Adventures with reversing rings

[Hyena]

Hey guys,

I just recieved my 52mm lens reversal ring (12.95 US delivered from ebay ) and started playing with it using my nikkor 50mm f1.8

So far I've noticed a few issues, I don't know if these are the norm when using reversing rings - maybe Yi-P or others who've used them can comment.


- there seems to be an incredibly shallow DOF. At f1.8 it's around 1mm and f5.6 only about 5mm.

- the images are really dark. Even at ISO 800 with the exposure comp at +5.0 I have to use a shutter speed of < 1/100 to get a semi-decently exposed pic at f1.8 and at f5.6 1/50 is too dark, and obviously a bit blury being hand held. Using a tripod is the obvious answer but with such narrow DOF it'd make it tough trying to get the focus right moving a few mm closer or further away.

- It won't take a shot with the flash activated, although I suppose it's probably getting too close to the object anyway.




f1.8 1/125


f5.6 1/50


Any comments/suggestions would be apprectiated

Cheers,

Jay

[Glen]

Jay, spot on with the DOF. Most macro shots are taken at very small apertures. I would suggest f22 for that lens and the DOF will still be small

[Hyena]

Glen, I tried it just now at f22 and I needed a 1 sec shutter speed at ISO 1600 to get a reasonable exposure. Surely that can't be right...

[greencardigan]

Yes, dof will be ridiculously small unless you use smaller apertures.

A tripod with a macro focusing rail is handy in this situation. But you should be able to handhold with a suitable flash setup.

[Yi-P]

My tips for this macro setup:

- Stop lens down to at least f/8 (I will say f/8 or f/16)

- Arm your flash with manual setting. Built in flash (CSM -> Flash -> Manual -- 1/4 or 1/2, depending on your f/stop)

- Take your shutter/flash to control exposure, avoid below 1/250 (extreme closeup magnifies vibration by alot)

- When focusing:
* Hold your camera steady and look deeply in the viewfinder... see your dark VF at f/16? hehe
* now use your left hand, place you index finger on the aperture control lever on the rear of the lens. Should be a very little lever that moves along with the aperture blades...
* press down SLIGHTLY (!!!!) yes, SLIGHTLY!! on the aperture lever
* look in your viewfinder, WOAH! now you can see the light
* release your finger from the lever and squeeze the shutter, repeat back again

Now you've got yourself integrated with the aperture mechanism in the camera/mirror box

[MATT]

Yep they are similar results to what I got, I reversed my 50 1.8 onto a 70-300g .. I'll try to dig out some shots but it was similar to what i was gettting.

MATT

[Yi-P]

Why the 50/1.8 on top of the 70-300? You can definately focuse very very close with that setup, but you lose too much light in the process and makes handholding near impossible and needs of a stable platform/focusing rail.

[greencardigan]

I reversed my 50 1.8 onto a 70-300g

That's the way I usually use reversed lenses too.

The following 2 pics were done like that. Both handheld.

1st one was the 70-300g with a reversed 55mm.

2nd one was the 70-300g with a reversed 28mm.

http://www.greencardigan.com/gallery/d/255-2/furryfriend.jpg
http://www.greencardigan.com/gallery/d/311-2/2620334-lg.jpg

[Hyena]

My tips for this macro setup:

I love you Yi-P
I knew I must have just been doing something wrong!
I didn't know about the ap lever, I was manually turning the ap ring to try and see enough light to focus, then turn it back to take the shot - your method is much better!

Greencardigan those are some great macros in your gallery! Were they all taken using a reversed lens or a dedicated macro ?
I'm gonna go harassing spiders and insects in the garden when I get home tonight

In the mean time, here's a shot of my afternoon snack

[the foto fanatic]

[
In the mean time, here's a shot of my afternoon snack

Alien V? Or just some salted pistachios?
Good to see you are getting that reversing ring going!

[Hyena]

Alien V?

Heh, funny you should say that, I have a small collection of full size alien models - the Face Hugger is my fave but it's currently in storage under the house because it creeps out my missus

[Hyena]

My first and possibly last spider macro



I was holding the aperture control lever open as desribed by Yi-P but wasn't real comfortable having my hand only a few mm away from the spider, especially when I was hitting him with the flash from on a few cm away it must have been like a bolt of lightning. He didn't seem to move after a few shots, but I didn't want to push my luck

[gstark]

Jay,

The issues you raise are quite normal for macro and reversing ring work.

DoF will, indeed, be very shallow.

Tripod is almost a must; use a small aperture, and as someone else suggested, something like a focusing rail on the 'pod is a good idea. Often when shooting macros, the correct focusing method is to move the camera backwards or fowards very slightly in order to acquire focus.

Loss of light is quite normal too; consider the use of a ring flash setup, or the Nikon R1C1.

[greencardigan]

Greencardigan those are some great macros in your gallery! Were they all taken using a reversed lens or a dedicated macro ?

Hey thanks. Pretty much all my macro shots are with the Sigma 105mm.

[MATT]

I reversed my 50 1.8 onto a 70-300g

That's the way I usually use reversed lenses too.

The following 2 pics were done like that. Both handheld.

1st one was the 70-300g with a reversed 55mm.

2nd one was the 70-300g with a reversed 28mm.

http://www.greencardigan.com/gallery/d/255-2/furryfriend.jpg
http://www.greencardigan.com/gallery/d/311-2/2620334-lg.jpg

well I wont be posting any of my crap pics now

But hyena looks like you got control now..Good Work


MATT