Smartphone macro-videography

A forum to ask questions, post setups, and generally discuss anything having to do with photomacrography and photomicroscopy.

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microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Smartphone macro-videography

Post by microman »

Still a good couple of months before any bugs here in Sweden but i have been doing some reading on possibly using a smartphone for macro-videography. I am pondering this as i sold my GH5 camera due to the fact my only interest seems to be to video insects so the camera would be sitting on a shelf like 7months of the year.. Too much waste.

A phone however i would use for a lot of other things and its a lot more portable. I could have it with me on regular walks where i usually find a lot of interesting bugs but don't want to haul a massive setup.

The sensors in new 2018 model phones are very good. Its a whole new generation of sensors and processors that are extremely fast. External lightning is ofc needed to counter the tiny pixel size but there are lithium operated tiny lights i could use. Samsungs new S9 models springs to mind.

I have read about different macro lenses for smartphones but most seems pretty bad. The good ones are half-DIY solutions.

One solution i have seen is to use a microscope eyepiece like an Olympus 10x/22 in front of the smartphone lens. For this a built in 2x optical zoom on the phone is necessary to get rid of vignetting. Most smartphones only have wideangle.

I already bought a Olympus 10x/22 UIS2 eyepiece as it was pretty cheap on ebay. No phone to test it with yet..

Are there any other solutions for macro lens on smartphones i could try that has very good optics for 4K video ? Enough magnification to capture 6mm Jumping spiders up close. Dont know what mag that would translate too..

Any suggestions are appreciated.

:)

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

So after doing some more reading i ended up buying a
Koziro Cinema Mount Mark II (found it at a good price else beastgrip might be better). It has a 37mm lens mount.

Reason to go with a cinema mount is it will be alot easier holding the phone and i can switch lenses.

I got two lenses i will try out.
First one is a DIY lens based on a Olympus WH10X/22 UIS2 shortend/cut down to get rid of vignetting and then glued to a 37-30mm step-ring that will fit to the cinema mount.

Second lens will be a Raynox MSM-202 that also has a 37mm mount.

This way i can compare and see what kind of mag and quality i get.

Waiting for all the parts and i can test on a Samsung S7. It does not have a great camera compare to new phones but it will do for testing until i can trade it in for a S9 that will have alot better camera.

Will continue this quest and post samples. Might take two weeks before all the things arrived.

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ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Watching with interest.
S9 - 1000fps, 120fps Ultra HD...
Maybe it's time to upgrate my S2?
Chris R

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

ChrisR wrote:Watching with interest.
S9 - 1000fps, 120fps Ultra HD...
Maybe it's time to upgrate my S2?
Hehe yeah phone tech is on the fast track. The specs seems to vary between sites thought. I think we have to wait until feb-25 at MWC to be sure what it will be.

Given the new sensor and the latest processor i would be suprised if it didnt do 4K60fps H256/HEVC. Also the optical zoom seems like a "?" as of yet.
Lots of speculation what the camera specs will be when released.

The processor alone is supposed to be able to handle 4K UHD video recording and playback with frame rate up to 120fps !

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Have you had a chance to see if the macro lens it comes with is any good? Most of the ones I've tried aren't good enough.
Chris R

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

ChrisR wrote:Have you had a chance to see if the macro lens it comes with is any good? Most of the ones I've tried aren't good enough.
No sorry still on its way in the mail. I dont expect it to be any good (at all) but i guess it could be interesting to compare it with the Eyepiece and Raynox lens to see what difference quality glass makes. The glass in the UIS2 Olympus Eyepiece is very nice so i expect it will do very well.
It wont be a super-scientific comparison thought.

zzffnn
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Post by zzffnn »

You may want to consider attaching a flash too, unless your primary application is videography instead of photography.
Last edited by zzffnn on Mon Feb 05, 2018 10:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

zzffnn wrote:You may want to consider attaching a flash too, unless your primary application is videography instead of photography.
Its for video only. For photo phones are usually not quite so good compared to a camera so will probably be a bit underwelming. These small high-performance sensorns and fast processors are great for video thought from what i have seen from the latest models.

However i will add a small led light-source for subject if needed. I dont know how much light this setup will require in the end. Hopefully only a small light is enough.

I want to keep it simple and smallish setup where i can pop in the phone when i see something interestning in the garden for example.

Tried to find a macro videography forum to see what people use but did not find anything good. Photo is way more popular it seems !

This light seems pretty nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCcNV5YaGPQ

microman
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

Ok here is a first test, i held the Olympus WH10X/22 Eyepeice between two fingers in front of phone and at the same time i held the phone so its very shaky.

I had to use 1.3X digital zoom to get rid of vignetting so IQ suffers a bit. Optical zoom is a must for any kind of usuable workingdistance with these Eyepeices and my Samsung S7 does not have that.

The S9 will have alot better IQ. I hope it will have optical zoom too..
This is only a quick and dirty test to see what it does on my current phone.

I think the magnification should be pretty spot on for 5mm Jumping Spiders.

Watch in 4K on youtube (if it works, youtube is painstakingly slow to encode to higher res). Its a SD-Card and Pen.

Edit* switched for better light video. Focus at 50% in phone gives a little better light and work-distance than macromode but more distorsion in the corners.

Distorsion is from camera lens not Eyepiece.
Lack of fine detail is also phone camera. From what i see i would say
the quality projected true the Eyepeice is excellent ad outresolves the sensor.

Video link: https://youtu.be/2cDbhJxmg78

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

Meanwhile waiting for parts.

For anyone interested why someone would even bother with a phone
here is a comparison between a 2017 year model
smartphone vs Panasonic GH5. In good light conditions the quality is very simular. In less than good lighting the larger sensor wins ofc but this is comparing a
$2000 "video-camera" to a $800-1K Phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmdGmjP1kPY

Iphone X comparison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyJbIwWma3Y



Ofc buying a $800-1K phone only to make videos is really silly. Atleast for a serius hobbyist. What you can however is splitting the difference and number of devices you use.

Not everyone likes lugging around an extra camera. I for one hate it.
Most of the time my GH5 was left home until i sold it.

I dont make proffessional videos, only for fun but i like high quality to watch at home on my TV so i am searching for a compromise.

2018 the cameras in phones are even better.

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

So i put the parts together and i am quite happy with the results
but _dont_ copy this by any means, its probably next to useless in the field with the very short WD. Plan is to find a combo that will work in field so this is only for trying things out.

Months until any bugs will show up :cry:

Parts so far.

1. Koziro Cinema Mount Mark II
2. My phone Samsung S7
3. Olympus WH10x/22 UIS2 eyepiece with cut barrel and attached to 37mm filter-ring.
4. Godox Godox M32 LED
5. Styrofoam cup diffuser
6. SFA Short Flex Arm to hold lights and mayby mic.

Video 4K res 1.3X digital zoom to get rid of vignetting.
All light is from on-camera Godox M32.
Micro usb, Swedish krona and a sdcard for reference.

https://youtu.be/H8wsQS45RaA

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microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

I was bored and tried making some kind of intro for the macro rig.
Not done tracking or much of any animation things before but it was fun playing around. Might have overdone the effects or whatever :lol:

When i focus the phones internal camera closer to infinity the distortion shows up more in the picture but i get longer WD. Setting the phones focus close to or at macro range gets rid of the distortion but WD too short.

Anyway some SMD resistors and stuff on a board.

Dont know what to video really. :P

Video link below.
Same as before 1.3X digital zoom/crop.

https://youtu.be/U_ohAlZhmBQ

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

Meanwhile snow keeps falling like crazy and macro season feels like forever away i am reading up about what i can expect from this project in terms of quality.

Found a good comparison-tool for Smartphone video quality.

I compared my Samsung S7 with two "top of the line" 2017 models.
Watching the comparison the S7 lacks detail for sure. The Google Pixel 2 is probably the best camera-phone to date. Only lacks optical zoom..

Google plays hardball and hires 2000 engineers to make their next phones. :shock:.... Too bad they wont be out until october i think and probably much later in EU.


Comparison tool below 4K res S7 vs Pixel 2 vs Note8.

https://www.gsmarena.com/vidcmp.php3?id ... hone3=8505

microman
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

Next step is to see if i can make a combo that has both working disctance and macro capability by increasing the phones 26?mm view into a 60mm.
Also making the lens longer so i can shoot at lower angles.

This also could mayby "save" money by not needing optical zoom on phone.

Reading up about the choices it seems a company named SIRUI makes the best telephoto for reasonable money.

The SIRUI 60-SA is supposedly "transparent" in terms of image quality with enough res not to degrade the picture but that i will have to see with my own eyes :roll:

Its made of German Schott glass.
Resolution: 500LP/mm ! Does not mention MTF or whatever so who knows how accurate that number is. Its even higher than the Ziess 350LP/mm that costs 3X as much..

I am not getting this for macro only but i will have use for it in my regular video-ing too using a clip on for portability for example.
Should be interesting to see what happens if one puts a close focusing lens in front.

How much will things degrade is the question. I have tried finding answers for these questions but there are so few Phone macro shooters out there i have to find out myself.

The posetive thing is if none of my options work atlest someone else wont have to try it :lol:

But i wont give up until i have somthing atleast.


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microman
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:16 pm

Post by microman »

So here is the next "frankenbuild".

My Samsung S7 with a SIRUI 60mm Telephoto and my good old Raynox DCR-250 in the front. Thats three lenses on top of eachother so proably some detail loss !

The SIRUI is quite good actually thought, sadly its not a perfect match. My phone has 26mm lens and it seems to work best with 28mm.

Mockup build with sticky tape and stuff so i can use the parts for other things if i get bored of this setup.

The Raynox is friction-fitted so i can take it out and use telephoto when not macro:ing.

Unfortunaly the Raynox is a tad to small in diameter for the Telephoto so i have to use 1.1X digital zoom to get rid of vignetting.
This setup cant be used for photo, too much vignetting.

Good thing is that the working distance is field usuable. I will measure it later. The magnification is not as much as i thought but i can see myself playing with this setup in the summertime.
Adding one more light and some reflectors/diffusors to get more even light. Mayby a Mic and its pretty much ready ?

A regular cam is way better ofc but thought this would be a fun project.

Did a quick test with my dinnerplate hehe.
4K video 1.1X digital zoom.


https://youtu.be/3KN1hosPKu4


Atleast its easy to upgrade, only pop in a new phone once every few years :lol:

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