Reverse mounting lens advice needed for macro

[Tommyk]

Hello everyone I've been searching the macro forum and the internet and quite frankly my head is going to explode. I think I get the while concept but what I haven't been able to narrow down is a particular model of lens to find used. I am using a Nikon D300s. I want to explore the world of extreme magnification macro. I understand reverse mounting will result in extremely low depth of field as well. I think I've narrowed it down to trying a 28mm. Can anyone suggest a particular model Nikon lens or other lens that I can shop for used. I also realize the lens has to have an aperture ring and not be a g lens. I thought about the Nikon F2.8 Ai-s but I;m wanting the best optically and if there is another 28 mm with superior optics I'd rather go with that . Can anyone shed some light on the subject for me ? I'm looking for either Nikon or another brand with superior optics.
Thank you.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Hello everyone I've been searching the macro forum and the internet and quite frankly my head is going to explode. I think I get the while concept but what I haven't been able to narrow down is a particular model of lens to find used. I am using a Nikon D300s. I want to explore the world of extreme magnification macro. I understand reverse mounting will result in extremely low depth of field as well. I think I've narrowed it down to trying a 28mm. Can anyone suggest a particular model Nikon lens or other lens that I can shop for used. I also realize the lens has to have an aperture ring and not be a g lens. I thought about the Nikon F2.8 Ai-s but I;m wanting the best optically and if there is another 28 mm with superior optics I'd rather go with that . Can anyone shed some light on the subject for me ? I'm looking for either Nikon or another brand with superior optics.
Thank you.

I just started to do this, and for my primary lens, I use a Nikkor 60mm 2.8D, but for my reversed lens, I select from various minolta primes that I have laying around.

 

[Tommyk]

Yes I don't have any laying around at the moment to use so I need some actual lens model suggestions thanks

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Yes I don't have any laying around at the moment to use so I need some actual lens model suggestions thanks

well, you're in georgia. are you in atlanta? i'll just give you one of mine :/

 

[480sparky38 37]

I use an old 28/2.8 non-AI that someone did a home-grown AI conversion and kind of botched it, so I got the lens uber-cheap. But since you're reversing it, ANY lens with an aperture ring will work. It does not have to be a Nikkor.

As for DOF, the more magnification you get, the DOF decreases.

 

[Tommyk]

I use an old 28/2.8 non-AI that someone did a home-grown AI conversion and kind of botched it, so I got the lens uber-cheap. But since you're reversing it, ANY lens with an aperture ring will work. It does not have to be a Nikkor.

As for DOF, the more magnification you get, the DOF decreases.

Thanks for the info but I thought optics quality would still be important that's why I wa asking if any particular lens may be a good lens. Yes I understand it will be a very very shallow depth of field.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

I use an old 28/2.8 non-AI that someone did a home-grown AI conversion and kind of botched it, so I got the lens uber-cheap. But since you're reversing it, ANY lens with an aperture ring will work. It does not have to be a Nikkor.

As for DOF, the more magnification you get, the DOF decreases.

Thanks for the info but I thought optics quality would still be important that's why I wa asking if any particular lens may be a good lens. Yes I understand it will be a very very shallow depth of field.

You have to use a fast lens, and most lenses at 2.8 or faster are generally good optics. Choose between the two cheap Nikon primes-- the 35 or the 50 1.8. Although budget lenses, they produce very sharp images.

 

[Tommyk]

I was really wanting a 28mm just haven't figured out which 28mm would be the best choice

 

[Overread14 2]

The problem is most people use reverse lenses for a cheap setup so they are often just using the lenses they already own or using cheap older or lower end lenses to get the effect. Far fewer people are experimenting at this for high grade results.

You might find
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/4320502042/
interesting to read; note new flickr has made it a mess to read - somehow you've got to expand the comments to read it all - or send the author a flickr mail to ask for a complete copy/link to another online version - he's a nice chap so it should be easy to ask if you find you can't read it all on flickr. He's also one of the fewer people I know of who might also know an answer to your question, or at least what parameters you could look out for in a lens for the best results so a message to him might be prudent.

 

[480sparky38 37]

I was really wanting a 28mm just haven't figured out which 28mm would be the best choice

Get an AF-D. That will AF on any Nikon body with a focus motor.

 

[Tommyk]

I guess I must have not been clear on what I wanted to do. I don't want af at all . I want to reverse mount a decent 28mm lens that's all I wanted a lens model suggestion form anyone using a Nikon body.

 

[Tommyk]

Thank you useful info I appreciate it

The problem is most people use reverse lenses for a cheap setup so they are often just using the lenses they already own or using cheap older or lower end lenses to get the effect. Far fewer people are experimenting at this for high grade results.

You might find
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/4320502042/
interesting to read; note new flickr has made it a mess to read - somehow you've got to expand the comments to read it all - or send the author a flickr mail to ask for a complete copy/link to another online version - he's a nice chap so it should be easy to ask if you find you can't read it all on flickr. He's also one of the fewer people I know of who might also know an answer to your question, or at least what parameters you could look out for in a lens for the best results so a message to him might be prudent.

 

[480sparky38 37]

I guess I must have not been clear on what I wanted to do. I don't want af at all . I want to reverse mount a decent 28mm lens that's all I wanted a lens model suggestion form anyone using a Nikon body.

Then even a pre-AI 28mm Nikkor will work just fine.

 

[Gavjenks]

I don't think that reversing a lens is a good option for macro.

It has zero advantages other than a VERY minimal cost savings. As in, a reverse ring costs about $8, whereas a perfectly usable bellows or extension tubes would cost $30-50. In the hobby of photography, those differences are utterly trivial.

And the disadvantages are numerous:
* No control of aperture unless you restrict yourself to a subset of lenses,
* lower optical quality since the lens wasn't designed to work backward and is in no way guaranteed to control for aberrations as well as forward (like you use it with tubes or bellows),
* a flimsier mounting system using filter threads that weren't designed to hold the weight of the lens,
* exposing your rear element to the environment for long periods of time which can then introduce more dust to your sensor when you use it normally again (and vice versa)
* Not being able to screw on filters


Just don't do it. Buy one of the $50 sets of extension tubes that have electrical through connections (the $200 Kenko versions are unnecessary. I own like 5 different kinds--don't ask--including those and it's absolutely not worth the difference), and use the lens in the normal forward position while retaining autofocus and aperture and you'll be much happier.

AND/OR bellows, which also work forward, and have the advantage of being able to finely tune degree of magnification on the fly more easily, but the disadvantage of no electrical connection.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

I don't think that reversing a lens is a good option for macro.

It has zero advantages other than a VERY minimal cost savings. As in, a reverse ring costs about $8, whereas a perfectly usable bellows or extension tubes would cost $30-50. In the hobby of photography, those differences are utterly trivial.

And the disadvantages are numerous:
* No control of aperture unless you restrict yourself to a subset of lenses,
* lower optical quality since the lens wasn't designed to work backward and is in no way guaranteed to control for aberrations as well as forward (like you use it with tubes or bellows),
* a flimsier mounting system using filter threads that weren't designed to hold the weight of the lens,
* exposing your rear element to the environment for long periods of time which can then introduce more dust to your sensor when you use it normally again (and vice versa)
* Not being able to screw on filters


Just don't do it. Buy one of the $50 sets of extension tubes that have electrical through connections (the $200 Kenko versions are unnecessary. I own like 5 different kinds--don't ask--including those and it's absolutely not worth the difference), and use the lens in the normal forward position while retaining autofocus and aperture and you'll be much happier.

AND/OR bellows, which also work forward, and have the advantage of being able to finely tune degree of magnification on the fly more easily, but the disadvantage of no electrical connection.

I agree with Gav. The only reason why I have the reverse setup is because i had a bunch of old minolta lenses land on my lap, but the dof is so small that getting different focused exposures for a stack is extremely difficult. I am more happy with close up filters than I am with the reverse setup, and I've used nikon, canon and minolta primes as the reverse lens. I haven't tried the tubes yet, so I dunno.