2x objectives

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johan
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Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:39 am
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2x objectives

Post by johan »

Hello,

Does anyone have successful experience using a cheap or noname finite 2x objective and using a long bellows to stretch this to 3,4,5x to get decent quality? I can find plenty of 2x objectives around but they seem to be either ultracheap or ultraexpensive with relatively little in the middle.

Many thanks
My extreme-macro.co.uk site, a learning site. Your comments and input there would be gratefully appreciated.

Charles Krebs
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Post by Charles Krebs »

johan,

Ironically you really need to watch out for the working distance with 2X objectives. I have a 2 Nikon finite 2X objectives... a Pan Apo and an Plan Achromat. The working distances are 5.3 and 5.8 respectively. This is about half what you can get with some 10X achromats, and about 1//3 what a 4X (Apo or Achromat) can provide.

A 2X finite objective has a focal length in the 75- 80mm range. A Plan Apo may have an aperture "equivalent" to about f/4.1, but the typical achromat will have an aperture "equivalent" to about f/6.7. As a result you are generally better off using a good 80mm enlarging lens. You will have much greater working distance and not be giving up much, if anything, in the way of maximum usable aperture.

10x is generally the point at which it is very hard to beat a microscope objective for image quality (the larger useful aperture= greater resolution). At 4X and 5X there are other options that will provide results comparable to objectives. (But a good 4X or 5X is nice to use on a bellows, and can have adequate working distance).

johan
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Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:39 am
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Post by johan »

Charles,

Thank you very much for the warning regarding this. I have been using my son's 10x objective to try out objectives and the 9?mm wd is, let's say, not without considerable challenges. I wouldn't like to try even less, yet. Working with that 10x was well worth doing but on my apsc it only shows one fly eye (see flickr link in sig) so I was after something with less magnification, hence the question.

Thanks again.
My extreme-macro.co.uk site, a learning site. Your comments and input there would be gratefully appreciated.

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