MACRO adapter for NX lenses & lens shade for NX 30mm f2

I'd like to share with you, a macro extension tube(s) that just came in, for NX lenses (and a recommendation for a rubber folding lens shade for the 30mm f2 lens).

I currently own an NX20, but this can be used on any of the NX camera lenses.

It's branded Fotga, and the box says "Electronic lens adapter".  It consists of a 10mm extension and a 16mm extension.  This may not seem like much, compared to the lengths we are used to seeing on legacy (mirrorbox) lens systems.  But keep in mind that the Samsung flange to sensor distance is only 1" (25.5mm).  And adding 26mm effectively doubles that distance.  This 10mm+16mm (26mm extension) kit sells for $54, shipping included.

Now, I only have a 30mm lens on hand, and can only post pics taken with that.  the pics that follow show what you see with the 30mm f2 lens at it's closest focus distance, without, with the 16mm, and with the 16mm+10mm extension tubes.  Focusing "sort of" works... it will hunt, and set itself at closest focus, but you have to move the camera back and forth a little to tweak your focus point: the camera doesn't seem to focus properly with these tubes on, despite there being electrical contacts, for anything farther than macro range/distance.

For the shade, it's hard to find a decent lens shade at a low price for the NX 30mm lens.  I own both a vented aluminum shade, which is compact but doesn't offer much when facing the sun, and a rubber lens hood.  The problem with these hoods, is try to find one for the 43mm filter thread.  But as it turns out, a 46mm hood covers perfectly and is just outside the limit of your field of view, so it doesn't vignet the corners, yet offers maximum protection from the sun. So here's what I got:  46mm rubber lens hood (about $10 on ebay), plus a 43mm to 46mm step-up ring/adapter ($2).

Left to right: perfect size 46mm rubber lens hood on a 43mm-46mm adapter ring, NX20 camera with 30mm f2 lens, 16mm + 10mm macro extension tubes (with electrical contacts).

I apologize for the IQ from my Panasonic TS3 here.  I wasn't really trying - just want to show a quick snapshot of everything I'm talking about here.  None of the photos are edited or adjusted - straight out of the cameras.

Field of view: CLOSEST focus with the 30mm f2 lens, no extender

Here is the field of view with one 16mm extension tube.  I'd guesstimate the magnification ratio to be in the vicinity of 1:2

Field of view:  magnification ratio of 1:1 or a bit better given that the sensor is larger than this keyboard key.  What surprised me, is that you can see the embossing of the letters, which is not visible to the naked eye.  30mm is a wonderful lens.

Unfortunately, the Depth of Field is very shallow, but I think this is to be expected doing any macro photography.  I didn't get my tripod out, so bringing down the opening made for exposure times that are just too long for hand-held and I don't like bringing up the ISO.

hi

just been using the 16mm with the 30mm lens  in the garden today see pics below

my first go at macro.

cream wrote:

hi

just been using the 16mm with the 30mm lens  in the garden today see pics below

my first go at macro.

just the 16, or the 16+10?  I imaging the 16+10 must be quite impressive... here it's too windy today to find much bugs outside.  sometimes I wish I lived in Costa Rica or something.

I'm not experienced at this, but the images appear to be quite grainy, especially apparent in smoothed our by bokeh areas.  I wonder why - your ISO is only 400. Might you have something at base ISO you can post, please, for comparison?

I recently bought those fotga adapters and have started to use them with my nx 20. So far I've only put them on my 60mm lens.... difficult to get used to but they seem to be worth the effort... must put the camera on a tripod and see where I get

Have you guys experienced the same thing, where the lens just locks in at minimum focus, and you have to move the camera back and forth to get the subject in focus?  I've tried getting the lens to auto-focus with these cylinders on, at a distance other than minimum, and it won't.  the electrical contacts seem to be working fine, as the lens will do some focus hunting, but then it just settles in at minimum focus distance, period. This is regardless of whether I have 26mm, 16mm, or 10mm of cylinder on there.

I have the latest firmware in both my NX20 and the 30mm f2 lens.  Anyone's different lenses do this too, or is it just the 30mm?

Same experience as you with the 60mm lens whether using the 16,10 or combo.... no idea why that's so but frankly I'm not technically minded...I want to practice more before making a decision about how useful they are.. they cost me around £35 so not exactly a huge investment for a bit of fun

Timmbits wrote:

just the 16, or the 16+10?  I imaging the 16+10 must be quite impressive... here it's too windy today to find much bugs outside.  sometimes I wish I lived in Costa Rica or something.

I'm not experienced at this, but the images appear to be quite grainy, especially apparent in smoothed our by bokeh areas.  I wonder why - your ISO is only 400. Might you have something at base ISO you can post, please, for comparison?

original

will take some 100 iso tomorrow

cream wrote:

Timmbits wrote:

just the 16, or the 16+10?  I imaging the 16+10 must be quite impressive... here it's too windy today to find much bugs outside.  sometimes I wish I lived in Costa Rica or something.

I'm not experienced at this, but the images appear to be quite grainy, especially apparent in smoothed our by bokeh areas.  I wonder why - your ISO is only 400. Might you have something at base ISO you can post, please, for comparison?

original

will take some 100 iso tomorrow just the 16mm on  at the moment

video of the spider

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10151702126888534&notif_t=video_processed

been out today but it was late  and light not too good. and the wind blowing the web about hard to get focus

both 10mm and 16mm on

cream wrote:

been out today but it was late  and light not too good. and the wind blowing the web about hard to get focus

both 10mm and 16mm on

nx200USER1 wrote:

Im glad you're having fun with it, and as another has said...much fun for such a small investment $54. I received mine last Sat. But have not been sharp enough to notice the min. focus event. I did observe less than 10mm between min and max focus distance. Anything beyond will not focus as you have indicated.

Do not confuse focus with depth of field. I don'r mean to be insulting if you are an experienced photographer - perhaps it's just the prose.  But yes, the depth of field is rather narrow, as with any macro activities (there's an article here on focus stacking that may interest you, but without lens focusing, good luck.

Manual focus was first choice and moving camera back and forth. The nx200+30mm lens+26mm tubes is approx. 5cm/2inch away from subject!

Yes, that's right.  With 2 tubes, it's very very close.  I like that.  Unfortunately you have to move the camera.

Using on my 18-200mm, battery drains in less then 15 minutes. Then sometimes it doesnt. I have three batteries. Havent been able to isolate it down to the clone battery, OIS, AF or contact resistance, cos sometimes it gets warm at the top of the lens, tube, body pin contact path (lens gets warm anyways by itself).

So far Im enjoying this and and my horizons have suddenly expanded.

If you are getting only 15 minutes of battery time, it's surely our lens' focusing mechanism that doesn't stop trying.  Update your firmware, and, it surely has an OIS switch, and perhaps a AF/MF switch.  Turn both off (focus set to MF).  Don't burn out your lens' motors inside... warranty would not cover it if you used them with macro tubes (although you don't have to tell them).

northlondon43 wrote:

Same experience as you with the 60mm lens whether using the 16,10 or combo.... no idea why that's so but frankly I'm not technically minded...I want to practice more before making a decision about how useful they are.. they cost me around £35 so not exactly a huge investment for a bit of fun

Our of curiosity, why would you feel the need to get a macro extension tube for a macro lens?  is the 60mm not a true macro?  (less than 1:1)

PS: must set camera to MF (manual focus) in the menu for this to work.

Seller issued a full refund, because their listing stated that focus would work. Only aperture control works.

I also own a nice Minolta 50mm lens, f1.4-f16, that I think I'll dedicate to macro, as I already own a macro extension tube and NX adapter for it.

In the case of Samsung, you may as well use a legacy lens, as the adapter adds no functionality aside from aperture control.

Just purchased a set from Amazon for £30 for my NX300.

Looking forward to trying this out.

What lens is it best to use these extension tubes on?
30mm Prime or 16-50mm PZ?

Thanks!

You will get slightly larger image with 30mm and 10+16mm extension tubes (~1 as compared to ~0.8 for 50mm), but best is to use wide end as at 16mm with extension tubes you get 1.7 (if minimum focus distance is the same for wide end as well, I don't have 16-50 pz).

If you really want magnification google "beyond 1:1 macro" and you will find a series of nice articles of how to achieve 4:1 or even 9:1 with affordable legacy equipment.

I have this adapter too, got set fo $35 from ebay. Well, it works, especially well with 85mm. It will give 0.41x size with both 10 and 16mm but still not that bad. 45mm gives blurry corners when used with this adapters. I guess its because 85 covers full-frame sensor and has way better corner sharpness than 45, which is quite useless with 26mm adapter despite it has 0.7x ratio in that setup.

Of course you will be able to focus only at very close objects and will lose ability to focus at infinity but this adapter is still a very affordable way to try macro shooting without needing to buy dedicated macro lens.

It has nothing to do with covering the full frame sensor (which was proven to be false, 85mm does not cover it) since extension tubes work by moving the lens away from camera, giving you the effect of teleconvertor (you see only central part of original image) with added bonus of shortening the mfd.

Also, the effect is more pronounced on shorter focal lengths, you can calculate yourself by using http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/macro-extension-tubes-closeup.htm
(it's also a great resource for many things photo related)