So I got my second camera and a cheap Meike flash and had a bit of fun building this kit and experimenting around.
cheap enlarger lens
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
cheap enlarger lens
Bought a very cheap enlarger lens .. a Schneider Componar C 50mm, for about 25 €. For curiosity mainly and the very low price. Never tried an enlarger lens before.
So I got my second camera and a cheap Meike flash and had a bit of fun building this kit and experimenting around.
So I got my second camera and a cheap Meike flash and had a bit of fun building this kit and experimenting around.
YAWNS _ (Y)et (A)nother (W)onderful (N)ewbie (S)hooting
Excellent!
This shows well that getting very good results is not necessarily hampered by lack of expensive equipment.
Your lens is one of many which works well, the way you've used it.
Your lighting, which is often misunderstood, is from a large area from the subject's point of view, avoiding harsh highlights. (Is that tissue paper?) Fine!
We could all suggest refinements of lens or technique which make incremental differences & improvements, but for the application, for web use and probably more, you've got the technicalities covered.
"Tick":D.... and can get on taking pictures.
A salutory reminder for those of us who obsess over having everything optimised.
This shows well that getting very good results is not necessarily hampered by lack of expensive equipment.
Your lens is one of many which works well, the way you've used it.
Your lighting, which is often misunderstood, is from a large area from the subject's point of view, avoiding harsh highlights. (Is that tissue paper?) Fine!
We could all suggest refinements of lens or technique which make incremental differences & improvements, but for the application, for web use and probably more, you've got the technicalities covered.
"Tick":D.... and can get on taking pictures.
A salutory reminder for those of us who obsess over having everything optimised.
Chris R
@ChrisR
Hello Chris.. thank you for your complimentary words...
It helped me a lot to read and understand (I hope I did understand) about the concept of
"Apparemt liight size"
http://strobist.blogspot.pt/2007/07/lig ... light.html
and the "inverse square law"...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law
now when I look to build a diffuser at least I have an idea about what to look for ( a large difusion surface as close as possible from the subject) instead of doing experiemnts at random and see what happens
this simple diffuser was made after 2 slices of semi-opaque plastic (cut out from a office plastic folder) with a sheet of kitchen paper in between... I can try later to put other materials in between, like film foam, or greased paper or whatever in between the plastic sheets.
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It helped me a lot to read and understand (I hope I did understand) about the concept of
"Apparemt liight size"
http://strobist.blogspot.pt/2007/07/lig ... light.html
and the "inverse square law"...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law
now when I look to build a diffuser at least I have an idea about what to look for ( a large difusion surface as close as possible from the subject) instead of doing experiemnts at random and see what happens
this simple diffuser was made after 2 slices of semi-opaque plastic (cut out from a office plastic folder) with a sheet of kitchen paper in between... I can try later to put other materials in between, like film foam, or greased paper or whatever in between the plastic sheets.
[/url]YAWNS _ (Y)et (A)nother (W)onderful (N)ewbie (S)hooting
hello Dolmadis
Well I had to use what I had around... because the lens doesn't has any filter screw in the front (back in this case because the lens is reversed) .. and in case it had one it would be like 37mm or so and i don't have any sort of adapter or ring that small....
so I noticed the rubber band around the lens body could fit perfectly tight inside of a 49mm hole.. and the friction between the rubber and the metal, plus the rubber elasticity is pretty enough to keep the lens in place.
so I got a Cokin System P ring for square filters and fitted the lens inside the hole... and on the other side (the extension tube) I fitted a regular reverse ring for nikon lens mounts.. and my only ring is for 55mm .. so to connect both parts I used ordinary STEP UP rings... a 49>>52 and a 52>>55...
PS: the Cokin P ring is redundant, the lens would fit perfectly inside the 49>>52 step up ring... but the large rim of the Cokin ring provides a good support for the diffuser with some pieces of velcro.
Well I had to use what I had around... because the lens doesn't has any filter screw in the front (back in this case because the lens is reversed) .. and in case it had one it would be like 37mm or so and i don't have any sort of adapter or ring that small....
so I noticed the rubber band around the lens body could fit perfectly tight inside of a 49mm hole.. and the friction between the rubber and the metal, plus the rubber elasticity is pretty enough to keep the lens in place.
so I got a Cokin System P ring for square filters and fitted the lens inside the hole... and on the other side (the extension tube) I fitted a regular reverse ring for nikon lens mounts.. and my only ring is for 55mm .. so to connect both parts I used ordinary STEP UP rings... a 49>>52 and a 52>>55...
PS: the Cokin P ring is redundant, the lens would fit perfectly inside the 49>>52 step up ring... but the large rim of the Cokin ring provides a good support for the diffuser with some pieces of velcro.
YAWNS _ (Y)et (A)nother (W)onderful (N)ewbie (S)hooting
just a couple of notes, in case someone is nterested...
mounted as is with the necessary rings and a 36mm tube I get a little more than 1:1.. like 1,15 magnification.
the lens is a "prime" and it is totally manual... so:
there's no "zoom" and I can't frame or compose by changing the magnification.. it's WISIWYG.... a regular wasp will not fit in the frame
since there is no communication between the lens and the body, again it is WYSIWIG in the viewfinder.. and what you see with the lens closed at f/11 it is not very much.. it's pretty hard to see what you need to focus in the shade...(even at f/8 )... but in sunny places woks fine.
There is no focus ring.. the neck is the focus device...
I told you it is fun
mounted as is with the necessary rings and a 36mm tube I get a little more than 1:1.. like 1,15 magnification.
the lens is a "prime" and it is totally manual... so:
there's no "zoom" and I can't frame or compose by changing the magnification.. it's WISIWYG.... a regular wasp will not fit in the frame
since there is no communication between the lens and the body, again it is WYSIWIG in the viewfinder.. and what you see with the lens closed at f/11 it is not very much.. it's pretty hard to see what you need to focus in the shade...(even at f/8 )... but in sunny places woks fine.
There is no focus ring.. the neck is the focus device...
I told you it is fun
YAWNS _ (Y)et (A)nother (W)onderful (N)ewbie (S)hooting
For anyone seeking to copy:
It was unfortunate that this lens doesn't have a front filter thread, 90+% of enlarger lenses DO have one.
See "Threads we use" in the FAQ section.
Then you would need rings, to go between the lens and the extension tube.
Usually you'd need two, one "step up" from enlarger lens to (typcally 52mm
then a "macro reversing ring" to go from the 52mm to the camera fittting.
As far as I know the better Schneider lenses all have the filter thread. For a little more money you should find a 50mm F/2.8 Componon-S, which is better optically too.
Many of us have tried various diffuser materials, I doubt you'll do much better than the sandwich you're using. Extending a white reflector below the lens can be a useful for fill-in.
It was unfortunate that this lens doesn't have a front filter thread, 90+% of enlarger lenses DO have one.
See "Threads we use" in the FAQ section.
Then you would need rings, to go between the lens and the extension tube.
Usually you'd need two, one "step up" from enlarger lens to (typcally 52mm
then a "macro reversing ring" to go from the 52mm to the camera fittting.
As far as I know the better Schneider lenses all have the filter thread. For a little more money you should find a 50mm F/2.8 Componon-S, which is better optically too.
Many of us have tried various diffuser materials, I doubt you'll do much better than the sandwich you're using. Extending a white reflector below the lens can be a useful for fill-in.
Chris R
There's a bunch of ideas with bits of bottles, paper and other found objects in the FAQ threads (plural!). EG http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 8699#58699
We'll add a link to this one.
We'll add a link to this one.
Chris R
ChrisR wrote:. For a little more money you should find a 50mm F/2.8 Componon-S, which is better optically too.
Thank you Chris for the Tip....
I did not buy a Componon S, but I got a EL-Nikkor 50mm 2.8 N .. this one has a 40.5mm thread in the front and it was easy to buy a 40.5>> 52mm adapter ring...
I'm very happy with this lens and I'm having good moments in the grass chasing beasts... for me it's enough. I don't have any other perspectives than to publish on Facebook and Flicker.
Here is one from tonight's session before sunset with the EL-.Nikkor
Thank you so much
YAWNS _ (Y)et (A)nother (W)onderful (N)ewbie (S)hooting
