Interesting macro function on lens?

ripit · 09-26-2011, 01:38 PM

So I got a soligor 35-70mm 2.5-3.5 off ebay that arrived today. I am a newbie to manual focus lenses so maybe this is common and I have just never seen it but it seemed pretty cool to me and a simple way to do it. Instead of 3 rings like a two touch zoom, it has 4 rings, the aperture ring, a macro ring, the zoom ring and the focus ring. When you turn the macro ring it literally pushes the entire lens forward about a half inch, like a built in adjustable macro tube. From the looks of it it is designed to be used in any position so its like a variable distance macro tube from 0mm to maybe 25mm.

Is it just me or is that a kind of cool, effective and probably inexpensive way to add macro to a lens?

Unfortunately I wont be testing the lens out soon (or maybe at all). It was suposed to be olympus mount (easy to convert) and its canon mount (hard to convert). It was also supposed to be a c/d lens and it is not labeled as such (not sure if it is actually different or not). The seller said it was a stock photo. Well see where it goes.

edit: brain fart on the math, maybe a 0mm-13mm built in adjustable macro tube.

Last edited by ripit; 09-26-2011 at 01:44 PM.

Adam · 09-26-2011, 01:53 PM

Lots of older lenses have the macro function at the end of the focusing range somewhere- I think it all ends up working out the same way but yeah, it's sort of cool. However, modern lenses have one common trend: they keep the number of rings at a minimum to maximize easy of use.

ripit · 09-26-2011, 02:25 PM

Originally posted by Adam

Lots of older lenses have the macro function at the end of the focusing range somewhere- I think it all ends up working out the same way but yeah, it's sort of cool. However, modern lenses have one common trend: they keep the number of rings at a minimum to maximize easy of use.

By the end of the range do you mean like some I have where you have to go to the full telephoto setting and then you get the further macro focus range or like my sigma 70-300mm where you flip a switch for macro but it only operates between 200-300mm? If so that is one of the things I liked about it. It is independent of the rest of the lenses operation so it can work at any setting. I guess maybe that is how many lenses do it internally come to think of it, but it is the first time I have seen it literally take all functional parts of the lens and push them forward as a separate unit. The aperture ring is behind it on the rear of the lens as usual, but all glass, aperture assembly, focusing and zoom helix etc are forward of it and seem to be moved as a single unit by the macro ring.

09-26-2011, 01:38 PM	#1
ripit Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NewYork Posts: 899	Interesting macro function on lens? So I got a soligor 35-70mm 2.5-3.5 off ebay that arrived today. I am a newbie to manual focus lenses so maybe this is common and I have just never seen it but it seemed pretty cool to me and a simple way to do it. Instead of 3 rings like a two touch zoom, it has 4 rings, the aperture ring, a macro ring, the zoom ring and the focus ring. When you turn the macro ring it literally pushes the entire lens forward about a half inch, like a built in adjustable macro tube. From the looks of it it is designed to be used in any position so its like a variable distance macro tube from 0mm to maybe 25mm. Is it just me or is that a kind of cool, effective and probably inexpensive way to add macro to a lens? Unfortunately I wont be testing the lens out soon (or maybe at all). It was suposed to be olympus mount (easy to convert) and its canon mount (hard to convert). It was also supposed to be a c/d lens and it is not labeled as such (not sure if it is actually different or not). The seller said it was a stock photo. Well see where it goes. edit: brain fart on the math, maybe a 0mm-13mm built in adjustable macro tube. Last edited by ripit; 09-26-2011 at 01:44 PM.

09-26-2011, 01:53 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,597	Lots of older lenses have the macro function at the end of the focusing range somewhere- I think it all ends up working out the same way but yeah, it's sort of cool. However, modern lenses have one common trend: they keep the number of rings at a minimum to maximize easy of use. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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09-26-2011, 02:25 PM	#3
ripit Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NewYork Posts: 899 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam Lots of older lenses have the macro function at the end of the focusing range somewhere- I think it all ends up working out the same way but yeah, it's sort of cool. However, modern lenses have one common trend: they keep the number of rings at a minimum to maximize easy of use. By the end of the range do you mean like some I have where you have to go to the full telephoto setting and then you get the further macro focus range or like my sigma 70-300mm where you flip a switch for macro but it only operates between 200-300mm? If so that is one of the things I liked about it. It is independent of the rest of the lenses operation so it can work at any setting. I guess maybe that is how many lenses do it internally come to think of it, but it is the first time I have seen it literally take all functional parts of the lens and push them forward as a separate unit. The aperture ring is behind it on the rear of the lens as usual, but all glass, aperture assembly, focusing and zoom helix etc are forward of it and seem to be moved as a single unit by the macro ring.