[Culture]

Really nice work that phosphene!

Now I have to get the DCR250!

Hey, anyone recommend the DCR250 with 55-300mm? Some say yes and some say no from the forum searches..... I am lost.....

I dont see why not. I would say that it should work better than my tammy even though my tammy has macro capabilities making it possible to even get closer to the subject.

I dont own a 55-300mm but I know that it has bettter optics than the tammy and this will also affect the quality when you attach the raynox.

[audiobomber]

Hey, anyone recommend the DCR250 with 55-300mm? Some say yes and some say no from the forum searches..... I am lost.....

It depends on what you want it for. If you're only interested in extreme macro, go for it. OTOH, if you want a range of magnifications, including normal 1:1 macro, the 250 is a very poor choice, because on a 55-300, anything in between 1:2 and 2:1 is going to vignette heavily. The Raynox 150 is much more versatile. It supports magnifications from 1:3 to beyond 1.5:1, with no vignetting. It also allows longer subject distance, which is extremely useful for insects, and is easier to handle because it has better DOF than the 250. I have to wonder if the people who recommend a 55-300 and Raynox 250 have ever tried a 150.

I dont see why not. I would say that it should work better than my tammy even though my tammy has macro capabilities making it possible to even get closer to the subject.

A Tamron 70-300mm is a better match for the 250, because the combo does not vignette. This allows you to have a wide range of magnifications just by setting the lens at infinity focus and zooming. I would still choose the 150, because of significantly longer subject distances, greater DOF and sufficient magnification ( I would guess up to about 2:1).

[lightbulb]

Thanks how about Sigma 70 2.8 macro? Raynox 150 or 250 without vignetting? Thanks again!

[downhill]

What a cool club! I've only played with the 150 for half a year but I really like this thing. After taking this shot, I finally decided I needed a rail to mount the camera too since moving in and out was dicey at best and I can see a 250 in my future. I'm sure I'm definitely going to need some kind of rail for that one depending on the lens of course.

This was shot with a 55-300 with the Raynox 150 and the temperature was just beginning to melt the snow and frost.

[audiobomber]

Thanks how about Sigma 70 2.8 macro? Raynox 150 or 250 without vignetting? Thanks again!

Any lens is less likely to vignette with a Raynox 150 than with a 250, but there's no way to tell unless you try the exact combo.

For example I assumed the DA 18-135 would be a good match with the Raynox 150, because the 150 mates so well with the DA 18-55 and 18-250. My assumption was wrong, vignetting was significant:
https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/DA18135Raynox?authkey=Gv1sRgCKC6sMfl4trLnQE#

[lightbulb]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the info.

I have bought both 250 and 150. I haven't used the 150 but I had no problem with the 250 after learning useful techniques from expert macro shooters from my country. I find the 250 with 1:1 macro lens not satisfying me enough with the magnification (3:1?). Might be going for Kenko extension as well.....

here's the link; https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/129563-macro-lens-club-103.html

[Phosphene]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the info.

I have bought both 250 and 150. I haven't used the 150 but I had no problem with the 250 after learning useful techniques from expert macro shooters from my country. I find the 250 with 1:1 macro lens not satisfying me enough with the magnification (3:1?). Might be going for Kenko extension as well.....

here's the link; https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/129563-macro-lens-club-103.html

Lightbulb, try stacking the 150 with the 250 to see what you come up with. I have heard of people doing that with some pretty good results though I have not seen it done on a macro lens that already shoots 1:1.

I thought about purchasing the 150 just to try that. You need an adapter to do it I think. Like a 49mm-43mm if I recall.

There are times the 250 gives me too much magnification for certain subjects where I'd think the 150 would cover nicely. Plus it is my understanding that if you stack the 150 and the 250 together, you fall in between the magnification range of would you would have with either the 250 by itself or the 202 by itself.

I am hesitant to grab the 202 because I think the 250 to be near the limits of what I can do hand-held but on certain occasions where I can brace my lens hood up against the object my subject is sitting on I'd think the 250/150 combo would work. Btw, on my 100mm WR macro lens, I use the ultra sturdy lens hood attachment that came with the pentax AF160 flash ring kit for my primary lens hood when doing that since it is made out of aluminum. I probably would have cracked the lens hood that came with my lens if I were to use it like that. But I digress...

So yeah, got the adapter to stack those two lenses?

[octopussy_france]

Hi,

2 full resolution of sigma 105 mm macro at 1:1 and sigma 105 mm macro at 1:1 with MSN 202.

sigma 105 mm macro 1:1 :

http://octopussy.fr.free.fr/pentaxforum/_IGP3360.jpg

sigma 105 mm macro at 1:1 with MSN 202 :

http://octopussy.fr.free.fr/pentaxforum/_IGP3359.jpg

The work distance for 105 macro + MSN 202 was a little more than 1 inch.
Work distance for 105 macro at 1:1 is about 10-12 inches.

JPEG post processed from DNG files, lightning : a MZ48 flash.

[Culture]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the info.

I have bought both 250 and 150. I haven't used the 150 but I had no problem with the 250 after learning useful techniques from expert macro shooters from my country. I find the 250 with 1:1 macro lens not satisfying me enough with the magnification (3:1?). Might be going for Kenko extension as well.....

here's the link; https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/129563-macro-lens-club-103.html

I was looking at your flickr page. Your DOF on the macro shoots look really good and make your subject stand out.

I was checking your aperture settings. You seem to shoot alot at f13. Why does that work well when f18 doesnt seem to.

Is it luck?

[lightbulb]

Hi phosphene, you are right I tried stacking the two and what a knock out! Can't speak for the thin dof though. Will be trying it this weekend. The stepping ring is 49 to 52. Dfa100wr with 250, What's the nearest focus distance may I know? For 70mm Sigma it is 4cm.

Hi culture, I've tried higher f stop. The cropping isn't too detailed like f13. F8 is the best but the dof is too thin and I have yet to learn stacking photos yet.

Will keep you guys posted.

[Fresdorf]

Hello to all you guys, i have just signed in to this forum because of this thread. I have been reading all your updates and watching all your photos for quite a while now. Since i am waiting for Raynox 150 for my Sigma 70-300 apo and i don't want this really good and helpful thread to be closed. I have been taking some macros without Raynox, and i hope you could post some more of your Raynox shots. Hopefully the thread will still be here when my 150 arrives.
And i hope i could achieve better photos with Raynox 150 on my Sigma than i already did.


Thank you all for helping people chose and use Raynoxes and more useful stuff.

[Tamia]

Hello to all you guys, i have just signed in to this forum because of this thread. I have been reading all your updates and watching all your photos for quite a while now. Since i am waiting for Raynox 150 for my Sigma 70-300 apo and i don't want this really good and helpful thread to be closed. I have been taking some macros without Raynox, and i hope you could post some more of your Raynox shots. Hopefully the thread will still be here when my 150 arrives.
And i hope i could achieve better photos with Raynox 150 on my Sigma than i already did.


Thank you all for helping people chose and use Raynoxes and more useful stuff.

Welcome to the club, Fresdorf. I don't think there's any danger this thread will fizzle out. Looking forward to the pictures you shoot with your new Raynox!

[Culture]

You are warmly welcome. Yes you dont have to worry about the thread going being closed.

I think I lightbulb has been an inspiration to all of us with his amazing shots with the Raynox.

I am eargerly looking forward to spring to start shooting.

[smf]

Thanks very much to everyone for posting photographs and information in this thread!

Here are one of the first and one of the last photographs in my recent tulip series.

Comments and suggestions are welcome — by personal message or e-mail if you prefer not to post in the thread.


Photographed with a Raynox DCR-150 macro lens supplementing an SMC Pentax Macro 1:4/100 on a handheld Pentax K-x. Processed in Nik Software's Viveza 2.0 plugged into Photoshop Elements.


Raynox 150 and Takumar-F 18-801:3..5-4.5 on tripod-mounted Pentax K-x. Processed in Nik Software's Viveza 2.0 plugged into Photoshop Elements.

[potsmoker]

Once again hello all,
Which of these would you recommend in combination with a SMC DFA 100mm f/2.8 Macro WR lens,
Raynox 150 or 250? The purpose would be floral and insect shot with greater magnification than
native 1:1. I also have two 2x TCs, which are stripped of glass which I could/would use in conjunction with Raynox.
Please bear in mind, that I am new to all this macro photography thing so very shallow DOF & working distance frightens
me off, but I just cannot resist of trying. Your super-macro shots of enlarged bodies of those little critters are simply gorgeous so I envy you & want to try also.