Macro with bellows

[zerobuttons]

A few members here have asked if there were other members shooting film. I´m one of those who do, which I have previously confirmed

 

Some time ago, I acquired a Leitz Visoflex III and Leitz Bellows II to use with my Leica MP, to enable micro and macro photography. Since I had no luck in finding a lens and bellows adapter for this purpose for a long time, I hit the "Buy it now" button when I saw a bellows adapter that worked with my M bayonet lenses at eBay. They give a very limited focus range since they are not built for this purpose, but at least I was able to get a feeling for how this equipment works. Here are example shots, with no attempts to set up lightning or to remove dust from the surfaces. Also some shots of the photo equipment:

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4567579545_b39b1f5b4a_b.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4567578317_74da806962_b.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4568212718_41095efaec_b.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4568225948_dc1bda1343_b.jpg

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/4567590665_d28ca1c59f_b.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4568225204_e2334a60bd_b.jpg

 

I keep looking for a "real" bellows lens, for instance the 65/3.5 that is widely renowned for its macro capabilities with the Leitz bellows.

[hari317]

Very nice results, thanks for sharing with us!

[zerobuttons]

Very nice results, thanks for sharing with us!

I feel almost overly joyful about being able to combine two interests...

[ethernautrix]

Impressive set-up! Love those macro shots!

[Aperture]

Very nice setup.

I use a Nikon D3 with a Zeiss 100mm macro prime lens on it.

To get even closer than what the 100mm lens allows by it self I sometimes I use a 50mm Zeiss prime lens in reverse directly in front of the 100mm.

This is accomplished with a reverse ring.

 

Here are a couple of samples using the D3 with a 100mm Zeiss and a 50mm Zeiss in front of it in reverse.

 

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4569018093_0513b5aa28_o.jpg

 

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4569655688_8eae32bbf7_o.jpg

[zerobuttons]

.....

To get even closer than what the 100mm lens allows by it self I sometimes I use a 50mm Zeiss prime lens in reverse directly in front of the 100mm.

.....

Nice pictures.

If you want to spend the money on it, you could probably find bellows for your Nikon, that would make it possible for you to avoid the reverse lens. My guess is that this would give you an even higher quality with the 100mm macro lens, and you could even try the 50mm - but with that you would run into the same problem I have now with very finicky focusing and small overall focusing range.

[dannzeman]

That's some very cool equipment you have there, and awesome pics too! I really like the close-up of the work GERMANY on the cap.

[Pepin]

Oh mai! That's a big camera. I use a much simpler canon point and shoot with equally mesmerizing results.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Pepin

[ethernautrix]

Oh mai! That's a big camera. I use a much simpler canon point and shoot with equally mesmerizing results.

 

I'll admit that if I had to have that kind of equipment to take cool shots of pens (or anything else), I wouldn't do it. Too high maintenance for me. However, viva la difference!

[eric47]

Wow, great photos and set up.

 

What ballhead are you using? Is that Arco Swiss B1?

 

I wanted one of those for years but they were always out of my budget. When Arco-Swiss came out with the (thankfully) more affordable Z1, I bought one. The elliptical ball really does make a difference in my experience.

[Aperture]

Oh mai! That's a big camera. I use a much simpler canon point and shoot with equally mesmerizing results.

 

 

That's simply not possible.

You can only get close if you never view your images at 100% their size, stay in 10-20%, and never print anything past 4x6.

But, since you mentioned Canon, do you actually think that Canon - a company that makes both P&S and SLR's - would bother making SLR's if you got "equally mesmerizing results" with point and shoot's?

Not to mention ISO performance, changing lenses, flashes and wireless flashes, frames per second etc. etc.

 

A

[Aperture]

.....

To get even closer than what the 100mm lens allows by it self I sometimes I use a 50mm Zeiss prime lens in reverse directly in front of the 100mm.

.....

Nice pictures.

If you want to spend the money on it, you could probably find bellows for your Nikon, that would make it possible for you to avoid the reverse lens. My guess is that this would give you an even higher quality with the 100mm macro lens, and you could even try the 50mm - but with that you would run into the same problem I have now with very finicky focusing and small overall focusing range.

 

 

Bellows are very nice to have. Yes I can get closer using a bellow and I also don't get as much vignetting when using it vs the reverse ring.

 

As to your focusing problem, having a macro focus rail - NOT the cheap ones - is a huge help.

My focus rail goes both back and forward and sideways too.

It's great for focus stacking too, not just finding the actual focus.

This way your lens can be pre-focused at shortest distance and then all you need to do is turn the buttons on the focus rail.

Check out some of the Novoflex.

 

A

[eric47]

As to your focusing problem, having a macro focus rail - NOT the cheap ones - is a huge help.

 

Check out some of the Novoflex.

 

How come the good stuff is never cheap. I've thought about getting one of those, but I wasn't doing too much macro at the time. That one's on the list of photo gear to buy. I'd probably go with one from Kirk -- I use Arco-Swiss type plates/clamps.

[Aperture]

The problem with the Kirk, and I like their stuff a lot, is that it doesn't go sideways.

Only back and forth.

 

Unless they have something new on the market I don't know about.

 

A

[contaxrts2]

Hi,

good equipment and great pictures.

 

Bellows on 24x26 mm is a class of its own in taking macros.

[eric47]

The problem with the Kirk, and I like their stuff a lot, is that it doesn't go sideways.

Only back and forth.

 

Unless they have something new on the market I don't know about.

 

A

 

You are correct. I was only looking for one direction, but I can see how two directions would be useful.

 

Which Noveflex slider are you using? At BH Photo, I see one with an Arco Swiss clamp (good for me): CROSS-Q Castel-Cross-Q. For the price of the Novaflex, I think I could (eventually) get two of the Kirk FR-1s and stack em for the same effect -- but no doubt more bulky. A little bit cheaper all told, with the added flexibility of buying in two installments.

Edited May 2, 2010 by eric47

[contaxrts2]

.....

To get even closer than what the 100mm lens allows by it self I sometimes I use a 50mm Zeiss prime lens in reverse directly in front of the 100mm.

.....

Nice pictures.

If you want to spend the money on it, you could probably find bellows for your Nikon, that would make it possible for you to avoid the reverse lens. My guess is that this would give you an even higher quality with the 100mm macro lens, and you could even try the 50mm - but with that you would run into the same problem I have now with very finicky focusing and small overall focusing range.

 

 

Bellows are very nice to have. Yes I can get closer using a bellow and I also don't get as much vignetting when using it vs the reverse ring.

 

As to your focusing problem, having a macro focus rail - NOT the cheap ones - is a huge help.

My focus rail goes both back and forward and sideways too.

It's great for focus stacking too, not just finding the actual focus.

This way your lens can be pre-focused at shortest distance and then all you need to do is turn the buttons on the focus rail.

Check out some of the Novoflex.

 

A

 

Hi,

 

excuse me, but if you are already in novoflex-system just check out their bellows systems - incredible possibilities. Just no comparison in picture quality to a prime lense and a reverse ring. Even medium quality repro lenses on bellows system are fantastic, your zeiss macro will give you terrific resolution...

[Aperture]

Thanks, I will most certainly have a look.

Appreciate your advice.

 

A

[eric47]

The problem with the Kirk, and I like their stuff a lot, is that it doesn't go sideways.

Only back and forth.

 

Unless they have something new on the market I don't know about.

 

A

You are correct. I was only looking for one direction, but I can see how two directions would be useful.

 

Which Noveflex slider are you using? At BH Photo, I see one with an Arco Swiss clamp (good for me): CROSS-Q Castel-Cross-Q. For the price of the Novaflex, I think I could (eventually) get two of the Kirk FR-1s and stack em for the same effect -- but no doubt more bulky. A little bit cheaper all told, with the added flexibility of buying in two installments.

 

Aperature,

 

So I looked a bit more, and I can get the Novoflex CROSS-Q Castel-Cross-Q (two direction) at price much closer to a single mono-directional Kirk FR-1, not that much more. (BHPhoto wasn't a good guide for me.)

 

But I think were I to get Novoflex Q rail with Arca-Swiss clamps, I would *have* to get the two direction version right away. You can't rotate just the clamp on the single rail Novaflex Castel-Q, unlike the Kirk. Since the clamp is perpendicular to the rail, you can only mount the camera with the A-S plate for back-and-forth. If you mount a lens with a tripod ring on the rail, then you get left-and-right since the lens ring plate is actually parallel to the rail, not perpendicular. On the Kirk, you can just rotate the clamp whether mounting the camera or the lens with tripod ring and get back-and-forth with both.

 

With the two directional Castel-Cross-Q, I could just rotate the rails-unit 90° as needed for camera or tripod ring. I have 2-pan A-S Z1 so it would be easy to rotate. And I can just drop the Castel-Cross-Q directly into the Arca-Swiss clamp on the Z1 -- at least Novoflex told me as much.

 

Thanks for tip.

Edited May 4, 2010 by eric47

[Aperture]

The Novoflex Cross Q is the one I use.

 

Here is a direct link:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/379022-REG/Novoflex_CROSS_Q_CROSS_Q_Castel_Cross_Q_Focusing_Rack.html

 

I really don't think you're going to be disappointed with the Cross-Q.

It has good threads and is absolutely smooth.

Even with my D3 with lenses and flashes and remote control unit for both the flashes and shutter remote attached to the camera.

Basically it handles all that weight very nicely and maintains utter smoothness when focusing back and forth.

 

Try it and if you don't like it return it.

BH has a good return policy.

 

A