Olympus 50mm f/1.8 OM as macro using reverse ring or extension tubes?

[AskeStubs]

Hi!

I'm considering getting into macro photography and I have an old 50mm OM lens lying around that I'm thinking of using with my OMD EM10.

I've seen someone using the 50mm f/1.8 in combination with a reverse ring for Nikon + a Nikon to m43 adapter to make into a cheap macro lens: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3617031

But does anyone have any experience or advise on what would be a better option out of the following three:

Reverse ring for Nikon + Nikon to m43 adapter,

Reverse ring for m43 + extension tubes or

OM to m43 adapter + extension tubes?

I don't have any reverse rings, adapters or extension tubes at the moment.

 

[SterlingBjorndahl]

… But does anyone have any experience or advise on what would be a better option out of the following three:

Reverse ring for Nikon + Nikon to m43 adapter,

Reverse ring for m43 + extension tubes or

OM to m43 adapter + extension tubes?

I don't have any reverse rings, adapters or extension tubes at the moment.

Those would all work and I don't know that there's much advantage or disadvantage. Lens reversal will generally get you more magnification and a lot closer to your subject than extension tubes. With some lenses you may have trouble keeping it stopped down, and if you shoot an Oly 50/1.8 wide open you're going to get some flaring.

The Oly won't get you crisp results like a modern m43 macro lens will. I believe even a Raynox 250 on a m43 lens will perform better. So I recommend that you don't pay too much for the reversing ring; that money would be better spent on a m43 macro lens or a Raynox. The m43 extension tubes, though, will always be useful with native m43 lenses. Even the cheap ones work well.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

 

[AskeStubs]

Thanks, that’s a good point about the extension tubes.

The raynox looks interesting too, and I guess it also works on multiple lenses. I’ll definitely look into that.