobes shot in manual. All shot at ISO-200 using EFV and Nauticam 45 degree enhancement viewfinder. Octopuses eye F/16 at 1/250th, LizardfishF/11 at 1/125th, Batfish F/11 at 1/125th.

This is one outstanding macro lens.

Hi Phil,

You've tested many cameras and lenses, what make this one outstanding?

What do you think using this lens with an APS-C camera like the A6000, will it be even more enjoyable?

Any test with the SMC and his multiplier?

You've probably got and early version of the port and gear, here is Asia it won't be available before late August.

Regards

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Regarding the port you are correct Atobit I am using a standard flat port with an extension that most closely fits the lens, however the lens sits back in the port at least 10-12 mm. This will greatly reduce the magnification with any C/U lens so I have not yet tried my C/U lenses yet. If you have followed my reviews you may be aware that I not reviewed a full frame camera in some time so most of my current close up lenses are designed for smaller sensor cameras I.E. Nauticam CMC-1 and SAGA +5 and +15. Best results will come from SMC, ReefNet and Inon.

Regarding built quality it is excellent. For above water work the lens has a focus hold button and for U/W it has focus limiting in the .4 M to 1:1 range which is what I used for my first dive with the lens yesterday. Focus is quite accurate and the image quality is higher than any macro I have ever tested. Cost is in line with or below other full frame macros from other camera makers. Mirrorless bodies allow lenses like the Olympus 60mm macro to be smaller than full frame lenses, while the Sony A-series full frame lenses are smaller than most of the like DSLR lenses they still need to be bigger than lenses for sub full frame cameras. So the only downside to the Sony 90mm macro may be its size relative to the A7 series bodies. Can't wait to test this lens on the A7r II coming next month.

If you like bench testing reviews DXO Marks has just posted a review for the Sony 90mm macro on the current Sony A7r body and it got a through the roof 40 score. They also tested the lens on a ASP-C sensor if you would like to look into it. What drew me to this system which I am now reviewing for a future issue of UWPMAG.com is the quality of the lenses being introduced by Sony. While the lens set remains small compared to Canon, Nikon, Olympus and others the few lenses I use use underwater are all excellent.

Great to hear about this lens performance underwater, so far I’ve only use it above, yes it’s a great lens.

I didn’t understood what position you placed the focus switch: Full, ∞-0.5m or 0.5-0.28m? I would tend to use 0.5-0.28m.

In your upcoming review, will you test the wide angle lenses too? I mean the 16-35mm/f4 and the 28mm/f2 with the WA and fisheye adaptors? I’d like to see a comparison.

I’m using the Nikonos 15mm for now, it’s manual but compact. It’s good for video but I’d like an auto-focus lens for photo, I’m hesitating between the two mentioned above…

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I think I should have started a new thread for this lens so people won't need to hunt for information on the lens.

I use 0.5-.28m or half meter to Life Size (1:1), this takes a bit of time to learn because you will backup for the lens to focus on some occasions. This is resolved by just getting closer as you should for macro. My first review will involve the 90 macro and the 16-35mm zoom with the recommended 180mm port configuration from Nauticam. I will be doing a later review for the A7r II which I hope to include more lens options. I will not be investing in any more lenses until after DEMA in early November any new lenses should be announced by then. I do not own the 28mm with adaptors but I may have a chance to borrow those for my next review after Nauticam has announced the port configuration for those adapters.

A few more pix form yesterdays dive with the same housing setup.

Great job! Your last pictures are beautiful!

Nauticam just released their recommendation for the 28mm+adaptor, 180mm dome for the Wide Angle adaptor and 140mm dome for the Fisheye.

I’m in the same path for new lenses, waiting to see what will be the new FE lenses announcement.

It seems with the A7RII we’ll be able to get god focus speed with non-FE lenses, so there is maybe opportunity here.

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Just gone mine today and mounted it on a6k. The speed of 90G is not that fast, comparing to my 5D3/d800 macro combo.

Can't speak for the A6000 but it focuses seems in line with other macro lenses I have used of about the same focal length when used with the A7 II. I use the focus limiting range of 0.5M to life size (1:1) which may not be on your other macro lenses. I would expect focus speed to be even better whit the new A7r II when it is released. Apples to apples that might be a better comparison V. 5D3/D800.