for the past 3 years i have been using the RAYNOX CM 2000 KIT.it consists of the DCR 150 and DCR 250 lenses.but slowly i felt that i needed more "POWER".so decided to buy a new lens.here i had the option of taking a used 50mm lens and then reverse attaching it to my lens..that would give me immense power but the downside will be weight.unlike SLR lenses i doubt whether my lens can withhold for long the weight of the 50mm prime.its like extending my zoom lens..with the prime..so added force of gravity may actually break my lens.
raynox actually used to give two kits.one was the CM2000 kit..the other was a MICRO EXPLORER CM3500 consisting of 6x 12x and 24x lenses.but they discontinued manufacturing the 3500 kit in early 2008.so my options were the MSN 202 and the MSN 505.initial research by me showed that the 505 is a proper microscope.DOF is almost non existent.so my fellow macro friends told that 505 is only useful for inanimate objects like notes,barcodes stamps etc..a great lens for stamp collectors.so i zeroed on the MSN 202.
ordered on 31st October.arrived on 19th November.had initial doubt of customs but nothing happened.i ordered this and an adapter for my earlier lenses since the 2000 adapter tooth broke.so all these days the shots that u were seeing ie the twist neck,lilies etc were juggad.i was holding the lens in front of my cam and shooting.sort of compulsory HANDHELD.
now some info regarding the MSN 202.the first strike is that this is not a macro lens but a "super macro lens".the lens is a 3G/4E optical glasses 60g of weight and having a diopter of 25.so i graduated from 4 and 8 and 12 to straight to 25.
the other differentiating factor is that the mm drops from 49 to 37.so if u look in the shot in the first post,the opening of the new lens is smaller than its predecessors.so this means that less light is gonna go through the lens.
now regarding weight.even if this lens is 60g it feels heavy.the adapter is again a snap on one.the threads are different.but the clamp still goes on from 52-67mm.so it covers many zoomer lenses.
QUALITY: raynox as they say is built from special rare earth material..ofcourse they are high precision optics with zero light loss and great sharpness.the debatable topic is that of the sharpness overall.many macro photographers say that corner sharpness matter less since our subject is gonna framed mostly in the center of the lens which is its sweet spot.so corner softness is not an disadvantage.and those who know my work and have seen it,the quality of this lens is outstanding..built wise also:comes with a nice box to keep.and optics wise also.you will see the quality once i start posting photos from this.
DOF: this is a freakingly 25 DIOPTER lens.more than the 50mm.the length goes to 40mm for this lens.the 50mm has a feature of 20 DIOPTER.the calculation goes like this.. 1000/FOCAL LENGTH = DIOPTER.thus the 50mm has 1000/50=20 DIOPTER.the msn 202 has 1000/25=40mm.(simple maths ) this much diopter means "HELL DOF". to give you an example..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SndiZq0suqY
the language part is shot with this new lens.i have that much DOF with my camera..wonder how much u people will have considering the bigger sensors.
CONCLUSION: for around 60$ you are getting the power to shoot super macros.and that is where the raynox truly shines..raynox is not VFM but QFM..quality for money.i am going to get the shots now that people shoot with the MP E-65 since my lens now matches the magnification power.but it doesnt match the MP 65's feature to take everything in focus.that is where the 65 truly shines.but consider this that once u buy 65 you also have to buy additional flash..either ring or speedlights..to light the subject.in the end it differs from purchaser to purchaser.THIS IS INDEED A GREAT LENS.
my SPECIAL ADVICE: this is really a special engineered lens having immense magnification power.true that your 50mm also has roughly the same power,take that reverse lens outside and start shooting.you will fail 90% of the time.this is what i saw.even i used to fail 90% in my initial year.but gradually i learn 't the distance relationship,how every subject behaves etc.i faced the common question in my workshop that "when we go to shoot stuff they simply fly away" but how can u shoot this??many people have nil patience and then just dump these lenses for two reasons..first is that rigorous hunting is required..second..looking through the OVF.there is just so much DOF thru SLRS that people find it tedious.
the other advice is that do not hurry for stacking the 150 and the 250 together.first experiment on each lens,how each lens functions..where you need it where you dont.if you are thinking that i take these lenses and then i will get great photos well you are wrong.you will have to first master the art of co-operating with the non co-operative..and simultaneously start shooting.
so once you have mastered the 150 and the 250..or the initial macro lenses then jump here.if u jump straight then you will have lot of trouble operating it.
questions..doubts..fire them here..
ANVANCY
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the great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.
Great fun to use with those old and weird lenses I own.
