Nikon Macro Lens query!

Thanks James.

Chris Bangs work was a good call as well!

Be sure to buy a good quality diopter (2 element achro) from Heliopan or Nikon (3T 1.5x). No point in buying good glass just to put a crappy piece of glass in front of it, don't you agree?

Yes, I agree.

Imagine cutting out a 26mm wide x 24mm tall piece of cardboard

Typo alert :shock:

"closest focus' of the lens (it's around 14").

Meaningless factoid error alert :shock: It's 12".

Or consider the 200 mm + 4T diopter...

 

Now there is a howitzer of a lens/port combination, but the 200mm micro-nikkor+ a 4 T diopter will get you to 2:1 with reasonable working distance. You'll just have a hell of a time trying to find your subject in the veiwfinder

I used the 200mm on the Bahamas trip for the first time in a long time. Anyone want to buy it?

James, thanks that is a great explanation. I just upgraded from the 60mm to the 105mm macro lens and wanted to understand the effects of diopters. I just ordered a 4T from B&H and now I am wondering if that is too powerful and perhaps I should just start with a 1T.

No, it's not too powerful for true macro. If you think it is too much, get a 3T. I use the 3T and 4T all the time with the 105mm. If you want more mag, get a 1T and combine it with the 4T. Check your port length with the lens fully extended and diopter attached.

How would a 2X TC help? Is the function of the TC to increase my working distance from the subject?

Yes and no. Now you can shoot the same size from further away, or 2:1 film equivalent from 12" away. The major downside to a 2x TC is a two stop loss of light and some sharpness loss depending on the quality of the TC. The loss of light makes AF very difficult, unless you open up the aperture. If you open up the aperture, you then lose depth of field.

I prefer the ease and simplicity of diopters for increased magnification. It works as long as you can get your rig close to the subject.

Be sure to buy a good quality diopter (2 element achro) from Heliopan or Nikon (3T 1.5x). No point in buying good glass just to put a crappy piece of glass in front of it, don't you agree?

Absolutely. There are cheap single element diopters and high quality diopters.

The 200 mm micro is an excellent lens, optically superior to the 70-180, for Super Macro ( 2:1 ~ 10 :1 + ) its minimum focus distance is quite useful when using converters and diopters. The greater lens to subject distance makes strobe positioning much easier. The drawback is you need a bazooka port to house it. I still find the 105 mm with converters ( single or stacked ) to be my favorite lens for extreme super macro.

Anyway, I still consider 2:1 wide angle :wink:

Chris

Hi James

I broke the 10:1 barrier, I also had an adapter made so that I can use my old A80 threaded ports with the S2 housing. This will allow use of the 200 mm at some extreme magnification May need a tripod as well as a winch to lower it in the water!

Those super macro shots of your are great. I used diopters at first but found that teleconverters were the way to go. consider getting a 2X, The Kenko "PRO 300" works quite well with the 105 mm.

Who told you about my super macro camera holding trick?

Chris

Chris, what extension setup do you use for the 200mm? I have the 105 extension and the 12-24 dome extension. Will I need more? Also, is it OK to combine extensions or should I get a specific extension for the 200 (if I manage to get one!)?

Also, what is the min focus length, and if it is too long, what diopter do you use?

Thanks IA!

Richard

Aquatica makes a special extension for the 200, this and the 105 extension will work with a 2X converter but barely. For the extream stuff I use two 200 extensions, and even have added others when stacking converter, adding diopters, etc. My goal is to get the lens as close to the inner port face as possible

Hi Richard

If you want to see some of the macro shots, I posted several on the following gallery

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgall...00/ppuser/20620

I will also go in a post a shot of my old A80 macro rig showing how massive it is with two 200 mm extensions. the S2 is quite similar except that the ports are smaller in diameter.

Chris

This was taken with the 200mm on the recent Wetpixel Bahama's trip. With Aquatica port extension. Either my eyes are getting too old for extreme macro or I got to get that Seacam viewfinder that cost $30,000 because I have trouble finding the subject throught the viewfinder.

My vision is not good, so here's my trick

I use a ikelite PCA mounted on the port, ( disney would be proud if he saw how I did it ), anyway the PCA with its narrow beam works as my aid to "get in the ballpark" to find the tiny critter. The secrete is to preset the light on the focus point which I do by finding a flat surface to focus on before approaching the subject, I adjust the light while looking in the finder until I have it as bright as possible, then I go to the subject position the light on it and then peer through the finder to do the final hunting, works well for 10:1 should be a snap for 2:1