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Extension Adapter Advice

Started 4 months ago | Discussions
DSLR FAN Junior Member • Posts: 25
Extension Adapter Advice

Hello,

I respect your opinions on the following issue...

I want to digitise my old film negs. I've got a good illuminator and adapters etc. So far my compact camera in macro mode can fill the frame with the 35mm negs, and I have been pleased with the quality and sharpness. Even my old disc camera images were surprisingly sharp - all things considered.

I was wondering, though, if this could be replicated on my Nikon?

A macro lens is way too expensive (apprecte previous discussion regarding that), and as I don't do a lot of macro photography, I can't really justify the expense, as I will have no further use for it after the transfer project is fininshed.

I recently saw this item today:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JJC-Extension-Exposure-Photography-Mirrorless/dp/B07544FJTP/ref=sr_1_50_sspa?keywords=nikon+macro+lens&qid=1667832160&sr=8-50-spons&psc=1

I have a 55mm zoom kit lens. Will purchasing the extension things similar to this, allow me to fill the frame with the negs, without any fuzzy fall away around the edges?

With the 55mm zoom lens alone (best set to around 40mm) I have to photograph the negs from a distance, which means I can't capture the same detail as with the compact from around 1cm above the neg.

This piece of kit wasn't too expensive if gurateed to do the same job. I would assume the ASP-C would produce sharper images than the micro 2-thirds compact sensor.

Thanks for your assistance.

 DSLR FAN's gear list:DSLR FAN's gear list
Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Nikon D5500 Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Kenko Teleplus MC4 AF 2.0 DGX Nikon AF-P 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G VR
BBbuilder467 Veteran Member • Posts: 7,057
Re: Extension Adapter Advice

Using an extension tube with an 18-55 zoom lens will easily fill the frame with the image size, but you'll need to experiment to find the necessary working distance if you're using some holder attached to the lens.

You could do the same thing with a micro 4/3, but it has a 4:3 aspect ratio.

It's easier with a macro lens, since it's the same every time. Once you find the right point with the zoom lens, you'll have to try to repeat it. With a kit lens, I try to use tubes only at the long end and just leave it there to be more consistent.

OP DSLR FAN Junior Member • Posts: 25
Re: Extension Adapter Advice

Thanks for your comment.

I don't have any lens attachments. Just a diffused illuminating device I can set the negative adapter on top of.

If I can fill the camera with the negative (just adjusting tripod height) that would be fine.

The compact can get in as close as a centimeter, so it captures a lot of detail. My failed tests with the kit lens at 40mm was at around 10 inches or so above the negative. It didn't fill the frame. Cropping lost a few hundred pixels - not a concern, but the distance from lens-to-neg was too great, and a lot of detail was lost.

Thanks again

 DSLR FAN's gear list:DSLR FAN's gear list
Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Nikon D5500 Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Kenko Teleplus MC4 AF 2.0 DGX Nikon AF-P 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G VR
Joseph S Wisniewski Forum Pro • Posts: 35,461
Heartily advise a used manual macro lens

DSLR FAN wrote:

Hello,

I respect your opinions on the following issue...

I want to digitise my old film negs. I've got a good illuminator and adapters etc. So far my compact camera in macro mode can fill the frame with the 35mm negs, and I have been pleased with the quality and sharpness. Even my old disc camera images were surprisingly sharp - all things considered.

I was wondering, though, if this could be replicated on my Nikon?

A macro lens is way too expensive (apprecte previous discussion regarding that), and as I don't do a lot of macro photography, I can't really justify the expense, as I will have no further use for it after the transfer project is fininshed.

How long is the "transfer project" expected to last? You may be in the time frame where renting a macro lens is feasible. But that's prolly not what I'd do.

I recently saw this item today:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JJC-Extension-Exposure-Photography-Mirrorless/dp/B07544FJTP/ref=sr_1_50_sspa?keywords=nikon+macro+lens&qid=1667832160&sr=8-50-spons&psc=1

I have a 55mm zoom kit lens. Will purchasing the extension things similar to this, allow me to fill the frame with the negs, without any fuzzy fall away around the edges?

I would say don't do that. Putting a "normal" kit zoom on extension tubes is a recipe for horrible edge quality.

It's also going to make focusing difficult, and give you working distance problems.

With the 55mm zoom lens alone (best set to around 40mm) I have to photograph the negs from a distance, which means I can't capture the same detail as with the compact from around 1cm above the neg.

This piece of kit wasn't too expensive if gurateed to do the same job.

I don't think it is. I'd say it's almost guaranteed not to do the job.

I would assume the ASP-C would produce sharper images than the micro 2-thirds compact sensor.

Not if the 2/3 lens is better matched to the task. Which is why I would recommend looking at a used manual macro lens.

Seriously. You're using an external illuminator, so you won't be changing exposure from shot to shot: once you get it set once by trial and error, you keep it there. And I assume you've made some sort of bracket to hold everything stable, so not that much focusing.

I just took a look at KEH, they have a 55mm f/3.5 manual Nikkor macro for $76 (there are cheaper ones listed, but never buy an old Nikon that says "focus ring stiff" because that's an expensive repair,

You need an extension ring for slide copying, about another $20, so you're just under $100. That's literally as cheaply as you're going to get this to happen.

Thanks for your assistance.

You're welcome. Good luck to you.

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The term "mirrorless" is totally obsolete. It's time we call out EVIL for what it is. (Or, if you can't handle "Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens" then Frenchify it and call it "LIVE" for "Lens Interchangeable, Viewfinder Electronic" or "Viseur électronique").
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Stanley Joseph Wisniewski 1932-2019.
Dad, so much of you is in me.
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Christine Fleischer 1947-2014.
My soulmate. There are no other words.
-----
Rahon Klavanian 1912-2008.
Armenian genocide survivor, amazing cook, scrabble master, and loving grandmother. You will be missed.
----
Ciao! Joseph
www.swissarmyfork.com

 Joseph S Wisniewski's gear list:Joseph S Wisniewski's gear list
Nikon D90 Nikon D2X Nikon D3 Nikon D100 Nikon Z7 +48 more
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