Blowfly at 5X using Nikon CFI BE 10X (stereo added)

[rjlittlefield]

This one's for Johan. Shot with a Nikon objective, CFI BE 10X NA 0.25 WD 6.7 (part number MRN70100) used at 5X in combination with a Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM as tube lens, on a Canon T1i camera, sensor size 15.1 megapixels (4752 x 3168) on 22.3 x 14.9 mm. 375 frames at 10 microns focus step using StackShot rail. ZS PMax with slight retouching from a Stack Selected output to fix "transparent foreground" artifacts behind the proboscis.

Full frame (slight trim of edge streaks caused by camera sag). Darkening of the corners is vignetting.



Following is an assortment of 100% crops from the above. These have been "sharpened to taste", which turned out to be Photoshop's unsharp mask at 1 pixel, 100%.

Edge above center:



Near center:



Lower right corner:


Edit: as of 2023-09-19, the Nikon CFI BE 10X, part number MRN70100, can be obtained from https://microscopecentral.com/collectio ... 3125172865 .

Edit: as of 2015-09-09, the Nikon CFI BE 10X, part number MRN70100, can be obtained from SEO Enterprises in Lakeland, Florida, by contacting them through their web page at https://seoenterprises.com/pages/contact-us .

In years past, the Nikon CFI 10X BE was advertised by Optics Planet at http://www.opticsplanet.net/nikon-cfi-b ... copes.html, and a corresponding offer at Amazon, for example at http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Objectives- ... B0048JGVJS (no longer functioning) In both cases the pictures of the objectives were not correct. What they showed were the CFI60 series with 25mm threads, 60 mm parfocal distance, and a larger field. The BE's have a completely different appearance and are DIN -- RMS threads, 45mm parfocal, and a smaller field that is nonetheless large enough to be pushed as shown here.

By the way, this image will be the first one shown in the photography session at an entomology conference coming up in a couple of weeks. I'm going to convert it to monochrome, imply that it's SEM, then put the color back and tell 'em how it was really made. Should be fun!

--Rik

Edit Dec 16, 2012: to add part number
Edit Sep 09, 2015: to update supplier information
Edit Sep 19, 2023: to update supplier information

[johan]

You're very kind to do this, thank you Rik. I'm sold, I tried to order it through Amazon but they won't ship to the UK. I'll see if I can find a source.

Thanks again.

[rjlittlefield]

For your amusement, the stereo version...

--Rik

[Cactusdave]

I think Optics Planet will ship to the UK if you order direct from them, otherwise you may be able to order direct from Nikon UK, though it may need a few phone calls or Emails to find the right person to speak to.

[ChrisLilley]

You're very kind to do this, thank you Rik. I'm sold, I tried to order it through Amazon but they won't ship to the UK. I'll see if I can find a source.

OpticsPlanet international shipping options

[GFM]

You're very kind to do this, thank you Rik. I'm sold, I tried to order it through Amazon but they won't ship to the UK. I'll see if I can find a source.

Thanks again.

In the UK Nikon does not seem to have distributors for those kind of lenses. I recently purchased a 4x through Nikon directly and apparently it will come from Japan (!!!).

GF

[retired]

It is a remarkable shot. I would like to know what type and method of lighting was used. Thank you.

[rjlittlefield]

Thanks. The lighting was very simple: one flash, some aluminum foil used as a fill reflector, and a styrofoam cup trimmed to block direct light from the flash to the subject while allowing maximum opportunity for light to get inside the cup and bounce around. The fiber optic illuminator you see here played no role in actually shooting the stack. It just provides continuous illumination for framing and setting the stack start & end positions.



--Rik

[PRC]

Thanks for the shot of the setup - picture worth a pile of words and all that.

What tube lenses are folks using in Nikon based set-up's ?

regards, and thanks for a great resource.

Paul C

[rjlittlefield]

Pretty much anything seems to work well as a tube lens, except that zooms at less than full length will probably vignette. I don't have any long Nikon lenses, so when I want to stack with my Nikon body, I stick on an infinity-corrected M42 adapter and one of my ancient manual telephotos, either a 200 mm f/2.8 Vivitar, a 135 mm f/2.8 Vivitar, or a 135 mm f/3.5 Sears/Ricoh. None of those is older than I am, but they're definitely older than my adult offspring.

Regarding the rest of the gear, this stack was done with the rig HERE, except to be honest I didn't even bother with the laptop -- just recorded to SD card in the camera using the StackShot standalone.

--Rik

[DQE]

A most enjoyable thread and photos.

In the stereo set, I am unable to get a clear 3-D visualization at the bottom of the inflated labia (hope I'm using the right terminology). I think it's because on the right lower half of the labia in the left photo has a small gray debris-like object [EDIT: not an object but a small area of different shading] but the right one doesn't. When I visualize in 3D, the mismatch in this subregion causes the 3D fusion to partially break down for me but only in this subregion.

If needed, I could probably figure out how to put an arrow on the area of concern.

Again, great set of photos and discussion.

(This is of course just a trivial detail but I am hoping to learn if there is a simple reason for this visualization difficulty or if I'm just having a bad 3-D visualization evening.)

[rjlittlefield]

Phil -- very good! I was waiting for somebody to comment about that. It's a straightforward case of "transparent foreground artifact", manifested in a stereo pair. If you force your brain to allow the possibility of partial transparency, then you may perceive the anomaly as being some actual object seen indistinctly in the far background. Or maybe not -- the other depth cues are pretty effective at keeping that from happening. In any case, it is a real anomaly. You are not having a bad 3-D visualization evening.

--Rik

[desert bluegrass]

I read your post on the comparison of different lenses, micro and macro, actually I think you used the term "test". Most of the posts I am reading are rather dated so I'm not sure this is the appropriate manner to address an older post. Will you receive it just as readily versus a newer post?

The Nikon CFI 10x Plan Achromat caught my curiosity and I'm interested in obtaining one. I went about searching for shots using the Canon 100mm macro with the Nikon micro lens and I found your shots of the blowfly. Someone commented that the shot was "quite remarkable". He was more polite than me upon seeing the closeness of the photos. I won't bore you with the expletive. I mean...wow. That is some photo.

It also makes me wonder if that is the close up I need for what I plan on doing. Will the Nikon CFI 10x allow me to pull back if necessary instead of getting that close of a shot, say of a flower's stamens and pollen? And then allow me to get that butterfly, moth, junebug or ladybug? Most of my work/play will be in the field since mostly I am out in nature shooting and then I return to do the remaining work on the laptop. Many of the plants and flowers are of the thorn and spine type and do not easily allow for carry. I also don't like to pick them since many of them are not plentiful. I found a beautiful Mimosa on a rocky outcrop on my property. The only one I have ever seen in this territory, so I was really loath to take it with me.

Most people who arrive here as tourists don't understand that the desert is not the lonely, arid place of Hollywood fame. Just on my twenty acres there are more plants and interesting insects, butterflies, and small things than anyone could shake a stick at. But yet some people arrive here and all they see is just a bunch of rocks and dirt.

I also plan on purchasing a focus rail that I can take into the field. I know it's a lot of equipment but I can usually deal with it since the excitement of the find allows me to ignore the burden. Is there a suggestion of a focus rail that is relatively affordable and reliable and luggable? Is that asking too much?

Thanks for any assistance.

Charlton

[rjlittlefield]

I read your post on the comparison of different lenses, micro and macro, actually I think you used the term "test". Most of the posts I am reading are rather dated so I'm not sure this is the appropriate manner to address an older post. Will you receive it just as readily versus a newer post?

Sure. If the content is still relevant, then no post is too old to ask about. At less than 10 months, this one is still pretty young compared to a lot of my standard references.

The Nikon CFI 10x Plan Achromat caught my curiosity and I'm interested in obtaining one. I went about searching for shots using the Canon 100mm macro with the Nikon micro lens and I found your shots of the blowfly. Someone commented that the shot was "quite remarkable". He was more polite than me upon seeing the closeness of the photos. I won't bore you with the expletive. I mean...wow. That is some photo.

It also makes me wonder if that is the close up I need for what I plan on doing. Will the Nikon CFI 10x allow me to pull back if necessary instead of getting that close of a shot, say of a flower's stamens and pollen? And then allow me to get that butterfly, moth, junebug or ladybug?

Thank you for the kind words. The entomologists liked that image too.

Unfortunately no, this lens won't do what you want. The Nikon CFI and CFI BE 10X objectives have a maximum field diameter of only about 6 mm. The only way to change magnification is by changing the focal length of the tube lens, and you can't even use them with a zoom telephoto because the combo vignettes too much. You could think about swapping out the 10X for a 4X when you needed less magnification, but still that's only going to get you up around 15 mm field diameter, with the same restrictions.

The best lens I know for your application would be the Canon MP-E 65. It's quite sharp from 1X to 5X. You can push it to somewhat higher magnification with extension tubes or a teleconverter, although with most cameras this will be "empty magnification" that does not show much more detail on the subject. Downsides are that the MP-E costs close to $1000 and has a large blunt barrel that restricts your options for illumination.

I also plan on purchasing a focus rail that I can take into the field. I know it's a lot of equipment but I can usually deal with it since the excitement of the find allows me to ignore the burden. Is there a suggestion of a focus rail that is relatively affordable and reliable and luggable? Is that asking too much?

I assume you're looking for one that can make fine enough steps even for stacking at 5-10X. A StackShot with battery pack might fit that need. (See HERE for an MP-E setup like that.) But I'm worried that it's overkill -- both for the photography and for your back. I think most of the field stacking folks would use a manual micrometer-driven linear stage purchased used from eBay.

--Rik

[Nurz]

Sorry to resurrect a decade old thread, but I really like this little alien as well. It's not overly processed, sharpened just enough to look natural. And... 375 frames? Did you shoot so many because you had to? It's worth the effort no doubt, I'm just curious about how many frames you think are enough for a clean coverage of a ~4mm subject like this with the 10x.