Extension crazy

[Skaperen]

I just ordered an adapter to mount Nikon lenses (leftover from my FE-2 days) on Canon EOS. I already have all the rest. This will let me do the following 10 piece setup:

Canon 7D | EF 25 II | EF 12 II | EOStoNikon | PK-13 | PK-12 | PK-11 | BR-2 | 62to52 | Nikkor 20/2.8 AiS

where the last 2 are in reverse.

I don't know how much I'll get out of the 3 adapters, but the 5 extension tubes add up to 86.5mm. This is still only 1/3 the way to the 20mm's close focus in forward, so subjects will still need to be extra close to the rear element to be in focus. This is going to need a LOT of light and be hard to focus. Or should I put my old 55/2.8 AiS macro on there, instead? I also have a 35/1.4 AiS.

 

[Jaemie]

Please post a photo when you can.

 

[Skaperen]

The adapter has arrived from B&H. Here is the parts layout just to get an idea of what I'm thinking about. The 7D still has its lens on, which would be taken off to do all this. The EOS/Nikon adapter is so thin I am worried about it getting stuck and being hard or impossible to remove.

BTW, the 52mm to 62mm step down (up in reverse) is a Nikon BR-5. The adapter is a Bower NIK-EOS. So the updated plan:
Canon 7D | EF 25 II | EF 12 II | NIK-EOS | PK-13 | PK-12 | PK-11 | BR-2 | BR-5 | Nikkor 20/2.8 AiS

Of course there will be no automatic anything. Macros usually need more thoughtful work, anyway. I'll be thinking about what order to start connecting the pieces and see where we go. Camera will be last.

Shot with my 450D.

 

[mjhoward]

You may very well break the mount on your camera with that slinky hanging off of it.

 

[Skaperen]

You may very well break the mount on your camera with that slinky hanging off of it.

And not with a big giant telephoto lens? The stack of extension tubes isn't really all that long when they are in a common axis.

 

[TheFantasticG]

Not to mention all those tubes and whatnot are really lightweight. I'd be more about filter threads stripping than anything.

 

[Overread]

Oh I'll be eager to see what this monster you've created produces!

 

[Skaperen]

The Nikon-to-Canon adapter seems to be the hold up. It fits well on the Canon side (as a lens onto the front of an extension tube). But on the Nikon side, as a camera onto the back of an extension tube, it is extremely tight. Being so thin it is hard to get a grasp on it. But I do see a way to make a tool to that will do it (a solid cylinder with grooves cut to fit the Canon side bayonet blades). But I don't have a machine shop handy. I may sent it off to a friend who could make one.

I'll go ahead and try to do a NON-tightened layout, instead, just to see what it looks like.

 

[Skaperen]

Here it is ALMOST assembled. The EOS-NIK adapter is only turned half-way into the Nikon PK-13. If you know the markings on the Nikon side you could see they are about 25 degrees off. Click thumbnail for full size.

The distance is rather short so the 20/2.8 may not perform that well. I may put the 55/2.8 on here in reverse since the sensor will be within its formulated working distance.

Parts from left to right:
0. Nikon rear lens cap
1. Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 in reverse
2. Nikon BR-5 62mm to 52mm filter step down in reverse
3. Nikon BR-2 reversing adapter (Nikon mount to 52mm)
4. Nikon PK-11 8mm extension tube
5. Nikon PK-12 14mm extension tube
6. Nikon PK-13 27.5mm extension tube
7. Bower NIK-EOS adapter (VERY thin, enlarge to see it)
8. Canon EF 12 II 12mm extension tube
9. Canon EF 25 II 25mm extension tube
10. Canon 7D

 

[rexbobcat]

What magnification are you going for? Lol

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around what the end result will be

 

[Skaperen]

What magnification are you going for? Lol

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around what the end result will be

Whatever magnification I can get. I don't have enough numbers to calculate it.

I used to have a Nikon bellows I used with my FM-2/FE-2 to do macro long ago (1980s). A millimeter would reach about full image, so that was probably 25x. Here I have APS-C sensor, so it could be effectively more. The bellows eventually self-destructed ... the squishy part dried up and crumbled to pieces so it was discarded when I moved.

This is an attempt to see what extension distance I can achieve with what I have or with buying very little more. It is not as much as the bellows could do. I only needed to buy the NIK-EOS adapter to do this.

Since there is neither mechanical nor electrical interfacing involved out to the lens, and I have to manually set the aperture anyway, I could just go ahead and try some shots and see what I get. I also got a wireless remote trigger (seen in first photo) with this B&H order so I can shoot totally disconnected. Getting things in focus with so little light will be a challenge. I might need to use live mode with an HDMI cable to a monitor :mrgreen:

 

[Patriot]

Wow that's a long thing you got that. pictures right meow.

 

[Overread]

Well if you get photos you can easily calculate the magnification from them. Just take a photo of a ruler running across the viewfinder. Then count how many mm you've got in the frame then its a simple case of:

mm shown in the photo : size of the sensor (in mm) for that axis

thus to get the ratio in a regular form you simply divide both sides of the ratio by the size of the sensor (in mm) for that axis.

mm shown in the photo/size of the sensor (in mm) for that axis :1

 

[Dillard]

I want to see pictures!

 

[Skaperen]

I want to see pictures!

I don't have a stable place to set things up on, yet. This was just to see if I can configure the tubes and rings and lenses. The 20mm was a bit too extreme to work with, just yet. But I knew everyone would want pictures. So I put the Nikkor 55/2.8 macro on there for now (in reverse, of course), removing the 62-to-52 ring since the 55/2.8 has 52mm filter threads.

For reference, here is what the box lettering looks like in full view:

I need to get a smaller tripod or a copy stand and some new lights to work on this with the 20mm.