The Raynox Macro club

Culture · 07-16-2013, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by photolady

I shot this, this morning with a Pentax 50mm M lens and the Raynox DCR-250: F stop 22.

I do have other lenses I want to try this on but the 50 was on the camera and I thought, why not?!

I do see what you mean about DOF though. Hard to get very much, but I never shoot below f8 if possible.

Oh the DOF. How I hate the DOF. I have wondered how a true macro lens handles the DOF compared to raynox attachment.

I have also thought geting the raynox 250 but I think that there will be a balancing issue for me as the barrel of a bigger lens help in keeping steady while moving back and forth trying to achieve focus. On the other hand it gets tiring quick.

Between I like the texture of this shot.

Culture.

octopussy_france · 07-17-2013, 02:28 PM

Hello,

Photolady try to shoot at f/11 max f/16.
You get a better dof and don't forget : beyond f/11-f/16 the dof is better but you gain a few little more dof only.
f/11-f/16 are small apertures so need need to go up ISO top get a short time exposure.
Look at your photo, the big trouble of noise.
If you use neat image or others softs you will lose a big amount of sharpness in the process.
After f/11-f/16 you will get diffraction trouble too and a lose of sharpness again.
f/8 is really the minimum aperture too use, the dof is really thin.
Just use f/8 for short exposure time or big trouble of lightning.
The best is a handed (synchro cable or radio transmitter) flash gun with a diffuser (lumiquest ...) to use short time exposure.

Phosphene you can also try to use a TC at 1:1 macro lens shoot.
With a 2x you'll get a 2:1 magnification and with a raynox you can get more.
Of course you will lose some sharpness but with a 1.5x and dcr-150/250 with a photoshop process, the photos can be very nice.

The luminar are very expensive about 600-700 and some more than 1 000 USD.
Schneider kreuznach 5,6/135 is about 300 USD.
Meogon and Anaret are good quality enlarger photo lenses too and cheaper than Luminar.
Try using other lenses than Luminar, you get good quality and cheaper prices.
I just take a look at ebay and find very interesting lenses at very good price.

You can use nikkor microscope objectives, CFI C20 PLAN 10X is only 60 USD on ebay.
The working distance will be the trouble with these lenses.
Mikrotar by zeiss are about 300-400 USD.

If you are in trouble about working distance you can use a Micro Compound Table.
You will move the subject and not the photo gear.
Easy and more secured way to work for 100 USD.

EDIT :

here a link to a full size and a 1024 pw width preview of a ant grasping pollen on a umbelliferae.
1,5X TC + 105 mm macro + raynox DCR-150 or DCR-250 (i don't remember which raynox).
Ant size about 6 mm (about 0.236 inch).
Photo shooted handed, no tripod, no flash gun only the body flash of the K-5.

http://octopussy.fr.free.fr/pentaxforum/_IGP2649.JPG

here a example at 1024 px width (real size 1128 px width), a mayfly.
Size of the turban-shaped eye about 1 mm (about 10/254 inch -0.0394inch-)
Macro 1:1 and dcr-150 or dcr-250, i don't remember.

photolady95 · 07-26-2013, 08:08 AM

The Raynox DCR-250 is working out pretty well on my Pentax kit lens, 18-55mm. Here's a shot from this mornings shoot.

photolady95 · 07-27-2013, 08:55 AM - **1 Like**

Another, this time with my Pentax M50 f2 @f8 This little guy was only about 1.5 inches long.

Culture · 07-28-2013, 10:15 PM

Originally posted by photolady

Another, this time with my Pentax M50 f2 @f8 This little guy was only about 1.5 inches long.

Nice one photolady. You seem to have picked up quite quickly.

I also some of the annoying problem that I get sometimes. That is just when you think you nailed the focus, you miss it again by the time you press the shutter. Evidence of the sharp apex of the leaf.

Nice shot still.

photolady95 · 07-29-2013, 05:52 AM

Originally posted by Culture

I also some of the annoying problem that I get sometimes. That is just when you think you nailed the focus, you miss it again by the time you press the shutter. Evidence of the sharp apex of the leaf.

I noticed that too. But I'm still happy wtih the results since I was having a shaky hand day, I'm surprised it came out this good.

ToyTank · 08-24-2013, 07:49 AM - **1 Like**

I just started trying a Raynox 250, and I was very shocked there was NO CA to correct....NONE!

This was with 90 Tammy and Raynox 250. Cross posted from arachnids

marcophoto · 08-24-2013, 12:06 PM - **1 Like**

Hi, this is my first posting on this forum (or any forum). Orchid photograph taken with Lumix G2, kit 14-45 lens and dcr250 and is my first attempt at a stack.
Bee (naturally deceased) photograph taken with Lumix G2 , Prinzflex (?) 80-200mm (set to @130mm), dcr250 and home made flash diffuser.
Advice and comments welcome to a novice

octopussy_france · 08-25-2013, 01:08 PM

Hello,

marcophoto your first time is good.
Stack of the bee can be better if it get a greater DOF but it's harder to do.
The part of the bee that is in the DOf is sharp.
If you can post too, a link to the image real size (100%), i think we can appreciate your work more.

I don't like the light of the phalaenopsis photo.
The stack is good and can be better with a little bit great DOF.
That's a pity to see raynox lens black inside border.
It's the big trouble using raynox proxi-lens.

If you can use a macro lens with your raynox, even you not use at great magnification, the sharpness will be better.
You'd better use fixe focal lens instead of zoom.
You can try with an old macro lens or a takumar 35/50 mm for big things 'to take photo'.
An old 135 mm will be great too, M42 mount are very cheap and give to you great results used with raynox.

ToyTank it's a very good surprise when you use raynox DCR for the first time.
No CAs as you said.
My fujifilm S9600 got big trouble with CAs in 'macro mode' but with raynox, no more CAs.
Great sharpness and good lightning of the spider.

marcophoto · 08-26-2013, 06:11 AM

Thankyou Octopussy_france for your comments, yes the orchid photo does not show the real colour.#
The Bee is not a stack just a photo to see DOF using the raynox dcr 250
I cannot provide a link to the bee photo as it is just uploaded from my computer. A problem I have is that with the standard file type that my camera shoots in (jpg) I have to crop the photos a lot (down from 6MB) to fit in the allowed space.

Below is a photo taken today with 80-200mm and raynox dcr250 (I'm not sure its quite in focus or it might be just my eyes)

Thankyou

Mark

marcophoto · 08-26-2013, 06:18 AM

Sorry guys and girls please ignore the above out of focus picture (it looked in focus pre crop)

I hang my head in shame !

Mark

ToyTank · 08-26-2013, 07:37 AM

Hey Mark! It doesn't look too bad, looks like motion blur.

I find using a flash really helps stop motion blur, and then you get get better DOF with smaller Aperture(bigger number) I almost always shoot F16 1/125s ISO 200 while doing marco.

Thanks for posting, Macro is very demanding and I think your shots are better then my first attempts. Keep them coming!

I like to shoot is RAW instead of JPEG, it is a bigger file and more work, but it lets you make many more corrections.

octopussy_france · 08-27-2013, 09:59 AM

Hello,

macrophoto you can use flickr for real size image link.
100% crop are good to post on the forum (because the size of the image must be limited).

Flickr is 1To to upload, real size image, 200 Mo max for each photo, HD video up to 200 Mo but no more than minutes long.
And the bandwith is illimited.

You can compress more your JPEGs with a quality loss very low.
No more than 3-4 Mo it's enough for a real size image and don't forget to crop it.
We don't need the full image, just the part where the subject is and a good crop to be nice.

marcophoto · 09-01-2013, 10:03 AM

Hi

Here is a stack from today using my new macro rails

Thankyou

Mark

ToyTank · 09-01-2013, 11:53 AM

Nice mark! I haven't tried stacking yet.

The colors seems pretty muted, especially in the eyes, but maybe that's due to the ether free state of the subject.

I wonder if a little spray of water would help plump him up 30 minutes pre shoot.

You can put a live fly in the freezer, then revive it with salt. Not sure how ethical, but I saw a guy do it.

This is a cross post from show me your insects, but it was taken with a raynox 250 on my tammy 90 macro.

07-17-2013, 02:28 PM	#527
octopussy_france Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 40	Hello, Photolady try to shoot at f/11 max f/16. You get a better dof and don't forget : beyond f/11-f/16 the dof is better but you gain a few little more dof only. f/11-f/16 are small apertures so need need to go up ISO top get a short time exposure. Look at your photo, the big trouble of noise. If you use neat image or others softs you will lose a big amount of sharpness in the process. After f/11-f/16 you will get diffraction trouble too and a lose of sharpness again. f/8 is really the minimum aperture too use, the dof is really thin. Just use f/8 for short exposure time or big trouble of lightning. The best is a handed (synchro cable or radio transmitter) flash gun with a diffuser (lumiquest ...) to use short time exposure. Phosphene you can also try to use a TC at 1:1 macro lens shoot. With a 2x you'll get a 2:1 magnification and with a raynox you can get more. Of course you will lose some sharpness but with a 1.5x and dcr-150/250 with a photoshop process, the photos can be very nice. The luminar are very expensive about 600-700 and some more than 1 000 USD. Schneider kreuznach 5,6/135 is about 300 USD. Meogon and Anaret are good quality enlarger photo lenses too and cheaper than Luminar. Try using other lenses than Luminar, you get good quality and cheaper prices. I just take a look at ebay and find very interesting lenses at very good price. You can use nikkor microscope objectives, CFI C20 PLAN 10X is only 60 USD on ebay. The working distance will be the trouble with these lenses. Mikrotar by zeiss are about 300-400 USD. If you are in trouble about working distance you can use a Micro Compound Table. You will move the subject and not the photo gear. Easy and more secured way to work for 100 USD. EDIT : here a link to a full size and a 1024 pw width preview of a ant grasping pollen on a umbelliferae. 1,5X TC + 105 mm macro + raynox DCR-150 or DCR-250 (i don't remember which raynox). Ant size about 6 mm (about 0.236 inch). Photo shooted handed, no tripod, no flash gun only the body flash of the K-5. http://octopussy.fr.free.fr/pentaxforum/_IGP2649.JPG here a example at 1024 px width (real size 1128 px width), a mayfly. Size of the turban-shaped eye about 1 mm (about 10/254 inch -0.0394inch-) Macro 1:1 and dcr-150 or dcr-250, i don't remember. Last edited by octopussy_france; 07-17-2013 at 03:25 PM.

08-24-2013, 12:06 PM - 1 Like	#533
marcophoto New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	Hi, this is my first posting on this forum (or any forum). Orchid photograph taken with Lumix G2, kit 14-45 lens and dcr250 and is my first attempt at a stack. Bee (naturally deceased) photograph taken with Lumix G2 , Prinzflex (?) 80-200mm (set to @130mm), dcr250 and home made flash diffuser. Advice and comments welcome to a novice Attached Images

08-26-2013, 06:11 AM	#535
marcophoto New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	Thankyou Octopussy_france for your comments, yes the orchid photo does not show the real colour.# The Bee is not a stack just a photo to see DOF using the raynox dcr 250 I cannot provide a link to the bee photo as it is just uploaded from my computer. A problem I have is that with the standard file type that my camera shoots in (jpg) I have to crop the photos a lot (down from 6MB) to fit in the allowed space. Below is a photo taken today with 80-200mm and raynox dcr250 (I'm not sure its quite in focus or it might be just my eyes) Thankyou Mark Attached Images

09-01-2013, 10:03 AM	#539
marcophoto New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	Stack from today Hi Here is a stack from today using my new macro rails Thankyou Mark Attached Images

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07-16-2013, 10:24 PM	#526
Culture Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Vaasa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 818	Originally posted by photolady I shot this, this morning with a Pentax 50mm M lens and the Raynox DCR-250: F stop 22. I do have other lenses I want to try this on but the 50 was on the camera and I thought, why not?! I do see what you mean about DOF though. Hard to get very much, but I never shoot below f8 if possible. Oh the DOF. How I hate the DOF. I have wondered how a true macro lens handles the DOF compared to raynox attachment. I have also thought geting the raynox 250 but I think that there will be a balancing issue for me as the barrel of a bigger lens help in keeping steady while moving back and forth trying to achieve focus. On the other hand it gets tiring quick. Between I like the texture of this shot. Culture.

07-26-2013, 08:08 AM	#528
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	The Raynox DCR-250 is working out pretty well on my Pentax kit lens, 18-55mm. Here's a shot from this mornings shoot.

07-27-2013, 08:55 AM - 1 Like	#529
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Another, this time with my Pentax M50 f2 @f8 This little guy was only about 1.5 inches long.

07-28-2013, 10:15 PM	#530
Culture Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Vaasa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 818	Originally posted by photolady Another, this time with my Pentax M50 f2 @f8 This little guy was only about 1.5 inches long. Nice one photolady. You seem to have picked up quite quickly. I also some of the annoying problem that I get sometimes. That is just when you think you nailed the focus, you miss it again by the time you press the shutter. Evidence of the sharp apex of the leaf. Nice shot still.

07-29-2013, 05:52 AM	#531
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Originally posted by Culture I also some of the annoying problem that I get sometimes. That is just when you think you nailed the focus, you miss it again by the time you press the shutter. Evidence of the sharp apex of the leaf. I noticed that too. But I'm still happy wtih the results since I was having a shaky hand day, I'm surprised it came out this good.

08-24-2013, 07:49 AM - 1 Like	#532
ToyTank Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 675	I just started trying a Raynox 250, and I was very shocked there was NO CA to correct....NONE! This was with 90 Tammy and Raynox 250. Cross posted from arachnids

08-25-2013, 01:08 PM	#534
octopussy_france Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 40	Hello, marcophoto your first time is good. Stack of the bee can be better if it get a greater DOF but it's harder to do. The part of the bee that is in the DOf is sharp. If you can post too, a link to the image real size (100%), i think we can appreciate your work more. I don't like the light of the phalaenopsis photo. The stack is good and can be better with a little bit great DOF. That's a pity to see raynox lens black inside border. It's the big trouble using raynox proxi-lens. If you can use a macro lens with your raynox, even you not use at great magnification, the sharpness will be better. You'd better use fixe focal lens instead of zoom. You can try with an old macro lens or a takumar 35/50 mm for big things 'to take photo'. An old 135 mm will be great too, M42 mount are very cheap and give to you great results used with raynox. ToyTank it's a very good surprise when you use raynox DCR for the first time. No CAs as you said. My fujifilm S9600 got big trouble with CAs in 'macro mode' but with raynox, no more CAs. Great sharpness and good lightning of the spider.

08-26-2013, 06:18 AM	#536
marcophoto New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	Sorry guys and girls please ignore the above out of focus picture (it looked in focus pre crop) I hang my head in shame ! Mark

08-26-2013, 07:37 AM	#537
ToyTank Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 675	Hey Mark! It doesn't look too bad, looks like motion blur. I find using a flash really helps stop motion blur, and then you get get better DOF with smaller Aperture(bigger number) I almost always shoot F16 1/125s ISO 200 while doing marco. Thanks for posting, Macro is very demanding and I think your shots are better then my first attempts. Keep them coming! I like to shoot is RAW instead of JPEG, it is a bigger file and more work, but it lets you make many more corrections.

08-27-2013, 09:59 AM	#538
octopussy_france Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 40	Hello, macrophoto you can use flickr for real size image link. 100% crop are good to post on the forum (because the size of the image *must be limited). Flickr is 1To to upload, real size image, 200 Mo max for each photo, HD video up to 200 Mo but no more than minutes long. And the bandwith is illimited. You can compress more your JPEGs with a quality loss very low. No more than 3-4 Mo* it's enough for a real size image and don't forget to crop it. We don't need the full image, just the part where the subject is and a good crop to be nice.

09-01-2013, 11:53 AM	#540
ToyTank Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 675	Nice mark! I haven't tried stacking yet. The colors seems pretty muted, especially in the eyes, but maybe that's due to the ether free state of the subject. I wonder if a little spray of water would help plump him up 30 minutes pre shoot. You can put a live fly in the freezer, then revive it with salt. Not sure how ethical, but I saw a guy do it. This is a cross post from show me your insects, but it was taken with a raynox 250 on my tammy 90 macro.