Nikon D70 fokus

I use a 60mm Nikkor macro lense but find that I can not get close enough to 5mm things underwater to fill the frame.

Is it better to use magnifier filters or extension tubes to get closer? I have heard you loose less quality with the tubes, and tubes are MUCH cheaper than a new lense. If I go the new lense route - which one?

Ext. tubes and dioptres are not really that helpful with the 60mm, as to get the extra magnification the subject ends up too close to the port to be able to light properly.

A teleconverter is a better solution for your lens. Although you would probably also have to buy an extention ring for your port as well (or a new port if you have an Ikelite housing - which don't take ext rings as far as I know).

Alex

The 105mm macro is the generally accepted solution to this problem--although much more expensive. It's a good combination of physical size and magnification without going too wild for most compositions.

Others have had success with the 70-180mm macro (discontinued) or the 200mm macro. The new Sigma 150mm has been used by Wetpixel members to produce some stunning photos as well.

Hi

I second Alex's choice

I personally use a 2x tele and 60mm micro, as suggested you need a port extension ring.

its very nice, come out at 180mm on the D70, allows that little more stand off from the critter or filling the frame if you can get closer.

regards

craig

Hi

 

I second Alex's choice

 

I personally use a 2x tele and 60mm micro, as suggested you need a port extension ring.

 

its very nice, come out at 180mm on the D70, allows that little more stand off from the critter or filling the frame if you can get closer.

 

regards

 

craig

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is the price for combination like that (not money)?

For sure you loose two stops but do you have some quality loosing?

I can not afford to loose any more quality!

I already think that my pictures are not sharp enough.

Perhaps a new port is a good idea as I am already wondering if my port glass is what it should be.

I am extremely dissapointed with my pictures at present - how much post processing do you guys do or are your photos stunning to begin with?

Help please.......

I can not afford to loose any more quality!

I already think that my pictures are not sharp enough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Nikkor 60 mm is ones of the sharpess lens in the market, Are on-land shots with the same lens are sharp? what u/w system you have?

Hi -

If you post a few pics Im sure a few people will provide constructive advice. I've used teleconverters on 60mm and 105mm as well as this combo with a wetdiopter (aka. woody's diopter). I have some close ups of tunicates that I think are pretty cool on my website from BVI.

M.

On land my 60mm pics are sharp - no problem there.

I am very very new year (I am sure you guessed!) How and where do I post pics?

I look your pictures I a wonder if I shouldnt be cooking jam instead....

Im not the expert on posting pictures.... Hopefully someone will help...Alex?

It takes YEARS (for me, anyway) to get it all figured out with equipment and composition and instruction and diving... My first year of photography with film I kept ONE picture!

M.

wait wait wait - I think I am getting there - I will try and upload in the critique section

Cooking jam it’s good, I prefer figs jam.

Posting pictures, there are two options:

- The recommended way, put a link to the picture you uploaded somewhere in the net by using the 'IMG' button above and entering the link to the picture.

- The less recommended way, attach a picture to a message by using the 'Attachments' section down, select a picture on your HD and upload it, there is a limit of the size that I don't remember it just now.

I can not seem to upload any photos - no matter where I try! I get an error all the time!

I get the following message when trying to upload photos:

Page can not be displayed:

HTTP 500 - Internal server error

Internet Explorer

Does anyone know what this is about?

Hi all Again

sound like someone might have an issue with BACKFOCUS to me, get your 60mm checkout

ok to comment on whats been said

Loss of image quality..... Not valid, I cannot see any loss in image quality using my 2x tele (obviously you need a good one)

Light loss...... for again this is not a vailid subjec. why would i want to shoot macro with an aperture of F2.8 ?, the DOF is so shallow at this setting that most of the images would be soft anyhow.

When shooting macro, we need max DOF to ensure that all our subject is in focus due to the very close ranges we are shooting and long lenses we are using.

personally i've never shot anything less than F11 on my 60mm. usually i'd shoot 16 or 22 , maybe 11 if i want to lose some of the background.

so the light loss of a teleconverter is not valid when using a macro lens.

take a look at these shots , taken with my F80 and 2x tele and 60mm. scanned

i cant see any loss, only digitizing quality compared to the trannies.

regards all

craig

now i know they are not as close as i would have liked but it was as close as i could get to the reef animals on this occasion

Hi,

Firstly, you can forget about shooting a 5mm frame underwater with the 60mm - it's not feasible (note I didn't say impossible). That's a 7:1 image!

So what kind of setup can you use to shoot 7:1? My first choice would be the Nikkor 200mm with a dry diopter and a wet diopter. That MIGHT get you there. You might even need a 1.4x teleconverter. If you use good diopters you won't lose too much image quality. The teleconveter will steal some though, but you can use a good Nikon TC.

Craig has some good points, but I disagree with him on others. Light loss from a teleconverter DOES matter. If you use a 2x TC, you lose 2 stops of light. That means that your strobes have to be 4 times stronger to take the same photo - period. A two stop loss also means that your viewfinder image will be 4 times dimmer than when using the 60mm by itself, or with a diopter. That makes AF impossible and it's very hard to even see through the viewfinder. Also, when your lens is set at f22 and you are shooting close with a 2x teleconverter, your actual f-stop (for lighting calcs) is something like f64!!!! It's also been reported here (not by me) that when shooting with a teleconverter, it's necessary to shoot at f8 or f11 to avoid diffraction fuzziness which is what you get when you stop down to f22.

Does any of the above make sense? I hope so.

Cheers

James

Hi james

yeh thanks some of this does make a lot of sense and l earning is taking place

your more than likely have much more expeirence shooting than i do james.

point totally agreed about light loss and strobe power, you just gota get your strobes that much closer when using the 2x teleconverter or up the ISO little, which i never did when using trannies.

so far with my D70 i have found that i'm having to put my SB-105's on 1/16 power at F16 to get an exposure that is not Blown away.

however my strobe placement is extremely close, if i pulled them back about 1ft then obviously more UMPH is needed

As you know the D70 is 200 ISO ,so we could just up that to say 400 if we need that extra bit of light, that would gain us back 1 stop of light , so the loss is not so great.

but increasing ISO can remove a little quality, at the moment i cant really see any difference in the 200 & 400 setting on my D70, its only very slight.

I normally use a focusing light as well james when ive used the 2x tele-converter

i've never really had an issue with that.

agreed that the viewfinder image is darker, but hey its digital, just fire your shot and take a look at the screen, instant learning.

My Main reason for using the 2x tele which i did'nt list is that it saves me carrying another lens and another port when out on a trip.

i just carry a extension ring, which saves all that extra hassle of luggage on the trip so weight is kept to a minimum,

the 60mm micro on a 1.5x factor body comes out quite nice enough for me anyhow.

hope all these pionts have helped blue pixel out

regards all

craig

Yes, thanks - you have answered my question on what lense or set-up to look at. I will do some practice runs and see what happens.

Any idea if the 60 mm + X2 teleconverter combination can fit in Ike housing & ports?

Is its possible, what port?

If using a 60mm lens what size of extension ring would you use with, say, a 1.7TC? (I use a Subal with the 60mm port). Does the extension ring/port combination just have to be physically long enough to house the lens/TC? Or is there something more complex involved?

I've been thinking of buying a TC and already have a 20mm and 50mm extension rings.