Absolutely hands down the best and most thorough explanation of what happens when we reverse our lenses. You are a fantastic photographer and a fantastic educator and from One Professional to another you are top notch top top notch. Thank you for all the work you put into these videos.
As it happens I have just spent several days trying to get my head around the apparent illogicality of shorter lenses yielding higher magnifications. Listening to you the penny dropped - when you invert a lens the cone of acceptance might become the cone of projection - but the included angle remains the same so a short lens is obviously going to throw a bigger image at a given distance than a longer one. It's one of those problems! Easy to grasp if you look at it from the right direction - impossible until you do. Thanks!
Thank you for a very indepth video on macro photography and macro lenses and what happens to the light when we revers the lens using a reversing ring, many thanks for a educational tutorial.
This is the first time I have seen this video and it has helped me understand quite a lot regarding magnification and light consumption. I have been looking for a reversal ring for my Mamiya M645 film camera so I could use the 80mm lens reversed. But due to the age of the camera, there are none out there except for buying a bellows rail system, which is far beyond my budget. I just finished a DIY project using a body lens cap of the M645, cutting the center out and, mating it to the adapter ring (RT-58) of an M645 lens shade. The lens has to be at least f/11-22 to get a decent depth of field. Now I am able to place any M645 lens in the reverse mode. But I took it a little further and mounted this lens setup on my Canon 5dmkii with another that allows this to get immediate feedback. I am really impressed with the images that I have gotten so far, even though this was just an experiment. Your video has been very helpful to me in exploring other aspects of macro photography. Thank you very much for the learning experience.
Hi, Allan. Good video. I watched it before and already had a lot of experience with reversed lenses, but it never hurts to hear others explain things... there’s always some info that’s fallen through the cracks. Especially since I’m a retired RN, I always (better) pay attention to the doctor! Besides, it’s raining like crazy outside and my only alternative is cleaning the basement. When you got to the point of receiving a delivery of insect vials, I said to myself that they looked like what I used. My hospital required us to use a standardized specimen cup. However, the prepackaged foley catheter insertion kits always had a little container that looked just like yours. Frugal man that I am, I didn’t throw any of these away so over the years I ratholed quite a supply. Waste not, want not. Dan
Hi Allan, Once again you have made it all sound so simple! I guess a lot of people try reversing a lens for macro as a try-out before buying a purpose-built macro lens. It doesn't matter what subject you are covering, I always learn something useful. Thanks.
One of my many favourite macro UA-camrs, Stewart Wood, distinguishes between optical magnification and practical magnification. It may be that the lens doesn’t actually magnify more on a smaller sensor, but the final result certainly looks more magnified. And quite frankly, if the subject fills the frame on a small sensor, but very far from fills the frame on a large sensor, using the same lens, I don’t care if the magnification is theoretically the same, because in practice it obviously isn’t.
Lau Bjerno The image scale is the same regardless of sensor size. A smaller sensor just captures a smaller portion of the projected image. Crop the image recorded by a larger sensor and the cropped image would be the same as the image recorded by the smaller sensor. The confusion stems from confusing field of view with magnification.
Out of curiosity I looked up Stewart Wood’s tutorial video, and it is and excellent demonstration on how to determine magnification, by definition the ratio of the size of the object to the size of its image. He demonstrates the procedure using both a full frame sensor and an APS-C sensor. He should have stopped there, but then he introduces what he calls “effective magnification “ and sows the seeds for unnecessary confusion of field of view with magnification. A sibling is “equivalent focal length “ which has also caused endless confusion. These two have a third sibling born into the field of electron microscopy in the transition from analog to digital image recording.
@@michaelmckeag960 No, the image would not be the same if you crop the image from the larger sensor, because you lose a lot of resolution when you crop.
A Canon lens doesn’t actually default to any particular aperture. The camera will, however, always leave the lens wide open after each picture. But by using the depth of field preview button you can deliberately stop the lens down to any aperture. And if you take the lens off the camera while holding the dofp button (which can be a little fiddly, I’ll admit), the lens will stay at the selected aperture until you remount it on the camera in the normal way. If your Canon camera is too cheap to have a dofp button, you can customise the SET button on the back of the camera.
the BR-3 also allows aperture control, as the lever stops the iris down ( actually keeps the spring from closing the iris down) so there is more light to focus, and you can stop down for metering, albeit at the smallest F Stop of most lenses( the G and automatic lenses have no ring, so they go to full closed down [f16 or f22] ). you ALSO MUST add the lens focal length to non-cpu lens data, and set this as prefered non-cpu lens! as the camera will not shoot without a lens ( no contact with computer chip in lens!) , OR with no data on max f stop,SAME as using a lens on ext. tubes.
Old video, good video of use to many people. Never say never. You can mount a ring flash on a short extension tube that fits the rear of the lens - not that you'd want to unless you like that look. When you reverse an older lens (I have a 50mm macro) that focuses by moving the entire lens forward, the old focus mount becomes an adjustable lens hood but makes no change in the focus distances. Of course you can buy a helical mount to place between lens and body that gives adjustment. A lens made in the 1960's to shoot 1:2 macro reverses nicely and can give reasonable 2:1 but my Laowa is sharper and easier. Does anyone make a reverse adapter for Nikon that has a cord transferring auto diaphragm settings so you can focus wide open and stop down? There is one made by Meike for Canon EF. Auto focus is useless for macro but auto diaphragm is nice to have.
It was sometime in the 70's I attached a lens on backwards, It's now 2020 and I reckon I'll always have an extension tube for ever more as light has always been a problem.
Absolutely terrific. There's one thing which confuses me - when you did the demo with the flashlight, you said that the result was that the image was magnified 10X. and after that, you said that the reversed lens gave a 1:1 magnification ratio. Please explain, thank you!
Thank you Allan for your great videos. I just received my reversing ring and a BR-3. Going to try my hand at macro with this setup before investing in a more expensive macro lens. Hoping to have more fun with my old D300 and 50mm f/1.8D lens.
I use a mat or dinner place cloth (dollar tree) to set my photo gear on top if I do drop items it will absorb and not bounce off the table onto the floor.
The crop sensor comment isn't quite right. If you have a full-frame sensor and a crop sensor of the same resolution. Let's take a full frame and a 1.6 crop sensor, both at 18 megapixels; when using the same lens on each, the crop sensor will get that 18 megapixels in a smaller portion of the light cone. There is a bit of nuance here, and it's easy to misunderstand. So, while the lens's optical magnification hasn't changed, the change in the field of view effectively magnifies the image. If you then crop the full-frame image to the same perspective, it will have fewer pixels.
Thanks as always Allan! Another very informative video. Reversing a prime was one of the first things I tried after getting a reversing ring... the results are always impressive. Not honestly sure why any lens higher than 50mm won’t typically work, but it’s probably because they’ll never focus if physics make the focus point wind up inside the lens somewhere. It’s fun trying however, and you can end up with some beautifully colored, creamy blurred bokeh shots that - if printed - could serve as backdrop. :-)
Hi Len, it isn't that they won't work. Longer lenses can be reversed (up to a point), but the magnification drops very quickly at longer focal lengths. There are better ways to shoot at 1:2 and below - like a macro lens!
Recieved at my door two sets of extention tubes by FocusFoto. Adapted to fit Nikon F-mount. These will open up new doors for experimentation. Still waiting for cone shaped extention M42 to rms. Objectives....4x and 10x. The FocusFoto extention tubes are made from aluminum. ( There is only one "i" in aluminum. ) Everything is pretty much up to the postman.
There are “intelligent” reversing rings that have an extra ring which mounts on the rear of the lens with a spiral cable in between. These allow the camera to talk to the reverse mounted lens. I have a very inexpensive one. The extra ring, of course, works as a kind of lens hood, and mounted on my kit lens, the subject has to be inside the “hood” at 18mm. And although this system actually allows mounting a ring flash, this only makes the hood deeper, and no light will hit the subject, unless you accept it that you cannot use the reversed lens at its highest magnification. By the way, when I realised that you get higher magnification with shorter focal lengths when you reverse mount a lens, I had to get a reversing ring for my 10-18mm. But I found that it doesn’t work at all except when the lens is zoomed in close to 18mm. At shorter focal lengths the subject would have to be inside the lens to be in focus.
@@AllanWallsPhotography I agree. In fact I would argue that it’s unnecessary even if you don’t use a manual aperture lens. The manual aperture is a convenience, of course, but you can still manage without it. Personally I think the disadvantages of the “intelligent” devices outweigh the advantages.
Hi Allan, what a nice video about reversed lens macro photography you've uploaded. I uploaded a little series about 'starting with macro photography on a budget'. ! part is about the reversed lens to. Thank you sharing this very nice footage.
Sir I have extension tube only. You talked about the problem of automatic closing down the aperture diaphragm when an auto lens is dismounted from camera. You also give a brisk hint about using a toothpick for that. I need that elaboration like so many face the same problem who use extension tubes
If you look on the bayonet mount of the lens you should see a very small metal tab. It moves forwards a backwards but is held in the open position by a small spring. As you move the tab, the aperture will close. I position the tab to where I want the aperture (look at the lens when on the camera at the aperture you want to use, say f/4, to see the size) to be and use a small piece of flat plastic, the thickness of the channel the tab runs in, and of exactly the length needed to hold the tab at f/4. And that's it. I recommend finding a piece of plastic with a raised edge so that the little tab cannot fall down into the lens. If you are still unsure, send me an email and I can send a photograph. Do any of this at your own risk! I don't think any warranty would survive a modification like this! Of course, the best method is to buy an old D-style lens with manual aperture control.
Thank you for another exceptional tutorial. (I have only recently discovered your presence on UA-cam.) Your ability to recall and explain the basics, notwithstanding your maven status in the "macro photography" world, leaves me with extreme respect. Question: @ ua-cam.com/video/RUMNohNWX_4/v-deo.html A "trick" appeared, towards your attaching a reversed lens arises, in lieu of a proper "diopter." Where did you get that male-to-male adapter? (aka "nipple") As I am an experience amateur PLUMBER (as well as lifelong 69 y.o. engineer), the need for a proper FITTING immediately popped into my mind. Attaching a reversed lens at the front of a primary lens requires a NIPPLE ; i.e., a threaded-male-to-threaded-male item. (Nipples are utterly common, in plumbing and electrical conduit work.) While I can readily find "reversing rings" (bayonet-MALE surrogate back of removable lens, to threaded-MALE fitting) I cannot find any threaded-male-to-threaded-male items on Amazon. Perhaps you can announce some keyword descriptor, that I might inject into my search. PS I used Sony a6000-series APS-C cameras.
Great explanation Allan and clearly put as always. Just regarding the point you made at about 09:20, using this cone of light principle, then it would be best to have the lens on infinity focus when reversed yes? At least for max magnification - maybe different for best image quality.
Allan, thanks for Your, easy to understand explanations about using reversed lenses, macro lenses, bellows, extension tubes etc. and the problems you may face doing macrophotography. There is still one question which is still open to me: In all the ways You use the lenses focussing is done by moving the camera / lens as a unit. But what is the best position of the focussing helicoid of the lens itself. Is the best position at infinity or do you put it at nearest focusing distance? I have heard, focusing wise, that a lens also has a "sweet" spot where it is "sharpest". Please give us Your thoughts about this because it is never mentioned in video's about macrophotography.
Thanks Dirk. This is a good question. I have addressed it in a couple of videos, but I can't remember which ones! To maximize the image circle size of your setup, you will want to have the working distance as short a possible, so by definition, you will focus as close as your lens allows (at the MFD). If you focus further downrange, you will need to move your subject further away from the lens to bring it in focus, sacrificing some of the image circle diameter. Most lenses have a sweet spot (usually around f/5.6-8) for the aperture setting, and shooting at the sweet spot will definitely improve sharpness (at the cost of depth of field). But in macro photography, especially with tiny subjects, DOF is less of an issue as we will almost always be focus stacking anyway. So the position of the helicoid should have no direct effect on the sharpness of each image. Having said that, each macro lens, or reversed prime in this case, can have its own quirks. I have an 85mm micro-Nikkor f/3.5 that does not perform very well at the MFD, and I focus slightly in front of that point to start my stacks. The difference is really minute. Unless you are having IQ issues at the MFD, I would suggest you start there.
when i reverse a lens what is the minimum distance to the object that i will be able to focus? I saw some guys using this technique but the lens needed to be 1 or 2 centimeters from the object. I wanted to try this with a vintage 28mm manual focus and some extension tubes, but that minimum distance is crucial for me to have the means to light the object. From your experience, what distance can you get from your lenses? Thanks for your channel. I am learning a lot!
If one is attempting macro, one uses manual focus, but if the lens is reversed, other than moving the camera or subject into focus, how does one focus? Thank you!
You indicated about mechanically opening the aperture of a Nikon auto lens, which closes down the aperture as camera shuts down, but could not found how to do it. Please explain. Thanks
I presume you mean when the lens is reversed on the bellows? There is a small silver screw receptacle at the top of the forward standard. A cable release can be attached when the lens is mounted to the inside of the front bellows standard. Depressing the cable release closes the aperture and you can lock it at the size you desire. I demonstrate this in here in this video...ua-cam.com/video/xnGHdnk8lJU/v-deo.html
Yeah doing advanced macro for a Beginner is like doing Programming on day one for when you first got your first computer. When using a Diopter is like you just using the Applications that are already made for you.
IMPORTANT....."the cone of light...." M42 to rms thread...approx 50.8mm in length. From rms to objective lens tip. Still waiting to find that out for 4x and 10x. That 160 number should be easily reached.....getting there probably by when the locust hit the midwest United States. Black background for bugs. Pin easily removed in Paint. Black is black. Fill individual pixels with just a click then brush out with black. Save retouched photo under new file name in My Pictures. Or whoever pictures they are.
*Will there be the benefits of a deeper depth of field in the case of reversing a 28mm compared to a 50mm lens?* BTW it is useful to attach an extension tube as a blend for a reversed lens.
You will get significantly higher magnification at shorter focal lengths. In fact, 28mm is about as short as I suggest going. Yes, you will need to add extension to get the maximal magnification, but it is not strictly necessary. At very low focal length, there is much more distortion to deal with, so how far your take it is really a matter of taste.
Thanks a lot sir! it solved all my confusions, Just one unrelated question, I have a Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8D lens too, but Nikon says to lock the aperture at 1.8, then only my Cameras D5100, D3300 & D3500 will respond and aperture in that case will be controlled by camera firmware. If it is entirely true, why there is a manual dial on lens barrel to change aperture, I generally defeat this by inserting a thin piece of plastic between the spring loaded lever on camera body mount and the base plate of the lens. I think I am doing wrong thing against the designer's instruction; but I do not know the correct way. Please help!
Yes - this is a good question. Nikon wants you to lock the aperture at f/1.8 so that the autofocus and aperture control can be taken over by the camera. This only applies when the lens is mounted to the camera (or to extension tubes with electrical connections). In every other situation (reversed, on the bellows etc.) you must Unlock the aperture ring and set the aperture manually. I don't know about your cameras but on my D850 I can also turn off control of the lens, though there is no point than it is mounted on the camera. I hope that answers the question, just be sure to unlock the aperture ring when you are using the 50mm as a macro lens.
Hey Allen, I had a question...it’s actually regarding a previous video, but I’m here now so anyway. Is there a difference between using a 70-200mm lens as a tube lens for an infinity microscope objective compared to bellows with Raynox? As I understand it, if using a zoom lens, the magnification will change without sacrificing sharpness (although you may get some vignetting below 200mm. From what you say, using Raynox you have to use a specific focal length (208mm?). Based on the focal length of the Raynox? If it’s not at 208mm, you will lose sharpness esolution. Why wouldn’t the bellows act like the zoom lens and only the magnification changes without using sharpness? I thought focal length only mattered for finite objectives. (Help me...help me)
Thanks Michael - yes, that is another way to do it, but it doesn't save any working distance. The BR-3 and the plastic cover I use are about the same height as a lens cap.
The only revesed lens I use for macro is a 50mm EL Nikkor enlarger lens with a bunch of adapters for mounting on the PB-6 bellows. This is a cheap high quality option. Here is a link for those interested showing all the adapters needed to make it work on a camera or bellows: 1.img-dpreview.com/files/p/TS1120x1120~forums/60826660/932de2ff6af54987a5fe3f41ae747b07 This website has more information: extreme-macro.co.uk/reversed-enlarger-lenses/
Hello Allan, hope all is well with you and yours during these trying times. I had a question and figured you may have an answer. I have been doing backyard macro photography for a couple months now and recently purchased one of those foldable diffusers to go along with my camera mounted speedlite with the hopes of getting images with softer light. But after using it for a little while I still feel like my pictures have really harsh light. I've tried positioning the diffuser in different ways as well as changing camera settings but nothing helps. I've seen other photographers use the same diffuser and get superb results and I'm wondering what I could possibly be doing wrong. Thanks again and stay safe!
Hi Walker, I am a big fan of those mini soft boxes and use them quite a bit in the field, but they can cause problems. I use the absolute lowest power output from the flash that will result in acceptable exposure. You can also try adding the small secondary diffuser that is just inside the contraption - it attaches by a little strip of velcro. That can soften the light a little. What you may end up having to do is mounting your speedlight on an extended, articulating cold shoe so that you can avoid lighting your subjects dead on from the front. Even better, try mounting the flash on an outrigger, to get the light coming at an angle. That will definitely give you better control. I have a video on how to build your own diffuser system that uses internally reflected and diffused light - I have been very happy with the relative softness of that light. Search for DIY macro diffusion on YT and it should pop up. If you try this stuff and it is still a problem, email me at contact@allanwallsphotography.com and we can discuss it further.
Allan Walls Photography thanks for the Info! I’ll look into the mini softbox and see if I can find one for a reasonable price on amazon. I’ve also been playing around with a homemade diffuser, but I haven’t quite developed a contraption that performs as I would like it to. Thanks again and happy shooting!
Absolutely! I think most of us do add extension to our reversed lenses. Be careful, though. The effective aperture will smaller and smaller as you add magnification. Light loss also becomes more of an issue. But it is a great way to get into really high magnification.
Hi Allan, speaking of getting all the image in focus. Have you tried any of Nikons PC-E tilt shift lenses? I don´t mean in macro photography but in product photography to get the whole product in sharp focus. If so what method do you prefer in that case, focus stacking or the tilt shift option? If you have one of Nikons tilt shift lenses I would really appreciate if you could make a video comparing those two techniques, I don´t think that I´ve seen that anywhere on UA-cam... By the way I live in Sweden and tried to bye the captive spring hook that you recommend but I wasn´t able to find that that tool in Sweden and on E-bay they where very expensive. At last I ordered two of those from Precision Roller, Phoenix US at the price of $6.95 each. I ordered those on a Sunday and only four days after I have the shipment, really fast FedEx. So thanks for the tip Allan!
Hi Mårten - I love using tilt-shift lenses and have used then extensively in the studio and in the field. It is also a great tool for product photography, as you point out. Unfortunately, it was one of pieces of equipment that I had to give up but I will look into renting one for a few days to make the video you suggest - I think it would be a very interesting comparison. I'm glad you found the spring hook - I didn't realize how hard they were to source in Europe!
I don't understand how magnification ratio works; why did you divide the sensor width by the visible markings and how does that relate to the ratio (which side of the ratio relates to which measurements)? I don't understand what the "0.7:1" and "1:1.43" ratios mean in the second photograph you took and what either side of the ratio refers to. Since I can't use a 100mm tube lens with a Mitutoyo 5x objective, I'm trying to understand what enlarger lens I should use, or what focal length reversed lens I would need to get 2x magnification (you mentioned about 35mm, but I don't know why this would be). I just want to use a lens directly on the camera without needing bellows to get 2x magnification, but I don't know what I'm doing or what to think, or if I should even be looking at an enlarger lens. It feels like my mind is slipping, and everything is falling apart in my mind, so I am confused about things I think I remember I once understood; I just don't know what to do. I don't know how to make sense of magnification ratio, and I don't know how I'm supposed to find a lens that fits my needs or how a reversed lens works (even after watching your presentation). I don't know what to do, I'm so confused. Please, is there any way you can help me understand?
The beauty of an enlarger lens is that you can adjust the magnification by shortening or lengthening the distance between the lens and the sensor. Get an enlarger between 35mm and 50mm focal length. I highly recommend the El Nikkor 50mm f/2.8N - it is the perfect blend of price and quality. The magnification of your scan simply be measured. If you are using an APSC sensor which has a sensor width of about 24mm, focus on a mm rule and count the number of mm that fill the frame. If there are 24mm visible you have 1:1 magnification. If there are only 12mm visible, that is 2:1 or double. or 2X magnification. If you can see 48mm that is half life size or 1:2. or.... 0.5X! So just count the mm and divide by the sensor size (horizontal mm) - the number you get is the magnification ratio. So when I talk about 0.7:1 that is the same as saying 1:1.43 because 1 divide by 1.43 = 0.7.That is what a ratio is - a ratio doesn't use units - 0.7: 1 is identical to the ratio 7,000:10,000. The magnification (the number before the "X") is the number you have multiply the number of mm you can see in the picture by, in order to get the number you know fit on the sensor at 1:1. So if you can only see 6mm across the picture, when you know there would be 24 at 1:1 you have to multiply the 6 by 4 to get 24, right?. So that is 4X.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thank you, I think I can understand that; I'll be sure to look into getting a 50mm enlarger lens. I was thinking of getting a Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 50mm F/2.8 lens, but I'm not sure how its quality would compare to the El Nikkor 50mm F/2.8n lens. It seems the El Nikkor is more widely available and at a better price right now, and I am used to the quality of Japanese lenses; I think I'll try to get one of those if I can find the right adapters.
@@barrelcactusaddict4583 I did have the Schneider lens at one time and I really liked it, but I think the correction of the El Nikkor is slightly better, either way, you can't go wrong with either of these enlarger lenses!
when you pin your subjects would it be better if the pin came in from behind the subject rather than straight down, probably be able to hide the pin completely, just a though
Absolutely. How you pin should be determined by how you want your subject presented to the lens. I always try to minimize the amount of pin I have to magic away in Photoshop!
Yes indeed they are. They are also called closeup filters. Simple lenses that decrease the focal length of the lens they are used with - I am getting ready to release a video all about these interesting devices - should be out tomorrow.
Nice video again!! But I have a noob question: how do you get such a very very dark background, despite the use of the 2 flashlights? I have a large black card on the background in my selfmade "studio" (you showed to make on the UA-cam video's), but with the flashlights they get a little bid "grey-ie" on the photo's.
You can move the black card further back so less light spills onto it. You could also use two more black cards, one on either side of your subject, blocking the light from hitting the background card but allowing the camera to see through to the background card.
Didn’t he say that he used a toothpick? Also, for some lenses it is possible to fit them to the camera normally, open the aperture, then remove it from the camera and reverse mount it, with the lens keeping the original aperture that you set. I’m sure it doesn’t work with all lenses, but may be worth a try.
@@MrMasPick Hi Tom - sorry about that. I edited that part out of the video by mistake. On the back of the lens you will see a small grey tab, in a narrow groove. If you gently move it back and forth the aperture will open and close. I take a toothpick and, depending on the aperture size I am looking for, I will shave the pick to get the right width. Trial and error. Then all you have to do is gently slide the pick into the groove so that it gently pushes the aperture lever away from its normally closed position. Leave the toothpick pretty long, so that it can't fall into the lens barrel. Another way you can accomplish the same thing is to take a small piece of adhesive tape and simply tape over the tab when it is in position. Hope that helps!
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thank you so much, Allan. Very helpful video, as usual. I really appreciate your instruction, you wit, and the laughter you bring at unexpected moments. d:¬{D
"For those you you that don't want to listen to the long talkie parts..." ...Proceeds to make a 53-minute-long talkie video. Don't get me wrong, I love the videos. But Allaen is the king of using 38 words when 5 will suffice. For example, "If I take this little flashlight which has, I think, 8 or 9 or 5 or 7; has an odd number or an even number of LEDs in it, I don't really know this flashlight well, do I? Anyhow..." For God's sake, Kamala Harris makes more sense than this!
I have been shooting for 30 years and I actually learned something. Fantastic!
Absolutely hands down the best and most thorough explanation of what happens when we reverse our lenses. You are a fantastic photographer and a fantastic educator and from One Professional to another you are top notch top top notch. Thank you for all the work you put into these videos.
I love your work and generosity of sharing your expensive knowledge to people. The nature will back you up as you back up people
the explanation value here i was looking for weeks. thanks for helping me to solve the rings vs lens on lens solution :) :)
Congratulations 👏
As it happens I have just spent several days trying to get my head around the apparent illogicality of shorter lenses yielding higher magnifications. Listening to you the penny dropped - when you invert a lens the cone of acceptance might become the cone of projection - but the included angle remains the same so a short lens is obviously going to throw a bigger image at a given distance than a longer one.
It's one of those problems! Easy to grasp if you look at it from the right direction - impossible until you do. Thanks!
Thank you for a very indepth video on macro photography and macro lenses and what happens to the light when we revers the lens using a reversing ring, many thanks for a educational tutorial.
Great explanation!
Amazing video! Thank you
Thanks Allan for such a broad and clear exploration of this topic, taking this opportunity to say am enjoying all your videos.
Thanks Colum!
This is the first time I have seen this video and it has helped me understand quite a lot regarding magnification and light consumption. I have been looking for a reversal ring for my Mamiya M645 film camera so I could use the 80mm lens reversed. But due to the age of the camera, there are none out there except for buying a bellows rail system, which is far beyond my budget. I just finished a DIY project using a body lens cap of the M645, cutting the center out and, mating it to the adapter ring (RT-58) of an M645 lens shade. The lens has to be at least f/11-22 to get a decent depth of field. Now I am able to place any M645 lens in the reverse mode. But I took it a little further and mounted this lens setup on my Canon 5dmkii with another that allows this to get immediate feedback. I am really impressed with the images that I have gotten so far, even though this was just an experiment. Your video has been very helpful to me in exploring other aspects of macro photography. Thank you very much for the learning experience.
Hi, Allan.
Good video. I watched it before and already had a lot of experience with reversed lenses, but it never hurts to hear others explain things... there’s always some info that’s fallen through the cracks. Especially since I’m a retired RN, I always (better) pay attention to the doctor! Besides, it’s raining like crazy outside and my only alternative is cleaning the basement.
When you got to the point of receiving a delivery of insect vials, I said to myself that they looked like what I used. My hospital required us to use a standardized specimen cup. However, the prepackaged foley catheter insertion kits always had a little container that looked just like yours. Frugal man that I am, I didn’t throw any of these away so over the years I ratholed quite a supply. Waste not, want not.
Dan
Hahaha... that is exactly what these are. We used then in the trauma room to send off a quick sample when we slipped the foley in.
"Waste not, want not". That was a pun about stools...
An excellent explanation Allan, thank you.....!
Hi Allan, Once again you have made it all sound so simple! I guess a lot of people try reversing a lens for macro as a try-out before buying a purpose-built macro lens. It doesn't matter what subject you are covering, I always learn something useful. Thanks.
Thanks Barry - I'm glad they are helpful!
This is a MASTER CLASS
Thank you for taking the time to give such a thorough explanation. I had never thought of reverse mounting onto another lens.
It is a very handy technique and the results can be fantastic - give it a spin!
Thanks, Allan. I really appreciate your quirky sense of humour. And, I have a 50mm prime, as it happens, so no real excuse. ;o))
Cheers Ronald - I love my 50mm, it really is fantastic all-round piece of glass.
Thank you
One of my many favourite macro UA-camrs, Stewart Wood, distinguishes between optical magnification and practical magnification. It may be that the lens doesn’t actually magnify more on a smaller sensor, but the final result certainly looks more magnified.
And quite frankly, if the subject fills the frame on a small sensor, but very far from fills the frame on a large sensor, using the same lens, I don’t care if the magnification is theoretically the same, because in practice it obviously isn’t.
Lau Bjerno The image scale is the same regardless of sensor size. A smaller sensor just captures a smaller portion of the projected image. Crop the image recorded by a larger sensor and the cropped image would be the same as the image recorded by the smaller sensor. The confusion stems from confusing field of view with magnification.
Arbitrarily renaming a decreased field of view as a new kind of magnification is unhelpful and confusing.
Out of curiosity I looked up Stewart Wood’s tutorial video, and it is and excellent demonstration on how to determine magnification, by definition the ratio of the size of the object to the size of its image. He demonstrates the procedure using both a full frame sensor and an APS-C sensor. He should have stopped there, but then he introduces what he calls “effective magnification “ and sows the seeds for unnecessary confusion of field of view with magnification. A sibling is “equivalent focal length “ which has also caused endless confusion. These two have a third sibling born into the field of electron microscopy in the transition from analog to digital image recording.
@@AllanWallsPhotography I very much disagree!
@@michaelmckeag960 No, the image would not be the same if you crop the image from the larger sensor, because you lose a lot of resolution when you crop.
A Canon lens doesn’t actually default to any particular aperture. The camera will, however, always leave the lens wide open after each picture. But by using the depth of field preview button you can deliberately stop the lens down to any aperture. And if you take the lens off the camera while holding the dofp button (which can be a little fiddly, I’ll admit), the lens will stay at the selected aperture until you remount it on the camera in the normal way. If your Canon camera is too cheap to have a dofp button, you can customise the SET button on the back of the camera.
Thanks Lau - I need to do my homework better (or buy a Canon!)
Another excellent video. I love your long videos and all of the in-depth details. Thanks Allan!
Thanks Hill! I particularly like doing this kind of video.
the BR-3 also allows aperture control, as the lever stops the iris down ( actually keeps the spring from closing the iris down) so there is more light to focus, and you can stop down for metering, albeit at the smallest F Stop of most lenses( the G and automatic lenses have no ring, so they go to full closed down [f16 or f22] ). you ALSO MUST add the lens focal length to non-cpu lens data, and set this as prefered non-cpu lens! as the camera will not shoot without a lens ( no contact with computer chip in lens!) , OR with no data on max f stop,SAME as using a lens on ext. tubes.
This is very fun!!!!! Thank you !
Old video, good video of use to many people. Never say never. You can mount a ring flash on a short extension tube that fits the rear of the lens - not that you'd want to unless you like that look. When you reverse an older lens (I have a 50mm macro) that focuses by moving the entire lens forward, the old focus mount becomes an adjustable lens hood but makes no change in the focus distances. Of course you can buy a helical mount to place between lens and body that gives adjustment. A lens made in the 1960's to shoot 1:2 macro reverses nicely and can give reasonable 2:1 but my Laowa is sharper and easier. Does anyone make a reverse adapter for Nikon that has a cord transferring auto diaphragm settings so you can focus wide open and stop down? There is one made by Meike for Canon EF. Auto focus is useless for macro but auto diaphragm is nice to have.
Another wonderful video full of great information. Thanks Allan!
It was sometime in the 70's I attached a lens on backwards, It's now 2020 and I reckon I'll always have an extension tube for ever more as light has always been a problem.
I like how detailed you got into this video. I feel like I'm prepared to buy a reverse filter and try it out with some understanding
Thanks! You should. It will open up a whole new world of creative possibilities, with a minuscule investment. Let me know how it goes!
A lot of very important information for me. Thank you.
My pleasure, Ricardo!
Absolutely terrific.
There's one thing which confuses me - when you did the demo with the flashlight, you said that the result was that the image was magnified 10X. and after that, you said that the reversed lens gave a 1:1 magnification ratio. Please explain, thank you!
Thank you Allan for your great videos. I just received my reversing ring and a BR-3. Going to try my hand at macro with this setup before investing in a more expensive macro lens. Hoping to have more fun with my old D300 and 50mm f/1.8D lens.
Hi James - you might decide not to bother with a macro lens when you see how awesome a reversed 50 works! Keep us posted.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thank you Allan, I will.
I use a mat or dinner place cloth (dollar tree) to set my photo gear on top if I do drop items it will absorb and not bounce off the table onto the floor.
Good tips, Allan. Thank you!
Thank you, Alan!
The crop sensor comment isn't quite right. If you have a full-frame sensor and a crop sensor of the same resolution. Let's take a full frame and a 1.6 crop sensor, both at 18 megapixels; when using the same lens on each, the crop sensor will get that 18 megapixels in a smaller portion of the light cone.
There is a bit of nuance here, and it's easy to misunderstand. So, while the lens's optical magnification hasn't changed, the change in the field of view effectively magnifies the image. If you then crop the full-frame image to the same perspective, it will have fewer pixels.
Thanks as always Allan! Another very informative video. Reversing a prime was one of the first things I tried after getting a reversing ring... the results are always impressive.
Not honestly sure why any lens higher than 50mm won’t typically work, but it’s probably because they’ll never focus if physics make the focus point wind up inside the lens somewhere. It’s fun trying however, and you can end up with some beautifully colored, creamy blurred bokeh shots that - if printed - could serve as backdrop. :-)
Hi Len, it isn't that they won't work. Longer lenses can be reversed (up to a point), but the magnification drops very quickly at longer focal lengths. There are better ways to shoot at 1:2 and below - like a macro lens!
Recieved at my door two sets of extention tubes by FocusFoto. Adapted to fit Nikon F-mount. These will open up new doors for experimentation. Still waiting for cone shaped extention M42 to rms. Objectives....4x and 10x. The FocusFoto extention tubes are made from aluminum. ( There is only one "i" in aluminum. ) Everything is pretty much up to the postman.
One "i" in American English bus two "it's in British English.
There are “intelligent” reversing rings that have an extra ring which mounts on the rear of the lens with a spiral cable in between. These allow the camera to talk to the reverse mounted lens. I have a very inexpensive one. The extra ring, of course, works as a kind of lens hood, and mounted on my kit lens, the subject has to be inside the “hood” at 18mm. And although this system actually allows mounting a ring flash, this only makes the hood deeper, and no light will hit the subject, unless you accept it that you cannot use the reversed lens at its highest magnification.
By the way, when I realised that you get higher magnification with shorter focal lengths when you reverse mount a lens, I had to get a reversing ring for my 10-18mm. But I found that it doesn’t work at all except when the lens is zoomed in close to 18mm. At shorter focal lengths the subject would have to be inside the lens to be in focus.
Novoflex makes a device with this functionality - it is very expensive and unnecessary if you use manual aperture lenses.
@@AllanWallsPhotography I agree. In fact I would argue that it’s unnecessary even if you don’t use a manual aperture lens. The manual aperture is a convenience, of course, but you can still manage without it. Personally I think the disadvantages of the “intelligent” devices outweigh the advantages.
Thank you!
fabulous video
Thanks Franco!
Hi Allan, what a nice video about reversed lens macro photography you've uploaded. I uploaded a little series about 'starting with macro photography on a budget'. ! part is about the reversed lens to. Thank you sharing this very nice footage.
Nice video!
On body flash umbrella reflecting down so simple and you don’t need to carry any lights lol
Sir I have extension tube only. You talked about the problem of automatic closing down the aperture diaphragm when an auto lens is dismounted from camera. You also give a brisk hint about using a toothpick for that. I need that elaboration like so many face the same problem who use extension tubes
If you look on the bayonet mount of the lens you should see a very small metal tab. It moves forwards a backwards but is held in the open position by a small spring. As you move the tab, the aperture will close. I position the tab to where I want the aperture (look at the lens when on the camera at the aperture you want to use, say f/4, to see the size) to be and use a small piece of flat plastic, the thickness of the channel the tab runs in, and of exactly the length needed to hold the tab at f/4. And that's it. I recommend finding a piece of plastic with a raised edge so that the little tab cannot fall down into the lens. If you are still unsure, send me an email and I can send a photograph. Do any of this at your own risk! I don't think any warranty would survive a modification like this! Of course, the best method is to buy an old D-style lens with manual aperture control.
Thank you for another exceptional tutorial. (I have only recently discovered your presence on UA-cam.) Your ability to recall and explain the basics, notwithstanding your maven status in the "macro photography" world, leaves me with extreme respect. Question: @ ua-cam.com/video/RUMNohNWX_4/v-deo.html A "trick" appeared, towards your attaching a reversed lens arises, in lieu of a proper "diopter." Where did you get that male-to-male adapter? (aka "nipple") As I am an experience amateur PLUMBER (as well as lifelong 69 y.o. engineer), the need for a proper FITTING immediately popped into my mind. Attaching a reversed lens at the front of a primary lens requires a NIPPLE ; i.e., a threaded-male-to-threaded-male item. (Nipples are utterly common, in plumbing and electrical conduit work.) While I can readily find "reversing rings" (bayonet-MALE surrogate back of removable lens, to threaded-MALE fitting) I cannot find any threaded-male-to-threaded-male items on Amazon. Perhaps you can announce some keyword descriptor, that I might inject into my search. PS I used Sony a6000-series APS-C cameras.
8:00 Optics
Physics OP
13:45
24-50mm lens only works in reverse
50mm 1:1
35mm 2:1
28mm 3:1
above 50mm magnification drops
Great explanation Allan and clearly put as always. Just regarding the point you made at about 09:20, using this cone of light principle, then it would be best to have the lens on infinity focus when reversed yes? At least for max magnification - maybe different for best image quality.
Yes Rob, though be prepared to fiddle with the focus a little, every reversed lens acts a little differently.
Allan,
thanks for Your, easy to understand explanations about using reversed lenses, macro lenses, bellows, extension tubes etc. and the problems you may face doing macrophotography. There is still one question which is still open to me: In all the ways You use the lenses focussing is done by moving the camera / lens as a unit. But what is the best position of the focussing helicoid of the lens itself. Is the best position at infinity or do you put it at nearest focusing distance? I have heard, focusing wise, that a lens also has a "sweet" spot where it is "sharpest". Please give us Your thoughts about this because it is never mentioned in video's about macrophotography.
Thanks Dirk. This is a good question. I have addressed it in a couple of videos, but I can't remember which ones! To maximize the image circle size of your setup, you will want to have the working distance as short a possible, so by definition, you will focus as close as your lens allows (at the MFD). If you focus further downrange, you will need to move your subject further away from the lens to bring it in focus, sacrificing some of the image circle diameter. Most lenses have a sweet spot (usually around f/5.6-8) for the aperture setting, and shooting at the sweet spot will definitely improve sharpness (at the cost of depth of field). But in macro photography, especially with tiny subjects, DOF is less of an issue as we will almost always be focus stacking anyway. So the position of the helicoid should have no direct effect on the sharpness of each image. Having said that, each macro lens, or reversed prime in this case, can have its own quirks. I have an 85mm micro-Nikkor f/3.5 that does not perform very well at the MFD, and I focus slightly in front of that point to start my stacks. The difference is really minute. Unless you are having IQ issues at the MFD, I would suggest you start there.
when i reverse a lens what is the minimum distance to the object that i will be able to focus? I saw some guys using this technique but the lens needed to be 1 or 2 centimeters from the object. I wanted to try this with a vintage 28mm manual focus and some extension tubes, but that minimum distance is crucial for me to have the means to light the object. From your experience, what distance can you get from your lenses? Thanks for your channel. I am learning a lot!
No they don't rinse and wrap back up and resell them ! They wash and recycle and turn them into plates and bowls and utensils, so no problem !
have you tried to scan negative films on apsc using that method ?
i also own an old 50mm f1.4 minolta lens...
thanks
If one is attempting macro, one uses manual focus, but if the lens is reversed, other than moving the camera or subject into focus, how does one focus?
Thank you!
You indicated about mechanically opening the aperture of a Nikon auto lens, which closes down the aperture as camera shuts down, but could not found how to do it. Please explain. Thanks
I presume you mean when the lens is reversed on the bellows? There is a small silver screw receptacle at the top of the forward standard. A cable release can be attached when the lens is mounted to the inside of the front bellows standard. Depressing the cable release closes the aperture and you can lock it at the size you desire. I demonstrate this in here in this video...ua-cam.com/video/xnGHdnk8lJU/v-deo.html
Yeah doing advanced macro for a Beginner is like doing Programming on day one for when you first got your first computer. When using a Diopter is like you just using the Applications that are already made for you.
IMPORTANT....."the cone of light...." M42 to rms thread...approx 50.8mm in length. From rms to objective lens tip. Still waiting to find that out for 4x and 10x. That 160 number should be easily reached.....getting there probably by when the locust hit the midwest United States. Black background for bugs. Pin easily removed in Paint. Black is black. Fill individual pixels with just a click then brush out with black. Save retouched photo under new file name in My Pictures. Or whoever pictures they are.
*Will there be the benefits of a deeper depth of field in the case of reversing a 28mm compared to a 50mm lens?* BTW it is useful to attach an extension tube as a blend for a reversed lens.
You will get significantly higher magnification at shorter focal lengths. In fact, 28mm is about as short as I suggest going. Yes, you will need to add extension to get the maximal magnification, but it is not strictly necessary. At very low focal length, there is much more distortion to deal with, so how far your take it is really a matter of taste.
Thanks a lot sir! it solved all my confusions, Just one unrelated question, I have a Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8D lens too, but Nikon says to lock the aperture at 1.8, then only my Cameras D5100, D3300 & D3500 will respond and aperture in that case will be controlled by camera firmware. If it is entirely true, why there is a manual dial on lens barrel to change aperture, I generally defeat this by inserting a thin piece of plastic between the spring loaded lever on camera body mount and the base plate of the lens. I think I am doing wrong thing against the designer's instruction; but I do not know the correct way. Please help!
Yes - this is a good question. Nikon wants you to lock the aperture at f/1.8 so that the autofocus and aperture control can be taken over by the camera. This only applies when the lens is mounted to the camera (or to extension tubes with electrical connections). In every other situation (reversed, on the bellows etc.) you must Unlock the aperture ring and set the aperture manually. I don't know about your cameras but on my D850 I can also turn off control of the lens, though there is no point than it is mounted on the camera. I hope that answers the question, just be sure to unlock the aperture ring when you are using the 50mm as a macro lens.
Hey Allen, I had a question...it’s actually regarding a previous video, but I’m here now so anyway. Is there a difference between using a 70-200mm lens as a tube lens for an infinity microscope objective compared to bellows with Raynox? As I understand it, if using a zoom lens, the magnification will change without sacrificing sharpness (although you may get some vignetting below 200mm. From what you say, using Raynox you have to use a specific focal length (208mm?). Based on the focal length of the Raynox? If it’s not at 208mm, you will lose sharpness
esolution. Why wouldn’t the bellows act like the zoom lens and only the magnification changes without using sharpness? I thought focal length only mattered for finite objectives. (Help me...help me)
Why not cut a hole in a rear lens cap and attach the cap directly to the lens, saving some working distance clearance?
Thanks Michael - yes, that is another way to do it, but it doesn't save any working distance. The BR-3 and the plastic cover I use are about the same height as a lens cap.
Hey Al.... well explain, how can I get in touch with you need just a lil help,
The only revesed lens I use for macro is a 50mm EL Nikkor enlarger lens with a bunch of adapters for mounting on the PB-6 bellows. This is a cheap high quality option.
Here is a link for those interested showing all the adapters needed to make it work on a camera or bellows: 1.img-dpreview.com/files/p/TS1120x1120~forums/60826660/932de2ff6af54987a5fe3f41ae747b07
This website has more information: extreme-macro.co.uk/reversed-enlarger-lenses/
Hello Allan, hope all is well with you and yours during these trying times. I had a question and figured you may have an answer. I have been doing backyard macro photography for a couple months now and recently purchased one of those foldable diffusers to go along with my camera mounted speedlite with the hopes of getting images with softer light. But after using it for a little while I still feel like my pictures have really harsh light. I've tried positioning the diffuser in different ways as well as changing camera settings but nothing helps. I've seen other photographers use the same diffuser and get superb results and I'm wondering what I could possibly be doing wrong. Thanks again and stay safe!
Hi Walker, I am a big fan of those mini soft boxes and use them quite a bit in the field, but they can cause problems. I use the absolute lowest power output from the flash that will result in acceptable exposure. You can also try adding the small secondary diffuser that is just inside the contraption - it attaches by a little strip of velcro. That can soften the light a little. What you may end up having to do is mounting your speedlight on an extended, articulating cold shoe so that you can avoid lighting your subjects dead on from the front. Even better, try mounting the flash on an outrigger, to get the light coming at an angle. That will definitely give you better control. I have a video on how to build your own diffuser system that uses internally reflected and diffused light - I have been very happy with the relative softness of that light. Search for DIY macro diffusion on YT and it should pop up. If you try this stuff and it is still a problem, email me at contact@allanwallsphotography.com and we can discuss it further.
Allan Walls Photography thanks for the Info! I’ll look into the mini softbox and see if I can find one for a reasonable price on amazon. I’ve also been playing around with a homemade diffuser, but I haven’t quite developed a contraption that performs as I would like it to. Thanks again and happy shooting!
Can you use extension tubes while also using a reversed lens?
Absolutely! I think most of us do add extension to our reversed lenses. Be careful, though. The effective aperture will smaller and smaller as you add magnification. Light loss also becomes more of an issue. But it is a great way to get into really high magnification.
Yes you can do that. I´m using a 12mm extension too on my reversed 20mm Lens and get nearly 6:1 magnification..its not always funny but it works.
He does at 21:00
When using an enlarger lens on a bellows, what is the difference between using it mounted in the normal way and using it reversed.
The reversed lens has better resolution. Really. See: extreme-macro.co.uk/reversed-enlarger-lenses/
Hi Allan, speaking of getting all the image in focus. Have you tried any of Nikons PC-E tilt shift lenses? I don´t mean in macro photography but in product photography to get the whole product in sharp focus. If so what method do you prefer in that case, focus stacking or the tilt shift option?
If you have one of Nikons tilt shift lenses I would really appreciate if you could make a video comparing those two techniques, I don´t think that I´ve seen that anywhere on UA-cam...
By the way I live in Sweden and tried to bye the captive spring hook that you recommend but I wasn´t able to find that that tool in Sweden and on E-bay they where very expensive. At last I ordered two of those from Precision Roller, Phoenix US at the price of $6.95 each. I ordered those on a Sunday and only four days after I have the shipment, really fast FedEx. So thanks for the tip Allan!
Hi Mårten - I love using tilt-shift lenses and have used then extensively in the studio and in the field. It is also a great tool for product photography, as you point out. Unfortunately, it was one of pieces of equipment that I had to give up but I will look into renting one for a few days to make the video you suggest - I think it would be a very interesting comparison. I'm glad you found the spring hook - I didn't realize how hard they were to source in Europe!
I don't understand how magnification ratio works; why did you divide the sensor width by the visible markings and how does that relate to the ratio (which side of the ratio relates to which measurements)? I don't understand what the "0.7:1" and "1:1.43" ratios mean in the second photograph you took and what either side of the ratio refers to.
Since I can't use a 100mm tube lens with a Mitutoyo 5x objective, I'm trying to understand what enlarger lens I should use, or what focal length reversed lens I would need to get 2x magnification (you mentioned about 35mm, but I don't know why this would be). I just want to use a lens directly on the camera without needing bellows to get 2x magnification, but I don't know what I'm doing or what to think, or if I should even be looking at an enlarger lens. It feels like my mind is slipping, and everything is falling apart in my mind, so I am confused about things I think I remember I once understood; I just don't know what to do.
I don't know how to make sense of magnification ratio, and I don't know how I'm supposed to find a lens that fits my needs or how a reversed lens works (even after watching your presentation). I don't know what to do, I'm so confused. Please, is there any way you can help me understand?
The beauty of an enlarger lens is that you can adjust the magnification by shortening or lengthening the distance between the lens and the sensor. Get an enlarger between 35mm and 50mm focal length. I highly recommend the El Nikkor 50mm f/2.8N - it is the perfect blend of price and quality. The magnification of your scan simply be measured. If you are using an APSC sensor which has a sensor width of about 24mm, focus on a mm rule and count the number of mm that fill the frame. If there are 24mm visible you have 1:1 magnification. If there are only 12mm visible, that is 2:1 or double. or 2X magnification. If you can see 48mm that is half life size or 1:2. or.... 0.5X! So just count the mm and divide by the sensor size (horizontal mm) - the number you get is the magnification ratio. So when I talk about 0.7:1 that is the same as saying 1:1.43 because 1 divide by 1.43 = 0.7.That is what a ratio is - a ratio doesn't use units - 0.7: 1 is identical to the ratio 7,000:10,000. The magnification (the number before the "X") is the number you have multiply the number of mm you can see in the picture by, in order to get the number you know fit on the sensor at 1:1. So if you can only see 6mm across the picture, when you know there would be 24 at 1:1 you have to multiply the 6 by 4 to get 24, right?. So that is 4X.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thank you, I think I can understand that; I'll be sure to look into getting a 50mm enlarger lens. I was thinking of getting a Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 50mm F/2.8 lens, but I'm not sure how its quality would compare to the El Nikkor 50mm F/2.8n lens. It seems the El Nikkor is more widely available and at a better price right now, and I am used to the quality of Japanese lenses; I think I'll try to get one of those if I can find the right adapters.
@@barrelcactusaddict4583 I did have the Schneider lens at one time and I really liked it, but I think the correction of the El Nikkor is slightly better, either way, you can't go wrong with either of these enlarger lenses!
when you pin your subjects would it be better if the pin came in from behind the subject rather than straight down, probably be able to hide the pin completely, just a though
Absolutely. How you pin should be determined by how you want your subject presented to the lens. I always try to minimize the amount of pin I have to magic away in Photoshop!
Dr, are the 'diopters' another name for 'macro filters'?
Yes indeed they are. They are also called closeup filters. Simple lenses that decrease the focal length of the lens they are used with - I am getting ready to release a video all about these interesting devices - should be out tomorrow.
So you are saying a 24mm has higher magnification than a 50mm in reversed????
Yes. At the same extension, the magnification increases as the focal length of the reversed lens decreases.
Nice video again!! But I have a noob question: how do you get such a very very dark background, despite the use of the 2 flashlights? I have a large black card on the background in my selfmade "studio" (you showed to make on the UA-cam video's), but with the flashlights they get a little bid "grey-ie" on the photo's.
You can move the black card further back so less light spills onto it. You could also use two more black cards, one on either side of your subject, blocking the light from hitting the background card but allowing the camera to see through to the background card.
@@3DWHIZZ Exactly - the light falls off very quickly - the inverse square law is helping, for a change!
@@3DWHIZZ i will give the 2 more black cards a try. Need to find a setup for this. Thx!!
Just watch this, noob... :) ua-cam.com/video/7QSnObpFAzY/v-deo.html
You indicated you would show how to lock the aperture of the kit lens, but didn't get around to it. Can you share that?
Didn’t he say that he used a toothpick? Also, for some lenses it is possible to fit them to the camera normally, open the aperture, then remove it from the camera and reverse mount it, with the lens keeping the original aperture that you set. I’m sure it doesn’t work with all lenses, but may be worth a try.
@@jimgsewell I have the very same kit lens shown in the video - Nikon. Doesn't work like Canon. Toothpick doesn't explain enough.
Watch Mike Browne's video on the subject, if you’re a Nikon man: ua-cam.com/video/uVYtgJi2rLc/v-deo.html
(Read my post here if you’re a Canon person).
@@MrMasPick Hi Tom - sorry about that. I edited that part out of the video by mistake. On the back of the lens you will see a small grey tab, in a narrow groove. If you gently move it back and forth the aperture will open and close. I take a toothpick and, depending on the aperture size I am looking for, I will shave the pick to get the right width. Trial and error. Then all you have to do is gently slide the pick into the groove so that it gently pushes the aperture lever away from its normally closed position. Leave the toothpick pretty long, so that it can't fall into the lens barrel. Another way you can accomplish the same thing is to take a small piece of adhesive tape and simply tape over the tab when it is in position. Hope that helps!
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thank you so much, Allan. Very helpful video, as usual. I really appreciate your instruction, you wit, and the laughter you bring at unexpected moments. d:¬{D
see ya, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i laughed my heart out
WeebleWobbles... nightmare fuel?
"For those you you that don't want to listen to the long talkie parts..."
...Proceeds to make a 53-minute-long talkie video.
Don't get me wrong, I love the videos. But Allaen is the king of using 38 words when 5 will suffice.
For example, "If I take this little flashlight which has, I think, 8 or 9 or 5 or 7; has an odd number or an even number of LEDs in it, I don't really know this flashlight well, do I? Anyhow..." For God's sake, Kamala Harris makes more sense than this!
???
Way too slow - we know why we are watching, so get on with it!!!
Patience, glasshopper. 🥷