Equipment for extreme macro

trobinson41 wrote:

Hi. I've been doing regular macro photograpy for years using Nikon equipment. I'd like to get into extreme macro, but I'm not sure of the best way to proceed. I know about focus stacking -- it's the equipment that I'm wondering about. Can someone recommend a good Nikon setup that would allow me to get 5X magnification, more or less?

Well, if you'd like to try your hand at 3x, you've got almost everything you need.

You have a 180mm telephoto that:

• performs well at infinity. Yes, that is important.
• has a decent foot. That is important, too.

You have a 60mm macro that:

• performs well at infinity.
• has an aperture ring.

You need three other things:

1. a "macro coupling ring". That is a double male filter thread ring that has the right size threads and thread it on the lens. They cost $5-$20, depending on where you shop.
2. a focusing rail. Worm screws are better than rack and pinion, in my opinion. You want one with a clamp that can rotate or is set fore-aft. NiSi makes a nice one
3. a remote release. 

Any two lenses that perform well at infinity can deliver pretty good macro at a magnification equal to the ratio of their focal lengths. Mount your 180mm on the camera, put it on manual focus, set it to infinity, and lock it (a bit of gaffers tape works great). Call it the "rear lens".

Take your 60mm, put it on manual focus, set it to infinity, lock it, and thread the front onto the 180mm. Call it the front lens. Unlock the aperture and set it to f/5.6 or f/8. You now have a 3x macro lens. Congratulations.

The important thing to remember is that the front lens is not a "closeup lens", it is the lens that is doing the heavy lifting. It is also the lens in charge of controlling aperture. You adjust the rear lens's aperture for maximum contrast.

I'll touch on microscope objectives and bellows in the next post.

I get the impression that not many people use Nikon for extreme macro.

Where would you get that impression?

Would it be worth it in the long run to switch to Canon?

No. Canon doesn’t have as nice stuff. Their lenses don’t stop down when removed from the camera (unless you're me, and you're not me so don’t worry about it) and they don’t have as nice bellows. They don't make microscopes or microscope objectives.

Thanks.

Here's my current setup:
Nikon D750
AF Micro Nikkor 60mm
Tamron SP Di AF 180mm 1:3.5