Reading mode: Light Dark

Nikon 1 close-up lens

Go to last post
Sante Patate said:
The Nikon global website has a page for a 40.5mm close-up lens for the 10-30 and 30-110. B&H and Amazon US do not list it, and Nikon USA does not list it, but Nikon UK do and Amazon UK do.

Does anyone know any more?
Click to expand...
And not any different from the cheap screw-on close-up filter sets available from 3rd parties.

I picked up a set of Crystal Optics 43mm close-up lenses for $5 on ebay (which I use with a 40.5 to 43 step-up ring), and I would expect this lens to perform about the same as those.

For actual high quality close-up work, you actually want 2-element achromat close-up lenses, which are color corrected, like the Nikon 3T and 4T (which are 52mm size, but step-up rings are fine).

Other good Achromat Close-Up lenses are the Minolta #1, and #2, which can be found in 49, 52 and 55mm sizes,

The Olympus IS/L A lens, which can be found in 49mm size.

The Raynox DCR-150 and DCR-250, which can be found in 43mm size.

Here's a pretty exhaustive list of good achromat close-up lenses:

Fuzzcraft.com | A list of achromatic close-up lenses | Photography, audio and light DIY projects

fuzzcraft.com fuzzcraft.com
 
No I think the 60mm would be very good too.

The 40mm on the 1 series is the equivalent to the 'classic' macro 105mm reach which many people are used to with DSLR's.

The 40mm micro is also quite inexpensive and compact.

But the 60, 85 and 105 Nikon micros would all work well too I believe.
 
Sonyshine said:
No I think the 60mm would be very good too.

The 40mm on the 1 series is the equivalent to the 'classic' macro 105mm reach which many people are used to with DSLR's.

The 40mm micro is also quite inexpensive and compact.

But the 60, 85 and 105 Nikon micros would all work well too I believe.
Click to expand...
I bought the 40 after seeing Sonyshine's photos, works excellent, both with my V1 & V2, plus Ok with the D600 (you need to do some cropping, of course!
 
Marti58 said:
get a 40.5 >52mm stepup ring and a Marumi DHG achromat 300 or 200.
Click to expand...
All my early close-ups were done with Canon 250D, another good close-up lens :-)!

But I've moved on ;-)!
 
if you are using the kit lenses auto extension tubes are an excellent way of getting close with no loss in optical quality. They work superbly on there 30-110 giving (full frame) magnification ratios from ~0.3 to ~1.2 x.

Here are a few shots with this combination, they are not cropped just downsized for the web. The fly is about 7mm long.









 
Sonyshine said:
No I think the 60mm would be very good too.

The 40mm on the 1 series is the equivalent to the 'classic' macro 105mm reach which many people are used to with DSLR's.

The 40mm micro is also quite inexpensive and compact.

But the 60, 85 and 105 Nikon micros would all work well too I believe.
Click to expand...
Ah, I see. thanks for clarifying.
 
Member said:
if you are using the kit lenses auto extension tubes are an excellent way of getting close with no loss in optical quality. They work superbly on there 30-110 giving (full frame) magnification ratios from ~0.3 to ~1.2 x.

Here are a few shots with this combination, they are not cropped just downsized for the web. The fly is about 7mm long.









Click to expand...
Good shots Dave....now I'm using a Canon 500D on my 70-300CX. Just easier to take out of my pocket and screw on when an op comes up.
--
Dan
"My most rewarding shots are things in the captured image that I didn't 'see' in the viewfinder."
Currently shoot with Nikon D800, V2 & Sony HX400V
 
Sonyshine said:
No I think the 60mm would be very good too.

The 40mm on the 1 series is the equivalent to the 'classic' macro 105mm reach which many people are used to with DSLR's.

The 40mm micro is also quite inexpensive and compact.

But the 60, 85 and 105 Nikon micros would all work well too I believe.
Click to expand...
Since everyone in this thread has advocated something different for close-up, I'll put in a pitch for the 85 Micro DX, which at 355g is still reasonably well-balanced on an FT-1, and gives more working distance than a 40 or 60.



I still do wonder why Nikon would have produced the 40.5mm close-up lens, if it's really no better than a common or garden single element lens. And they've just announced a 52mm close-up lens too.
 
Last edited:
I think Choice depends on what the OP wants to photograph. The Canon achromatic doublet close up lens you have has a focal length of 500mm , every other manufacturer would call it 2 dioptres.

The problem with CU lenses is that they shorten the effective focal length of the lens (that is why they do not increase exposure times) the Canon CU lens you have shortens the focal length of the 70 -300 to ~190 mm at the long end, still long enough for plenty of working space for butterflies, dragon flies etc and an excellent solution for this type of photography (but not cheap, those CU lenses in 58mm are still round £80 in the UK).

However to get a shot of the fly I posted you would need a 10 dioptre CU lens (focal length 100mm). when screwed to the front of the 70-300 you would now have reduced the focal length at 300mm down to 75mm and you would be taking the fly from a distance of a few mm (the distances are measured from the focal plane).

Auto tubes are cheap, even metal ones can be had for half the price of the Canon CU lenses in 58mm size. Both solution will give excellent results within certain limitations. Cheap single element CU lenses should be avoided , i dioptre lenses are probably acceptable but +3 or +4 and higher produce awful curvature of field and glorious CA at contrast boundaries.

Dave
 
Well, I must try out both the Canon and the extension tubes today ;-)! There is also a 250D verion, which halves the focusing distance, compared to the 500D!
 
Microshooter said:
Microshooter said:
if you are using the kit lenses auto extension tubes are an excellent way of getting close with no loss in optical quality. They work superbly on there 30-110 giving (full frame) magnification ratios from ~0.3 to ~1.2 x.

Here are a few shots with this combination, they are not cropped just downsized for the web. The fly is about 7mm long.









Click to expand...
Good shots Dave....now I'm using a Canon 500D on my 70-300CX. Just easier to take out of my pocket and screw on when an op comes up.
--
Dan
"My most rewarding shots are things in the captured image that I didn't 'see' in the viewfinder."
Currently shoot with Nikon D800, V2 & Sony HX400V
Click to expand...
I've been using the V3/70-300CX with the Canon 500D. Nice combination. This picture is the inside of a petunia. Uncropped, just used some USM. 1/10 sec, f11, ISO 160 @300mm.



be3ef3438a4045f39dd756f56b935fde.jpg
 
Seems to me that we are all right: extension tubes, good quality achromatic CU lenses and macro lenses all seem to produce excellent results.

Not sure that we really helped the OP except in that he can't really go wrong :-)

Dave
 
dave said:
Seems to me that we are all right: extension tubes, good quality achromatic CU lenses and macro lenses all seem to produce excellent results.

Not sure that we really helped the OP except in that he can't really go wrong :-)

Dave
Click to expand...
Well, he can go wrong if he gets the crappy single element Nikon close-up lens that he originally asked about. I think all of the OTHER alternatives are better
 
Good Day.

Are these photos taken using auto focus or manual focus? I'm curious because there no magnified area when focussing manually on the V1 yet the conventional wisdom is that one must use manual focus for macro.

Michael
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top