Reverse Marco

[sharpshooter]

Heard of the term "reverse marco". Anyone kind enough to explain? And how it works?

 

[Snoweagle]

I can't explain in detail but i can tell u that reverse macro is when you add a reverse adapter ring to your SLR/DSLR mount, it allows you to screw in your lens head in first where the rear element of your lens is now facing front. This way, the magnification is larger and can take objects at very close distance, some even closer than 1:1 ratio.

Do not that these reverse adapter rings come with various thread sizes to fit different lens thread diameters and only manual focusing is allowed, unless you get those with AF such as those from NovaFlex (i think it's spelt this way) for around $429 but it's an overkill. The usual adapter ring costs around $45.

 

[yanyewkay]

the adaptor ring costs <$30 for Nikon. Other brands I'm not too sure. Depending on the camera you use, you might lose metering functions as well and the camera might refuse to fire.

You can also hand hold the reverse lens (normally a 50mm prime) if you don't want to buy a adaptor.

And you will achieve mag ratios greater than 1:1.

Snoweagle: what does closer than 1:1 ratio means?

 

[Snoweagle]

the adaptor ring costs <$30 for Nikon. Other brands I'm not too sure. Depending on the camera you use, you might lose metering functions as well and the camera might refuse to fire.

You can also hand hold the reverse lens (normally a 50mm prime) if you don't want to buy a adaptor.

And you will achieve mag ratios greater than 1:1.

Snoweagle: what does closer than 1:1 ratio means?

As what u've said, mag ratios greater than 1:1

 

[lsisaxon]

the adaptor ring costs <$30 for Nikon. Other brands I'm not too sure. Depending on the camera you use, you might lose metering functions as well and the camera might refuse to fire.

You can also hand hold the reverse lens (normally a 50mm prime) if you don't want to buy a adaptor.

And you will achieve mag ratios greater than 1:1.

Snoweagle: what does closer than 1:1 ratio means?

Hand holding is good because you can tilt the lens to get a wider depth of field also.

 

[yanyewkay]

yups. I ever saw a website (which i lost the link) that used the rubber lens hood to the reversed lens and there you have a cheap T/S lens

the only catch is that you need to use a lens that projects a larger image circle than the format you are using. The example used a MF lens onto a 35mm film.

not sure FF onto APS-C works or not.. but so far I don't have probs

 

[Snoweagle]

Just OT a bit, sometimes i feel that the reverse macro will make the images too large so why not use close up filters instead?

 

[DeSwitch]

DOF is very very shallow. and working distance is very close.

 

[Snoweagle]

Think should try stacking close up filters to see the effects.

 

[stonefish35]

There used to be an article on this, from megaweb's website. I'm a fan of his :bsmilie: . But yet to try.... 1 day, I will try....:think:

http://megaweb.clubsnap.org/articles/a70_reversed_35mmf2/

 

[yanyewkay]

Just OT a bit, sometimes i feel that the reverse macro will make the images too large so why not use close up filters instead?

i guess you work with relative large objects then..

 

[Snoweagle]

i guess you work with relative large objects then..

Nope, it can be used for relatively small insects too.

 

[lsisaxon]

yups. I ever saw a website (which i lost the link) that used the rubber lens hood to the reversed lens and there you have a cheap T/S lens

the only catch is that you need to use a lens that projects a larger image circle than the format you are using. The example used a MF lens onto a 35mm film.

not sure FF onto APS-C works or not.. but so far I don't have probs

Why didn't I think of a rubber lens hood? I was holding the lens and trying to shield the gap at the same time.. I think it shouldn't matter for reverse mounting, if you use a wide enough lens, it should be able to cover, but you will get some nasty aberrations at the corners.

 

[lsisaxon]

Just OT a bit, sometimes i feel that the reverse macro will make the images too large so why not use close up filters instead?

Use what you think is necessary. When you're trying to shoot a 1mm x 1mm piece of silicon chip on a grain of rice, what's too big?

 

[Snoweagle]

Use what you think is necessary. When you're trying to shoot a 1mm x 1mm piece of silicon chip on a grain of rice, what's too big?

LOL. I won't shoot that kind of things but if really want to do that, i would've bought the MP-E 65mm Macro Photo lens.

 

[espn]

Reverse macro is the process of reversing a glass like the 35/50mm and manually focus (use body to shift in and out).

Everything is manual, from exposure, to flash to focusing.

Nikon users can use the BR-2A to reverse mount a 52mm glass to do macro. Note that you'll have to manually open up the aperture ring by pushing the notch, else you can't see anything at f/8 or f/16.

Full manual mode is necessary to adjust shutter, aperture & flash. Follow studio's exposure coupled with manual flash will do just fine.

Here are some shots taken with 50mm f/1.8 reversed (@ f8~f11) handheld, no reverse ring off a D100 @ manual exposure and manual flash exposure with SB-800.

 

[Snoweagle]

Nice shots espn! :thumbsup:

 

[lsisaxon]

LOL. I won't shoot that kind of things but if really want to do that, i would've bought the MP-E 65mm Macro Photo lens.

Nice lens to have.

 

[lsisaxon]

Reverse macro is the process of reversing a glass like the 35/50mm and manually focus (use body to shift in and out).

Everything is manual, from exposure, to flash to focusing.

Nikon users can use the BR-2A to reverse mount a 52mm glass to do macro. Note that you'll have to manually open up the aperture ring by pushing the notch, else you can't see anything at f/8 or f/16.

Full manual mode is necessary to adjust shutter, aperture & flash. Follow studio's exposure coupled with manual flash will do just fine.

Here are some shots taken with 50mm f/1.8 reversed (@ f8~f11) handheld, no reverse ring off a D100 @ manual exposure and manual flash exposure with SB-800.

I see you're using a G lens? Otherwise you'll jsut need to open up the aperture using the ring and it will remain open. I only had a Sigma 18-125 when I had to shoot that grain of rice! Had to do so many thing with my hands, I had to get a colleague to press the shutter for me.

 

[Snoweagle]

Nice lens to have.

Yes i've tried it once and it's so hard to use. Being an only manual focusing lens, turning the barrel in and out can be quite a chore.