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100mm with Raynox DCR vs MP-E 65mm

Started 5 months ago | Discussions thread
OP PhasmatosOculus Forum Member • Posts: 93
Re: My MP-E 65 experience
1

Joseph S Wisniewski wrote:

PhasmatosOculus wrote:

Hi all,

Body I am using is an R7

Can an R7 engage flash while you're using a zero-vibration mode? I know my Nikon Z7 can't.

The R7 can utilise mechanical shutter and electronic first curtain shutter with the flash. The IBIS does work and I have not had any issues using it handheld with the Canon 100mm USM macro and the Raynox DCR-250, even at max maginifcation.

Currently have a Canon 100mm f/2.8 USM lens with Raynox DCR-250 for my macro.

I can handheld stack (especially as I use a flash to "freeze" the action) and get relatively close to insects and with the Raynox, I adjust focus/magnification via the ring manually.

I am considering a Canon MP-E 65mm 5x Macro lens - aware it is manual only. Also aware that I can go from 1:1 to 5:1 and move back and forwards for focusing.

Does anyone have experience with the latter, handheld?

Yes. I found it pleasant at 1x, but excruciating past 2x: near impossible at 5x.

The MPE-65 has a working distance of 42mm at 5x, which doesn't sound so bad until you realize that the front tube diameter is an ungodly 60mm. You will find setting up lighting to be frustrating because you run into the shadow of the lens anything closer than 35 degrees off center. You can't really change magnification on the fly because the front of the lens moves so much when you do that you'll be outside the lighting setup you had for a different magnification.

I will stick with my bellows and a 50mm f/2 Leitz Photar. The front end of the Photar is only 35mm in diameter, and the working distance at 5x on a bellows or tubes is 50mm. You can get your lights within 19 degrees of the lens axis.

I do have a focus rail, tripod etc for the higher mags for first light when nothing is moving, but I tend to spend a bit of time during the later hours of morning and afternoon.

If I set the MP-E to the same sort of mag produced by the former setup, will handheld be just as possible?

Only with flash at high mag, but then again a DCR-250 on a 100mm Canon, you're looking at a WD of about 40mm at max magnification, which should be about 2.6x.

I only use flash with macro so this should not be an issue

as I may want the additional magnification which would be easy by a turn of the lens.

It doesn't feel that easy when you start doing it. I personally found the old setup with a Photar or Luminar on a bellows to be easier.

I'm wondering with practice would it be easy enough

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 PhasmatosOculus's gear list:PhasmatosOculus's gear list
Canon EOS R7 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Canon Extender EF 1.4x III Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM +2 more
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