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Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens

Started Sep 19, 2019 | Discussions
oneofone25
oneofone25 Senior Member • Posts: 1,586
Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
62

You thought it couldn't be done, right?

Well, prepare to be blown away!  A friend suggested to me that he was able to use an off-brand extension tube to connect to the Olympus MC-14 Teleconverter, and that it gave him extra magnification on his 60mm macro lens.  I had my doubts as I had purchased the amazing quality KENKO brand tubes back 8 months ago along with the MC-14 to try this, only to be shut down as the lens for the teleconverter did not (1) fit into the extension tube and (2) the locking mechanism never was able to work because there was a piece on the tele-converter that got in the way (after forcing the teleconverter into the tube).

I was told that the PIXCO brand extension tubes which come from China and have the electronic connections built in (albeit a very cheap plasticky feel to them) worked and so I ordered a set from China.  I also ordered a set of FOTGA brand off Amazon as they shipped from the US and looked to be the same but with a different name brand on them.  Both arrived the same day...

I ripped open the box for both and tried putting the 10mm FOTGA brand first onto the front of the MC-14 which was on my Olympus EM1 mark 2.  Snap!  Perfect fit!  Now, my friend didn't have another set of extension tubes, but the 10mm just on it's own will not take care of the length of the teleconverter connecting to the 60mm macro lens.  He added the 16mm to the setup as it's all he had.  My concern with that is reducing light even more so as I know that the MC-14 will affect light by about a full stop and with some extension tubes space in-between the MC-14 lens and back of the 60mm lens, possibly more.  So I grabbed the 10mm Kenko tube I had and used that.

NOTE:  You cannot use the 16mm FOTGA or PIXCO extension tube to attach to the MC-14.  It will not work. ONLY the 10mm works from those sets.

So, I have Camera ----> MC-14----->FOTGA 10mm extension tube---->Kenko 10mm extension tube----->Olympus 60mm macro lens.

Now, with the Olympus 60mm macro lens all on it's own you get a 1x magnification when you have the magnification set at the highest level.  Here is a small dead fly I took a focus stack with of 70 images using the Olympus 60mm on it's own, with no tubes or Raynox or MC-14.  Focus bracketing was used at 1/10 for the step size, 70 images stacked in Helicon:

Here is with the MC-14 added using the 10mm Fotga and 10mm kenko tube:

If I add one Raynox 250 macro filter to the front of the 60mm macro lens, I get this:

If I add another Raynox 250 on top of the first, I get this:

Since doing these two days ago, I have tried using only the Raynox 202 instead of any Raynox 250s and am getting great results with stacks at about 4.5x or slightly more.  I do have to turn up the ISO to about 200-350 depending on the subject, but it is worth it!

edge of a United States dime:

Single garnet sand grain, 1/3mm wide:

tiny sample of sand from Bandon, Oregon

Frame is 2.5mm left to right

camera setup with the Raynox 202 attached

 oneofone25's gear list:oneofone25's gear list
OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Samyang 16mm F2 +1 more
Olympus E-M1
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Skeeterbytes Forum Pro • Posts: 23,144
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
13

You win some sort of Frankenkamera award for this rig, to be sure. Super-impressed both that it functions and the quality of the output.

Out of idle curiosity, does the camera recognize any of the add-ons, or just think it has a 60/2.8 attached?

Thanks for a great writeup and samples!

Rick

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Ifixit Regular Member • Posts: 255
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
1

Only with Olympus! I have seen some frankencamera-rigs from other brands, but no one with electrical connections and a fully functional auto focus and in camera stacking. They give us some great tech!

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didin19 Regular Member • Posts: 455
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
2

Thanks for sharing !

I use the Zuiko 60mm with a set of Fotga ext tubes and a dcr250 attached to it. That setup provide a very high magnification. But I never thought about mounting a mc-14 !

Have you ever tested the in body focus-bracketing with the mc-14 ?

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oneofone25
OP oneofone25 Senior Member • Posts: 1,586
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
2

didin19 wrote:

Thanks for sharing !

I use the Zuiko 60mm with a set of Fotga ext tubes and a dcr250 attached to it. That setup provide a very high magnification. But I never thought about mounting a mc-14 !

Have you ever tested the in body focus-bracketing with the mc-14 ?

Yes, the focus bracketing works flawlessly with the MC-14, 10mm Fotga tube, 10mm Kenko tube and 60mm macro lens.  That's how I did the above images/

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OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Samyang 16mm F2 +1 more
Gregm61 Forum Pro • Posts: 15,898
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
1

Incredible....wow.

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BostonC Contributing Member • Posts: 642
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
1

Amazing find. Will the same setup work for other lenses?

glassoholic
glassoholic Veteran Member • Posts: 7,628
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
1

Excellent! Thanks for the feedback.

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glassoholic
glassoholic Veteran Member • Posts: 7,628
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens

I have ordered the Fotga... my MC20 awaits testing with the Fotga and the 60mm!

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Addicted To Glass
M43 equivalence: "Twice the fun with half the weight"
"You are a long time dead" -
Credit to whoever said that first and my wife for saying it to me... Make the best you can of every day!

Richandhiscat Senior Member • Posts: 1,198
Never...

...rip open a box, you might have to send it back

JulesGo
JulesGo Contributing Member • Posts: 531
Re: Never...
5

Quick test with Fotga extenders, MC-14 and the Olympus 12-100mm.

The 10mm Fotga fits the MC-14 but the 16mm does not.  The inside diameter of the 16mm is not wide enough to fit the extension of the TC.

The good news is that is works this way:
Camera, MC-14-Fotag16mm-Fotga10mm-lens

The lens will autofocus only when set to 100mm and it has to be almost touching the target to be able to focus.

Interesting experiment !  I will do some more tests with other lenses and also the MC-20 during the weekend.

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Jules Gobeil
Nature photographer - Photographe de la nature
https://www.flickr.com/photos/julesgobeil/

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MacroLunchtimes
MacroLunchtimes Regular Member • Posts: 283
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens

The set up with any micro four thirds lens, the 60mm is used as its a dedicated macro lens, will work with any MFT lens.

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Olympus E-M1 III Olympus Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter EC-14 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 Pro Olympus 8mm F1.8 Fisheye Pro +1 more
didin19 Regular Member • Posts: 455
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
2

Thanks !

I just tested the 60mm mounted with a mc-14 +2 fotga 10mm and also with a mc14+16mm+10mm. Focus bracketing works in both case.

at 1:1 field is about 5mm wide with a dcr250 and 3,3 mm wide with a cm3500 4x lens (wow!)

I will test that tomorrow If conditions are not too windy,

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didin19 Regular Member • Posts: 455
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
4

I tested the mc-14 +2 10mm ext tubes + dcr250 in the field this morning.

Working in the field at so high magnification is not easy as all. I definitively need a macro rail ! Though the EM5II + all the stacked lenses and tubes remains compact and light compared to similar APSC/FF mount.

This is a portrait of a beautiful Ectophasia crassipennis fly. I have also done some stacks but I will need some time to process them.

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OM mani padme hum Regular Member • Posts: 352
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
2

Very interesting! I have the MC-14 and Fotga tubes, but hadn't thought of combining them. Will have to do some testing.

didin19 Regular Member • Posts: 455
Stacked version
14

Focus-Stacked version

Em5II + MC-14+2x10mm extension tubes + Zuiko 60mm macro + Raynox dcr250.

56 images processed with Zerene

View larger for details !

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jcr4486 Regular Member • Posts: 471
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
2

curious... would setup work on a Pana G9 as well, or just on oly body  ?

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glassoholic
glassoholic Veteran Member • Posts: 7,628
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
2

jcr4486 wrote:

curious... would setup work on a Pana G9 as well, or just on oly body ?

As the physical "key" on the MC converters affects lenses that go onto it, not the camera behind it, this Fotga/ Pixco setup should be fine on a Pana body.

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Addicted To Glass
M43 equivalence: "Twice the fun with half the weight"
"You are a long time dead" -
Credit to whoever said that first and my wife for saying it to me... Make the best you can of every day!

oneofone25
OP oneofone25 Senior Member • Posts: 1,586
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens

Wonderful!  Nice work!!

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OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Samyang 16mm F2 +1 more
oneofone25
OP oneofone25 Senior Member • Posts: 1,586
Re: Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens
4

Here are more samples using the MC-14 with the 60mm macro lens and I have included using the Raynox 250s or 202.....

edge of a dime

jumping spider

garnet, .4mm diameter

 oneofone25's gear list:oneofone25's gear list
OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Samyang 16mm F2 +1 more
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