dealextreme has macro bellows for nikon slr

[troytime]

I really wanna buy it, but my wife was bitching all day about my spending habits 🙁

someone buy it and review it!

link

 

[996GT2]

If you're on a budget, you can get a set of $5 extension tubes that will do the same thing, although you'll be limited to a specific set of magnifications.

Either way, you'll have to do everything manually unless you shell out $100-150 for a set of Kenko AF extension tubes.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

You'd need to pair this with an older Nikon lens that actually has aperture control on the lens itself. I don't have such a thing.

 

[troytime]

i already have tubes. the bellows will extend further than all 3 of my tubes

and you don't NEED to use a lens with an aperture ring. you can trick your dx lenses into whatever aperture you need (although i don't need to do this, i have a 50mm 1.8 and a vivitar 70-210 AI)

 

[ivan2]

same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: ivan2
same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

How do you stop down EOS lenses when mounted on that thing?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ivan2
same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

How do you stop down EOS lenses when mounted on that thing?

you don't.

for canon you put the lens in manual or aperture mode, select the aperture you want, press and hold the dof preview button, and dismount the lens while holding the button. the aperture blades stay stopped down. you have to do that using an electrical connection, so you can't do it while this bellows is mounted.

obviously it's easier to deal with if you've got an old film body laying around to use for changing aperture, or if you use a nikon or pentax lens with adapter.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ivan2
same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

How do you stop down EOS lenses when mounted on that thing?

you don't.

for canon you put the lens in manual or aperture mode, select the aperture you want, press and hold the dof preview button, and dismount the lens while holding the button. the aperture blades stay stopped down. you have to do that using an electrical connection, so you can't do it while this bellows is mounted.

obviously it's easier to deal with if you've got an old film body laying around to use for changing aperture, or if you use a nikon or pentax lens with adapter.

Ah, that's what I thought, since EOS lenses don't have aperture rings.

I was considering just shelling out about $200 for a used Sigma 50mm 1:1 f/2.8 Macro instead of dealing with extension tubes, since I found those quite awkward to use back when I had a D200.

 

[troytime]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ivan2
same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

How do you stop down EOS lenses when mounted on that thing?

you don't.

for canon you put the lens in manual or aperture mode, select the aperture you want, press and hold the dof preview button, and dismount the lens while holding the button. the aperture blades stay stopped down. you have to do that using an electrical connection, so you can't do it while this bellows is mounted.

obviously it's easier to deal with if you've got an old film body laying around to use for changing aperture, or if you use a nikon or pentax lens with adapter.

Ah, that's what I thought, since EOS lenses don't have aperture rings.

I was considering just shelling out about $200 for a used Sigma 50mm 1:1 f/2.8 Macro instead of dealing with extension tubes, since I found those quite awkward to use back when I had a D200.

50mm seems too wide for macro..unless you just shoot flowers and things that don't move

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ivan2
same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

How do you stop down EOS lenses when mounted on that thing?

you don't.

for canon you put the lens in manual or aperture mode, select the aperture you want, press and hold the dof preview button, and dismount the lens while holding the button. the aperture blades stay stopped down. you have to do that using an electrical connection, so you can't do it while this bellows is mounted.

obviously it's easier to deal with if you've got an old film body laying around to use for changing aperture, or if you use a nikon or pentax lens with adapter.

Ah, that's what I thought, since EOS lenses don't have aperture rings.

I was considering just shelling out about $200 for a used Sigma 50mm 1:1 f/2.8 Macro instead of dealing with extension tubes, since I found those quite awkward to use back when I had a D200.

to clarify, say that you want to shoot at f/8 with the bellows. for EOS you mount the lens, set it to f/8, press and hold the DOF preview, unmount the lens, and the blades will stay stuck at f/8. then you mount this onto the bellows and you're effectively shooting with a lens stopped down to f/8.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: troytime

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ivan2
same for cannon

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9429

How do you stop down EOS lenses when mounted on that thing?

you don't.

for canon you put the lens in manual or aperture mode, select the aperture you want, press and hold the dof preview button, and dismount the lens while holding the button. the aperture blades stay stopped down. you have to do that using an electrical connection, so you can't do it while this bellows is mounted.

obviously it's easier to deal with if you've got an old film body laying around to use for changing aperture, or if you use a nikon or pentax lens with adapter.

Ah, that's what I thought, since EOS lenses don't have aperture rings.

I was considering just shelling out about $200 for a used Sigma 50mm 1:1 f/2.8 Macro instead of dealing with extension tubes, since I found those quite awkward to use back when I had a D200.

50mm seems too wide for macro..unless you just shoot flowers and things that don't move

There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to different focal lengths for macro:

You have to get closer to your subject to get 1:1 magnification if you're using a shorter focal length lens.

Shorter focal lengths like 50mm + extension tubes:

- compact, lightweight, and convenient enough to have on you at all times

- when not doing macro, you can just take off the extension tubes and you've got a regular lens

- allows you to get closer to your subject, which has a number of advantages including being able to use your body to block the wind from blowing your subject around and being close enough to reach out and use your hand or some other contraption to hold your subject steady.

- having to get closer also means a higher probability of having your subject run or fly away, which is sometimes not too bad with oblivious insects but can be a real pain for more aware animals like small lizards

- easier to hold steady and hit that thin sliver of focus while hand holding because the lens is smaller and lighter.

- less demanding on tripods and tripod balls due to less weight

- difficult to hit your subject with traditional flash because it is so close to the lens, can be worked around by having an off camera flash, remote flash, ring light, or some other macro flash setup.

Longer focal lengths:

- you can stay further from your subject, disturbing it less or being able to get a macro shot when there is some kind of a barrier putting distance between you and the subject (ie. a window)

- harder to reach out and hold your subject steady and harder to block your subject from external forces

- great magnifications have been achieved with long macros and a 50mm or 30mm reverse mounted to their fronts

- not as compact or lightweight and a bigger pain to carry around everywhere

- not as easy to hold steady and maintain a fixed distance from the subject while handholding

- a bit easier to hit your subject with flash because it's further away

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: troytime

50mm seems too wide for macro..unless you just shoot flowers and things that don't move

with macro work the focal length of the lens is about working distance more than anything else. 50 1:1 working distance is 7.5 inches from the film plane, or just about touching the lens when at 1:1. a 100 1:1 gives about 12.3 inches from the film plane, or about 6 inches from the front with the canon 100 f/2.8. using canon's 180 1:1 gives you almost a foot to work with in front of the lens.

 

[troytime]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: troytime

50mm seems too wide for macro..unless you just shoot flowers and things that don't move

with macro work the focal length of the lens is about working distance more than anything else. 50 1:1 working distance is 7.5 inches from the film plane, or just about touching the lens when at 1:1. a 100 1:1 gives about 12.3 inches from the film plane, or about 6 inches from the front with the canon 100 f/2.8. using canon's 180 1:1 gives you almost a foot to work with in front of the lens.

yes. hence why 50mm is too wide unless you're just shooting flowers