Best long macro for X? Cost *is* an object!

Hello,

I am doing more macro shooting, but find my 60 doesn’t have enough reach for many situations (bugs, mostly), and the magnification on my 90 and Rokinon 135/2 are not quite high enough. The 80 doesn’t give enough reach and is a bit more than I want to spend anyhow. I reckon my two options are:

1. Adapt a 100 to 200 mm macro from another manufacturer. If I did this, I’d want aperture controlled properly, so either something like a Nikon AI or D (I have a dumb D adapter [Nikon 200/4?] and a dumb M42 [Takumar 100/4?]) or perhaps invest in in a smart adapter (like Fringer [which Canon?]; not cheap!). Any adapted lenses that you’d recommend?
2. Get an achromatic diopter that’d cover both the 135 and 90 (77 mm). These cost about $150 and up. I’m thinking maybe 2 of them, like a +2 or +3 first, maybe followed by a +4 or +5. I’d also like to try the Fujifilm teleconverter(s) with the Rokinon 135, I may just rent one first. Comments?

Thanks for any experience or suggestions you can share.

From my experience, I would go with your option #1. Adapted lens.

I have used your option #2 with an old but excellent Canon Close up Diopter (250D), but such a "filter" is usually more user friendly with a zoom.

Quindere wrote:

I suggest you to give a try to NIKKOR AF Micro 105mm f/2.8D.

That is definitely worth looking at, although at the short end of the range I think I want.

Thanks!

Extension tubes? It's very old school but they work great and very inexpensive.

What do you mean by 'long'? Working distance or magnification?

A cheap option that I have used is either of the Raynox on the Fuji 50-230 - can give a variety of magnifications and decent working distance.

Another left field suggestion is to put an extension tube in front of a 1.4× or 2× teleconverter. The glass of the TC did inside the tube, so you don't need to rely on the quoted 'compatibility' of the lens with the TC.

-Paul

Craig268 wrote:

Extension tubes? It's very old school but they work great and very inexpensive.

Thanks for the suggestion, but extension tubes don’t help much at longer focal lengths (effect proportional to 1/F).

I have this lens, 60mm 2:1 manual focus lens in Canon mount that use on my Fuji with a cheap ef->x adapter. Since the lens is manual focus, a $20 adapter works fine.

Oshiro 60mm f/2.8 2:1 LD UNC Ultra-Macro Lens for Nikon D4S, DF, D4, D3X, D810, D800, D750, D610, D600, D7200, D7100, D5500, D5300, D5200, D5100, D3300, D3200 and D3100 Digital SLR Cameras https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B010R8MGA6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NDV3Db6EH2MWC

pauldb126 wrote:

What do you mean by 'long'? Working distance or magnification?

A cheap option that I have used is either of the Raynox on the Fuji 50-230 - can give a variety of magnifications and decent working distance.

Another left field suggestion is to put an extension tube in front of a 1.4× or 2× teleconverter. The glass of the TC did inside the tube, so you don't need to rely on the quoted 'compatibility' of the lens with the TC.

-Paul

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I’d like to have mags of around ½ or better with at least a few inches (~10 cm) of working distance (lens to subject). So, focal lengths of 90 mm or more, I think.

getochkn wrote:

I have this lens, 60mm 2:1 manual focus lens in Canon mount that use on my Fuji with a cheap ef->x adapter. Since the lens is manual focus, a $20 adapter works fine.

Oshiro 60mm f/2.8 2:1 LD UNC Ultra-Macro Lens for Nikon D4S, DF, D4, D3X, D810, D800, D750, D610, D600, D7200, D7100, D5500, D5300, D5200, D5100, D3300, D3200 and D3100 Digital SLR Cameras https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B010R8MGA6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NDV3Db6EH2MWC

Thank you for replying, but I already have a 60 and the working distance is to short for some of my attempted images.

biza43 wrote:

From my experience, I would go with your option #1. Adapted lens.

I have used your option #2 with an old but excellent Canon Close up Diopter (250D), but such a "filter" is usually more user friendly with a zoom.

Thanks for your reply. My current first choice for adapted is the Takumar 100. Any comments?

Quindere wrote:

I suggest you to give a try to NIKKOR AF Micro 105mm f/2.8D.

I am looking for those. The G version is easy to find, the D and older a bit rarer (in good condition). Thanks.

CeeDave wrote

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I’d like to have mags of around ½ or better with at least a few inches (~10 cm) of working distance (lens to subject). So, focal lengths of 90 mm or more, I think.

See the two references I posted from the Pentax forum.... They will tell you the working distance you'll get with different powers of close up lens.

There is a separate calculation using the power of the close up lens combined with focal length of your main lens that gives you the magnification.

I use an old Tamron Macro 90mm f2.5 that can be found on ebay i payed for mine 100$

Other cheap solution could be to fit on your 90mm different bonnettes to allow to go closer I use my 55-200mm that way with a Raynox 150 which happily does not creat any vignette in all FL from 55 to 200mm transforming the 55-200mm in a kind of a swiss knife for macro...

baobob wrote:

I use an old Tamron Macro 90mm f2.5 that can be found on ebay i payed for mine 100$

Thanks, I’ll give it a look.

baobob wrote:

Other cheap solution could be to fit on your 90mm different bonnettes to allow to go closer I use my 55-200mm that way with a Raynox 150 which happily does not creat any vignette in all FL from 55 to 200mm transforming the 55-200mm in a kind of a swiss knife for macro...

Interesting idea. I have been considering a used 55-200, and with a good achromatic diopter it night pull double duty.

I am very pleased with the Raynox

baobob wrote:

Other cheap solution could be to fit on your 90mm different bonnettes to allow to go closer I use my 55-200mm that way with a Raynox 150 which happily does not creat any vignette in all FL from 55 to 200mm transforming the 55-200mm in a kind of a swiss knife for macro...

I have an old raynox that I haven't used in a while. Any chance it works as well on the 50-230?

https://www.fujirumors.com/mitakon-creator-85mm-f-2-8-1-5x-super-macro-for-fujifilm-x/

5x, 85mm manual focus new fuji mount