5x Magnification Ideas and Suggestions

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 2:33 pm

Any ideas or suggestions for a 5x test?

So far I plan to compare:

Canon-MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x
Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X / 0.14
Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 7.5X / 0.21 pushed down to 5x
Qioptiq Mag.x LD Plan APO 5x / 0.20
Nikon CFI LU BD Plan Fluor 5x / 0.15 FN25
Nikon MM 5X-A
Olympus MPLFLN 5x / 0.15 FN26.5 (Semi-APO)

The Laowa 25mm would fit right in, anyone with a spare unit to lend for the test?

This is wafer I plan to use, here at 100% crop @ 5x:

elimoss · Post by **elimoss** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 3:14 pm

Maybe throw in a Canon MP-20 or a Tominon to compare with the MP-65. Although I see you already have that at 4x

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 3:20 pm

elimoss wrote:Maybe throw in a Canon MP-20 or a Tominon to compare with the MP-65. Although I see you already have that at 4x

MP-20 would be a good one. Completely forgot about that, and I have one.

Also I believe I have a good Tominon 17 also.

Thanks.

Robert

elimoss · Post by **elimoss** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 3:31 pm

I think it would also be interesting to see a Sigma 35 Art or Sigma 24 Art reversed. Or any other wide aperture modern lens you might have that would give a reasonable comparison. Since plenty of photographers have something like that handy.

TheDocAUS · Post by **TheDocAUS** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:00 pm

The WeMacro 5X objective, the Mitutoyo clone: https://www.wemacro.com/?product=5x-inf ... g-distance

I have one but live in Australia, so it is not really an option to loan it to you Robert.

Michael

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:09 pm

The Nikon Plan 4 0.13 was the winner of my 4-6x shootout long ago, over the 5xMM and 20MP.

I'd suggest throwing the Lomo 3.7x into the mix as well. It's proving to be a contender in spite of its relatively low NA.

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:31 pm

elimoss wrote:I think it would also be interesting to see a Sigma 35 Art or Sigma 24 Art reversed. Or any other wide aperture modern lens you might have that would give a reasonable comparison. Since plenty of photographers have something like that handy.

Hi Elimoss,

In 2016 I wrote a blog for Sigma with the 24mm f1.4 Art reversed at 5x:

https://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2016/high-m ... -f1-4-art/

and reposted the results on my site:

http://www.robertotoole.com/blog/2016/0 ... -for-macro

Using a Fotodix F-mount adapter with a stop-down ring the performance was okay stopped down but nothing amazing. The images look better downsized for the web than full-size.

Thanks for the idea.

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:31 pm

Try some combo. I am currently playing with a Xenoplan 2/28 coupled with 100+ FL lenses and in terms of resolution it compares very favorable to the Mitty 5.

- Macrero

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:34 pm

TheDocAUS wrote:The WeMacro 5X objective, the Mitutoyo clone: https://www.wemacro.com/?product=5x-inf ... g-distance

I have one but live in Australia, so it is not really an option to loan it to you Robert.

Michael

Thanks for that. Its an interesting idea, now I need to find one.

Any idea who its made by? There are a quite a few objective manufacturers in China.

Robert

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:36 pm

ray_parkhurst wrote:The Nikon Plan 4 0.13 was the winner of my 4-6x shootout long ago, over the 5xMM and 20MP.

I'd suggest throwing the Lomo 3.7x into the mix as well. It's proving to be a contender in spite of its relatively low NA.

I don't think my CF Plan 4, 0.13 is as good as yours Ray. I need to look into it to make sure. I have quite a few that are similar.

Robert

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:41 pm

Macrero wrote:Try some combo. I am currently playing with a Xenoplan 2/28 coupled with 100+ FL lenses and in terms of resolution it compares very favorable to the Mitty 5.

- Macrero

Thanks for the idea Macrero.

I was going to reply that I had given up on stacking combos, I tried maybe 6 pairs recently and all I found was sharp centers but all bad corners and lots of CAs.

But your message gave me an idea. I do have a 28/2 Xenon that beat the Componon 28s (3 types) and the 35/2.8 at 4x. That might work.

Which telephoto?

The Sigma 150 macro would give me a little over 5x.

Thanks.

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:42 pm

Thanks a lot for all the ideas!

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:51 pm

Robert, surely you will need to stop down the combo for best results, preferably by putting an aperture between the lenses, or (in this case where the front lens is so much shorter in focal length than the rear lens) using the aperture of the front lens.

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:05 pm

Lou Jost wrote:Robert, surely you will need to stop down the combo for best results, preferably by putting an aperture between the lenses, or (in this case where the front lens is so much shorter in focal length than the rear lens) using the aperture of the front lens.

Thanks Lou will try that advice right now.

Robert

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:35 pm

Managed to get one with the sensor and wafer parallel handheld at 5x. Image quality isn't bad with the front lens iris closed one stop, although the short working distance makes lighting a challenge.

Sigma 150 OS macro + reversed S-K Xenon 28/2 at f/2.8, handheld with flash at 5x.