Mitutoyo M Planapo 2x good for stacking?

Enoplometopus · Post by **Enoplometopus** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:52 am

I frequently read that the 2x of the Mitutoyo M Planapo series is not really recommendable for focus stacking, and that many conventional macro objectives can do the job better. Does anyone in the forum have experience with that? I work with the 5x and 10x, and it would be much more comfortable for me to also use the 2x, instead of removing the bellows with the Raynox tube lens and install the MPE 65 or a 1:1 macro. But I have no idea how the resolution of the MPE 65 competes with that of the Mitu 2x. Or does the 2x have a smaller picture circle than the 5x or 10x? I work with FF sensor, bellows and the two Raynox. Does it make sense for me to add the Mitu 2x to my collection?

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:10 am

Mitutoyo M Planapo 2x good for stacking?

The Mitutoyo 2x M Plan APO
Magnification = 2x
NA = 0.055

Eff=f/18
N=f/6

That is pretty slow so I would guess a scanner lens or other would be a sharper lens, even sharper than a MP-E 65 for that matter.

Just posted this:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=37031

For sample images with the Mity 2x, I believe Ray has posted some here years ago. I will see if I can dig it up.

Robert

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:17 am

Found these threads on the Mitutoyo M Plan 2x.

Ray's test:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=20173

Others:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... p?p=130914

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... p?p=108190

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... p?p=113734

Hope this helps

Robert

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:37 am

"Comfortable" matters

.

I do believe it may be possible, Shock Horror, that there are some people for whom the appearance of the faintest detectable blur is not an impediment to taking the next breath. Can this be true?

Joking apart, it's a lot easier to swap objectives and get on with it than faff about with a complelety different set of optics. If you want a lower magnification in a set and are prepared to correct CA, you get a pretty nice result, quickly.
Caveat, that's for APS/DX. For 24 x 36 it may not be suitable.

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:01 am

ChrisR wrote:"Comfortable" matters .

I do believe it may be possible, Shock Horror, that there are some people for whom the appearance of the faintest detectable blur is not an impediment to taking the next breath. Can this be true?

....

Sharpness isnt everything Chris, you know how I feel about the qualities of Bokeh and micro-contrast!

On a serious note, Just thought of something else, f/6 at 2x is going to produce really dark viewfinder, an almost unusable viewfinder image or even live view unless you have Canon, Sony, Pana, or Oly. The older Nikons like the D800 don't have exposure simulation (brightening of the live-view image to simulate proper exposure so you can actually see anything) nor do they have focus peaking so in this case accurate focus won't be easy in anything but bright sunlight at f/6.

Just my experience, there maybe people out there with decent f/6 focus skills, but I'm not one of them.

Hope this helps.

Robert

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:02 am

If you use Robert's excellent suggested scanner lenses or the great Canon 35mm bellow lens, all you have to do is remove the Raynox/Mitu unit and put the lens on your bellows. Just as easy as changing objectives, I think.

Enoplometopus · Post by **Enoplometopus** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:02 pm

Thanks for all the infos. Seems like the Mitu 2x is not the way to go for me since I use FF sensor only. (Good to know because I got a good offer these days and was tempted to buy it.) Roberts info about the Minolta scanner lens sounds most interesting, I think I need that one. Since I use a Novoflex Balpro bellows with detachable front plate, I could just remove the plate carrying the Raynox and Mitus and replace it by the plate carrying the Minolta and use that for 1x to 2x.

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:32 pm

Enoplometopus wrote:Thanks for all the infos. Seems like the Mitu 2x is not the way to go for me since I use FF sensor only. (Good to know because I got a good offer these days and was tempted to buy it.) Roberts info about the Minolta scanner lens sounds most interesting, I think I need that one. Since I use a Novoflex Balpro bellows with detachable front plate, I could just remove the plate carrying the Raynox and Mitus and replace it by the plate carrying the Minolta and use that for 1x to 2x.

Glad you found the info interesting.

Since I ran that test I run the little Minolta up to 2.6x and the results were very similar to 2x. CA free and sharp! I plan to run more tests once I am back in California to find the where the performance eventually drops off. I would guess 2.75x or so. There is no way the lens can be that good from 1-3x!

Best,

Robert

Enoplometopus · Post by **Enoplometopus** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:17 pm

RobertOToole wrote:
Enoplometopus wrote:Thanks for all the infos. Seems like the Mitu 2x is not the way to go for me since I use FF sensor only. (Good to know because I got a good offer these days and was tempted to buy it.) Roberts info about the Minolta scanner lens sounds most interesting, I think I need that one. Since I use a Novoflex Balpro bellows with detachable front plate, I could just remove the plate carrying the Raynox and Mitus and replace it by the plate carrying the Minolta and use that for 1x to 2x.
Glad you found the info interesting.

Since I ran that test I run the little Minolta up to 2.6x and the results were very similar to 2x. CA free and sharp! I plan to run more tests once I am back in California to find the where the performance eventually drops off. I would guess 2.75x or so. There is no way the lens can be that good from 1-3x!

Best,

Robert

Sounds great. For me it would be fully sufficient to have it from 1x to 2x, because starting from 3x I can use my Mitus, starting with the 5x with the "small" Raynox. BTW, thanks for the hint with the Godox diffuser on your web page. I am now using it with four small Godox flash units, and those, along with the Mitus, gave a tremendous improvement to my photos. I tried lots of simple diy diffusers before. But only the Godox with four flash units did it!

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:22 pm

Enoplometopus wrote:BTW, thanks for the hint with the Godox diffuser on your web page. I am now using it with four small Godox flash units, and those, along with the Mitus, gave a tremendous improvement to my photos. I tried lots of simple diy diffusers before. But only the Godox with four flash units did it!

Great to hear, thanks!

Feel free to email or PM me anytime if I can be of any help.

All the best,

Robert

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 12:03 pm

I foresee broken Dimage scanners becoming luxury items and start selling 10X their original price

Now's the time to buy a dozen of those

But you must be smart, patient and lucky

. A couple of days ago there was one listed on eBay (Germany) at 250 EUR, I made an offer, poor me... the scanner was sold for 250 EUR shortly after

No, the Mitu 2X is not worth using on camera, even on m4/3, it will give you average resolution and awful coverage on large sensors (APS-C and FF).

Beatsy · Post by **Beatsy** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 3:58 pm

Macrero wrote:I foresee broken Dimage scanners becoming luxury items and start selling 10X their original price...

Followed by a glut of Dimage scanners sold "for parts, no lens"

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:37 pm

Beatsy wrote:Followed by a glut of Dimage scanners sold "for parts, no lens"

Lol, the funny thing is is that sellers selling scanners with lens would have no idea about what the reason of their success is. I hope the guy who bought the scanner will make some nice pics with the lens and not only will make tests and mentally masturbate about how awesome his new lens is...

I am not sure the lens is so awesome though, I have not tried it yet, I trust nothing but my eyes and my tests.

rockycarter · Post by **rockycarter** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:46 pm

Mitutoyo M Planapo 2x . I find for what i use the M Planapo 2x. Its a totally excellent lens. It has enough depth of field for coins. I do not need to use focus stacking. This is the 2017 150 year loonie. see how i can find the missing steps. The white you see on the surface of the coin. This coin is missing a lot the cupo plating. what you are seeing is the nickel. That is why it is so reflective. Here is a image. to show you what i am talking about no stacking missing steps.

Saul · Post by **Saul** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:24 pm

Bought Mitu 2x couple years ago, returned after first tests (my fault, had to listen more our community colleagues), center was okey'ish, edges - bad.