[akanarya]

i realy think to get a raynox intead of a 100mm macro.
am i on the wrong way?

[dmfw]

I am shooting a KX with the stock 18-55, a Pentax 55-300MM lens, and a 50mm prime. I shoot mostly flowers but also small objects. Few insects, mostly bees (They are camera hogs!) on flowers.

About 70% of the time I can get within 1/4-1 feet of my sbject, which I will shoot with the 18-55 or prime 50. However, some are 1 1/2 - 3 feet away (like flowers on trees), which will require the 55-300.

Which Raynox would be better for my needs?

Thanks

[audiobomber]

i realy think to get a raynox intead of a 100mm macro.
am i on the wrong way?

I use a Raynox 250 on my prime lenses and a 150 on my long zooms. Quality is quite good, not really much different than the lens without adapter. But as much as I like the Raynoxes, they are a lot harder to use than my D FA 100mm macro. Depth of field with a diopter is reduced compared to a true macro lens, and DOF is the single reason that macros are so hard to shoot.

Keeper rate with the 100mm macro is much higher because you can use larger apertures compared to a diopter. It's sharper, especially at corners and edges. Also, the 100mm can be used as a very nice telephoto and portrait lens. The only advantages I can think of for a Raynox are cost and convenience (fits mulitple lenses, no lens change required).

---------- Post added 2011-02-22 at 11:47 ----------

I am shooting a KX with the stock 18-55, a Pentax 55-300MM lens, and a 50mm prime. I shoot mostly flowers but also small objects. Few insects, mostly bees (They are camera hogs!) on flowers.

About 70% of the time I can get within 1/4-1 feet of my sbject, which I will shoot with the 18-55 or prime 50. However, some are 1 1/2 - 3 feet away (like flowers on trees), which will require the 55-300.

Which Raynox would be better for my needs?

Thanks

The 150 is not very powerful on a 50 or 55mm lens, and the 250 is too powerful and vignettes severely on a 55-300mm. Since you're obviously concerned with working distance, I would suggest the Raynox 150. The working distance with a diopter is roughly equal to its focal length, so about 125mm for the Raynox 250 and an easier to manage 208mm for the 150.

[akanarya]

I use a Raynox 250 on my prime lenses and a 150 on my long zooms. Quality is quite good, not really much different than the lens without adapter. But as much as I like the Raynoxes, they are a lot harder to use than my D FA 100mm macro. Depth of field with a diopter is reduced compared to a true macro lens, and DOF is the single reason that macros are so hard to shoot.

Keeper rate with the 100mm macro is much higher because you can use larger apertures compared to a diopter. It's sharper, especially at corners and edges. Also, the 100mm can be used as a very nice telephoto and portrait lens. The only advantages I can think of for a Raynox are cost and convenience (fits mulitple lenses, no lens change required).

---------- Post added 2011-02-22 at 11:47 ----------



The 150 is not very powerful on a 50 or 55mm lens, and the 250 is too powerful and vignettes severely on a 55-300mm. Since you're obviously concerned with working distance, I would suggest the Raynox 150. The working distance with a diopter is roughly equal to its focal length, so about 125mm for the Raynox 250 and an easier to manage 208mm for the 150.

audiobomber,

thank you very much for suggestions.
I had thought the same cost and convenience benefits o raynox instead of a true macro. But you're right.

[silverelantra]

Raynox is very fun to use..not as handy as DFA 100, but quite useful for extreme close ups

Not recommended for quicker bugs





K10D + SMC M 200/4 + DCR250

[akanarya]

silverelantra,
i see that you used 200mm for these shots, what was the distance between the object and the lens tip?

[Banjo]

silverelantra,
i see that you used 200mm for these shots, what was the distance between the object and the lens tip?

From first principles:

From the manufacturer's specifications*, the Raynox dcr250 is an 8 diopter "enlarging" lens.

So, it has a focal length of 1,000/8 = 125mm 12.5cm or about 5 inches).

If attached to a prime lens (any prime lens) set to "infinity", then the working distance should be about 5 inches (the same as the focal length of the accessory close-up lens).

In the case of a "full frame" sensor, magnification should be:

Focal length of prime lens x diopter strength of attached accessory lens/1,000

=(in this case) 200 x 8/1,000 = 1.6 times (or 1.6:1).

Quite impressive

Should the prime lens be extended (using its helical), the magnification will be increased, and the working distance reduced.

(In either case, the depth of field will be very limited -as can be seen- and there will be some image degradation, especially towards the edges.)


* http://www.raynox.co.jp/english/dcr/dcr250/indexdcr250eg.htm

---

Last edited by Banjo; 02-24-2011 at 05:39 PM.

[jeffshaddix]

Has anyone tried a 250 on a Sigma 30mm 1.4? I think it'd make a great wide angle closeup lens (24.2mm and 1:2.7)? The minimum focus distance seems to be my only major drawback to this lens, but perhaps with the raynox it's unfounded!

[akanarya]

thanks for contributions Banjo,
then small working distance and narrow dof make raynox hard to use

[audiobomber]

thanks for contributions Banjo,
then small working distance and narrow dof make raynox hard to use

The working distance on the 4.8-diopter Raynox 150 is easier to manage:
1,000/4.8 = 208mm or about 8 inches. That's longer than the 100mm macro. 1:1 is achieved with a 210mm lens at infinity focus and dof will be less than the 100mm macro lens.

[hray]

K-x, DAL 55-300mm, Raynox 150

[Chex]

I'm wondering if anyone has shots using a 43mm Ltd or the new 18-135mm WR either Raynox 150 or 250, I'm want to order a 250, but if the 150 makes for easier shooting and better with longer lenses (the 70-200mm f2.8 tamron my LBA wants) maybe that would be a better starting point.

[akanarya]

The working distance on the 4.8-diopter Raynox 150 is easier to manage:
1,000/4.8 = 208mm or about 8 inches. That's longer than the 100mm macro. 1:1 is achieved with a 210mm lens at infinity focus and dof will be less than the 100mm macro lens.

i got the calc. for max. working distance, thanks.

some more questions, forgive me that i am new to macro calculations;

(all numericals for raynox 150 attached to the lens)

1- if I'm closer than 210mm (for FL 210mm), then is magnification bigger than 1:1? if so what is the relation?

2- if I use less FL than 210mm, eg 100mm, should I make the distance to 100mm in order to get 1:1?

3. what is the relation with diopter and aperture value? (to imagine DOF)

4. is diopter fixed for raynox? that is can 8 diopter raynox 250 be ajusted to eg 5 diopter to increase working distance?

Thanks

[audiobomber]

i got the calc. for max. working distance, thanks.

some more questions, forgive me that i am new to macro calculations;

(all numericals for raynox 150 attached to the lens)

1- if I'm closer than 210mm (for FL 210mm), then is magnification bigger than 1:1? if so what is the relation?

Yes, magnification goes up, see here for calculations: www.peterforsell.com

2- if I use less FL than 210mm, eg 100mm, should I make the distance to 100mm in order to get 1:1?

With the main lens set for infinity focus, the working distance remains the same with different focal lengths, but magnification changes. You will still focus at about 8" when you set the main lens to 100mm FL, but magnification will be about 1:2. That is how I recommend using a Raynox on a telephoto zoom lens. Leave it set for infinity focus and zoom to change magnification.

3. what is the relation with diopter and aperture value? (to imagine DOF)

Look at the link I provided above, under Basic Geometric Formulas. This will allow you to calculate a focal length for the compound lens (diopter + main lens). Using the compound focal length you can use a DOF calculator like this Online Depth of Field Calculator to calculate DOF.

4. is diopter fixed for raynox? that is can 8 diopter raynox 250 be ajusted to eg 5 diopter to increase working distance?

Diopter value is fixed. You can change magnification by changing the focal length of the main lens, or by focussing closer with the main lens.

[akanarya]

thank you audiobomber for kind responds.