Raynox and magnifying filter lenses

molested_cow · Sep 8, 2018

Hi all, I was looking at the Raynox 250 to add onto my 105mm macro lens, but on the other hand, it seems that a magnifying filter lens does similar trick. The Raynox is smaller than the 67mm diameter of the 105mm macro, which means the image will have to be cropped. So I have an idea of purchasing a bigger magnifying lens and make an adapter for varying sizes of which ever lens I want to attach it to.

So I guess my question is, what's the difference between the Raynox lens vs a regular magnifying lens?

petrochemist · Sep 8, 2018

It's higher quality, being highly corrected.
The raynox has 3 elements while many of the regular magnifying lenses (diopters) are only single element and so introduce chromatic aberration...

Overread · Sep 8, 2018

A few thoughts:

1) Macro filters, macro filter lens, diopters, macro adaptors, magnifying lens - all kinda the same product just varying names depending on the store and who you are talking too.

2) Macro filters come in two rough flavours
a) Dirt cheap - these are single lens (typically) and pretty rubbish. Yes they work, but they will do so poorly; that's why they are often cheap and sold in sets or in "getting started" kits. They are the ones most people encounter and will thus tell you to avoid all of them at all costs.

b) Decent price high quality. Raynox, Canon (500D and 250D) and a few others make these; and they are muti-element (more than one lens) and well made. They work and give a high grade of result. In fact compared side by side at the same magnification a DCR 250 can be hard to tell from an extension tube.

3) The Raynox lens is much smaller than the front element of the macro lens, but you don't really use the whole lens in macro work. Take a look at the canon MPE 65mm (which starts at 1:1) and its front element is TINY and its all it needs for fullframe 1:1 all the way to 5:1.
So the Raynox being smaller is no issue at all.

Raynox come with an adaptor that will fit a lot of front elements (spring loaded holder that clips into the screwthread for a filter) and is very easy to use and great fun. It's a really neat way to get higher magnifications without spending out on a high end lens like the CAnon MPE65mm. Note that they also make a DCR 150 (less powerful) and MSN series (I forget the numbers on the msn series but the are more powerful than the DCR).

Raynox sort of sneaked in at the side to still cameras as their primary initial market was video cameras - or at least that's where they were marketed toward. They work great and are well worth the money.

Derrel · Sep 8, 2018

petrochemist said:
It's higher quality, being highly corrected.
The raynox has 3 elements while many of the regular magnifying lenses (diopters) are only single element and so introduce chromatic aberration...

Overread said:
A few thoughts:

3) The Raynox lens is much smaller than the front element of the macro lens, but you don't really use the whole lens in macro work. Take a look at the canon MPE 65mm (which starts at 1:1) and its front element is TINY and its all it needs for fullframe 1:1 all the way to 5:1.
So the Raynox being smaller is no issue at all.

Raynox come with an adaptor that will fit a lot of front elements (spring loaded holder that clips into the screwthread for a filter) and is very easy to use and great fun. It's a really neat way to get higher magnifications without spending out on a high end lens like the CAnon MPE65mm.

I agree with the above commenters. Yes, the Raynox is a "lens"...three-elements according to the way I read their specification page. This is an achromatic lens, which will prevent chromatic aberration in your close-upo photos. VERY desirable. This is a close-up lens; the low-priced,single-element plus diopter filters are another thing entirely.

Raynox has developed its own adapter/holder system. Like overread, I think the close-up lens will likely work fine on the 105mm macro lens,and you will not need to crop the photos due to vignetted edges; with a wider-angle lens, you might have issues, but a tele lens like a 105? Likely no issues.

The Raynox close-up lenses, and the Canon 250D and 500D,and Nikon 5-T and 6-T are all multi-element, close-up lens attachments of high quality. I own the Canon 500D and the Nikon 6-T in 77mm and 62mm diameter,and both are very good.

Overread · Sep 8, 2018

Just to add I've used a DCR 250 on 150mm and 70mm macro lenses without any vignetting issues at all. If there is any then its very slight and likely to be easily corrected in editing without an afterthought.

molested_cow · Sep 10, 2018

Sounds like the Raynox is a great option. I don't shoot macro enough but sure will look into getting one. Maybe I will make a holder to fit on a 77mm diameter lens!