Reverse mount macro

I asked for reverse mount macro shots ....
...and I get people shooting with compacts and ultra compacts.

Would anyone care to show how it should be done?

I am not sure how it's done. I'd have to google it.
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It's easier to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.

Aside from rampant half-illiteracy, majority of people simply do not have enough photographic interest to be involved in this style. They'll use their lens macro option but will not invest in the Reverse Macro adapter rings and shoot manually set photos. It was the cheapest way to a good macrophotography in the days when zoom lenses were just beginning to emerge, but nowadays it's not an outright must - thus, that option went the way of lightmeters, film backs, motor drives and wire triggers.

Now we have separate program modes for Cats and Dogs, and three out of a hundred "photographers" will stoop as low as to read a book about their activity.

Maybe posting in some of the forums where people talk about this stuff might help. If they know there is a challenge for it they may jump in with some good stuff. Maybe the macro forum?
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It's easier to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.

Hi guys,

Here's a good link.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/reverse-mounting-your-prime-lenses-for-affordable-macro-photography
Sorry I haven't posted this earlier.

Like someone on the challenge page said, you don't have to buy the adapter. Just hold it up to the body with the prime lens in reverse.

Mike Ronesia said:

Maybe posting in some of the forums where people talk about this stuff might help. If they know there is a challenge for it they may jump in with some good stuff. Maybe the macro forum?
--
It's easier to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.

Click to expand...

ConanFuji said:

Hi guys,

Like someone on the challenge page said, you don't have to buy the adapter. Just hold it up to the body with the prime lens in reverse.

Click to expand...

I don't know if you have tryed it, but it's not that easy

Even with the adapter the DOF is really thin and you need to put the cam on tripod to nail it decently, the distance subject-lens is VERY short and the lens blocks the light so you have to use a out camera flash, the lens should have an aperture ring otherwise you need to focus wide open and then stop down the lens manually keeping the aperture lever. Finally the CA are very high and the sharpness is only so-so.
It requires practice and patience (which I don't have ).

Here is a self-portrait from this evening: D7000, Topcon 28mm f2,8 @f16 (my best out of 50 shots and still a cr@p one! :-()



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Lol, I need an upgrade, my Nikon D6x is a too limited gear!

Dear VittoDigital,

Thanks for the reply. Yes i tried it on my Sony Nex, and I put it as a sample on the challenge page. I had my friend sitting on a stool and exposing the face to the sunlight coming from the window. I had about ten shots.

I then process the RAW file from picasa, and I must say those filters are really useful.

Could you submit a shot to the Challenge? I could really use some support.
What about you, Barb? Are you there?
I know you love to experiment with difficult shots.

PS, I don't really recommend flash. My friend had enough discomfort just with the natural lighting.

VittoDigital said:

ConanFuji said:

Hi guys,

Like someone on the challenge page said, you don't have to buy the adapter. Just hold it up to the body with the prime lens in reverse.

Click to expand...

I don't know if you have tryed it, but it's not that easy

Even with the adapter the DOF is really thin and you need to put the cam on tripod to nail it decently, the distance subject-lens is VERY short and the lens blocks the light so you have to use a out camera flash, the lens should have an aperture ring otherwise you need to focus wide open and then stop down the lens manually keeping the aperture lever. Finally the CA are very high and the sharpness is only so-so.
It requires practice and patience (which I don't have ).

Here is a self-portrait from this evening: D7000, Topcon 28mm f2,8 @f16 (my best out of 50 shots and still a cr@p one! :-()



--
Lol, I need an upgrade, my Nikon D6x is a too limited gear!

Click to expand...

Sounds interesting, but my camera is out for repair so I can't do much on challenges at all.
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Barb

I tried, just too much trouble for me without better lighting.
--
It's easier to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.

And someone just entered an eye of a scary looking crest
I'll leave it in for a while...

Mike Ronesia said:

I tried, just too much trouble for me without better lighting.
--
It's easier to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.

Click to expand...

It's possible to do it without adapter ring, but it's kinda awkward, excepting the most simple setups, so it pays to invest in reverse-mount ring.

While at it, a very simple device can help you focus and frame without monitor; I used to have something similar with my macro tubes used with Nikonos u/w camera.

It is a framer, consisting of the length of aluminum bar with a kind of right-angled U shaped wire at the front which you put around your object, thus determining the cadre and distance. This U frame was slightly oversized so as not to appear within the picture. It was painted matte-black so as no to cause flash flaring.

An even better solution is to cut away the vertical wire at the flash side (so now it's L-shape, instead of U), because sometimes one of two verticals would cast its shadow over the object. The two remaining sides of L are quite enough for all purposes. One can mount such a framer to the tripod attachment point, adjusting the length of the support bar to show the frame size at correct focusing distance.
It is one very simple aid to produce, and it helps a lot in all camera position.
--
Fil

Not proud about the result, but you asked for some support, so I'm in!
Cheers
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Lol, I need an upgrade, my Nikon D6x is a too limited gear!

Thank you, VittoDigital.
I must admit this is one challenge that I find extremely difficult to police.
So it'll be a challenge to the voters too.

I thank all those who tried and participated, even those I Dq-ed.

VittoDigital said:

Not proud about the result, but you asked for some support, so I'm in!
Cheers
--
Lol, I need an upgrade, my Nikon D6x is a too limited gear!

Click to expand...

I have tried it too without an adapter, just with the lens reversed and hand held. That worked surprisingly decent but was far from being really nice. I (and my family) finally didn't have the time to elaborate the experiment.
My kit lens was in use.

I tried it with an old 50mm prime too and I couldn't get anything but total craps out of it. The subject was unusable unsharp (I tried it with static subjects as well). No any positive change with adjusting the manual focus or the aperture or moving the camera closer to the subject.
I wonder why. Any clues?

vgabor said:

I tried it with an old 50mm prime too and I couldn't get anything but total craps out of it. The subject was unusable unsharp (I tried it with static subjects as well). No any positive change with adjusting the manual focus or the aperture or moving the camera closer to the subject.
I wonder why. Any clues?

Click to expand...

It's a milimeter thing. Without adapter ring, the lens is possibly not centered correctly, maybe it's just a bit too close to the mount, or maybe there is light entering from the side. All this can add to not being overly happy with the result.

The best would be to try it out in the store, by borrowing the RM ring for a minute and see if it works for that lens.