[Vasyl]

Just want to share with you what I did for macro shooting by not spending too much in buying an expensive stuff.
Hopefully, somebody will find this post useful.
Total cost is $41 US.
Lens SMC Pentax 50 1/1.7 - $20
Lens Toyo Optics 70 - 210 (with hazy inner lens) - $20 (I did not see that when was buying...:-))
Lens shade ring
Empty Baby food jar
Black paint

One of the inner lens element was removed from Toyo and installed in front of the 50mm lens. It fitted perfectly. Then everything was tied by the shade ring. The jar was painted by black paint (it was done prior to the assembling).
Here it is some pictures of the lens and from the fields (from wide open to a couple of steps down):
and 100% crop

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

---

Last edited by Vasyl; 04-22-2012 at 05:12 PM.

[RioRico]

Nice kludge! You'd get a similar effect by using about a +3 or +4 dioptre closeup optic (the kind that are about US$10-$15 per set of +1+2+3 or +1+2+4) on the 50mm lens. But this is a creative way to recycle your bad zoom!

[Vasyl]

At least it kept me busy... :-)

[lpfonseca]

I admit that DIY might be fun but some chinese macro extension tubes from eBay would have been even cheaper.
Have fun,
Luis

[altopiet]

admit that DIY might be fun

It is fun!
I bought a Sigma 70-210mm zoom for a few dollars, but it was in such a bad shape, and not worth the trouble to send back, that I decided to convert it to a push-pull zoom extension tube, using the mount of a broken MZ50 I had. Must still find some time to try it out, but just the act of converting it was lots of fun

[RioRico]

I bought a Sigma 70-210mm zoom for a few dollars, but it was in such a bad shape, and not worth the trouble to send back, that I decided to convert it to a push-pull zoom extension tube, using the mount of a broken MZ50 I had. Must still find some time to try it out, but just the act of converting it was lots of fun

Congratulations! That is undoubtedly the ugliest lens kludge I've ever seen! Have a heart, and wrap some black tape over that gunk, please. My eyes, my eyes...

[Vasyl]

Altopiet,
Wow!!!...It looks... it looks...it just looks...:-)
any macro pictures?

How about this one?... :-)
I was inspired by the article about the famous Canon macro lens which can make even to 5:1 macro...


It's Quantaray 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 LDO Macro with two Toyo's lens elements in front...and some pictures taken by this monster...:-)
As you can see, it can be easily converted back to the "normal" appearance...

The lens element contains 2 lenses:
one is magnifying and the second one is flattering the focus (I do not know who to explain better) it looks similar to this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AchromatDoublet-text.svg

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

---

Last edited by Vasyl; 04-22-2012 at 05:46 PM. Reason: new thoughts...

[RioRico]

Interesting, where did you get the Toyo optics? How are they labeled?

I sometimes (well, now is the first time) go pervo and whip out the Vivitar-Komine Series 1 70-210 and clip-on the Raynox DCR-250 with a 49mm +10dpt optic screwed into it. That takes me to 4:1. I could clip that rig onto my Tamron 60-300 (both those lenses are PK-A mount) and probably pass 5:1. Or reverse-stack my Vivitar-Kiron 24/2 onto my Argus-Chinon 300/5.6 for +6:1. Whatever. But mostly I'm too lazy. Cheers!

[Vasyl]

Interesting, where did you get the Toyo optics? How are they labeled?

It was actually the rare one, I did not find any info in internet at the time when I was going to purchase it...well I was intrigued and bought it for $20. It worked well until I noticed the haziness inside...:-)...so I decided to clean it up, but I did not go well...so, some glass left and I have been looking for its usage, until such idea came into my mind to try wit the other lenses...
With Quantarray and fully expanded (300 mm) position it can make 6 or 7 to 1, but DOF is terrible...the fly was taken at probably 150 mm...
no flash...it was alive and flew away after the session...:-)
regarding the Toyo...from it's left, I see it was 80-200...

[altopiet]

Congratulations! That is undoubtedly the ugliest lens kludge I've ever seen! Have a heart, and wrap some black tape over that gunk, please. My eyes, my eyes...

I heard somewhere that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!
As I wanted to use my Vivitar 70-150 and Cunor 200mm on it, I didn't trust the plastic mount to take the weight if just glued on, so I decided to strengthen it with some copper wire, and to give it the nice, "pro" finished look, I added the black silicon sealer, also making sure it is light-tight

[altopiet]

Altopiet, Wow!!!...It looks... it looks...it just looks...:-) any macro pictures?

Ok..OK, I get it, it's ugly!!
I'll see if I can get a few shots of something, after lunch

[altopiet]

the fly was taken at probably 150 mm... no flash...it was alive and flew away after the session...:-)

You've got some "pleasing to the eye" jobs there, but I've never ever heard of somebody not killing a fly if he could, or caring if somebody else did!

[altopiet]

As promised, the setup, and two basic shots, just to show it does work.
The light source=LED headlamp wrapped around an empty box (who needs ring flashes and other stuff?). The camera=K-x. The Sigma zoom extension tube. The Vivitar 70-150mm push pull zoom.
I don't need a rail anymore, with both zooms it is very easy to acquire and maintain focus.
Shots at between f11+f16 (yes, I removed the aperture ball and aperture lever from the Vivitar)





Tube at 210mm Lens at +- 120mm (+-300mm/12inches from subject)




Tube at 210mm Lens at 70mm (+-60mm/2 and a half inches from subject)



Watch out bugs, I'm coming to get you!

[Vasyl]

Shots at between f11+f16 (yes, I removed the aperture ball and aperture lever from the Vivitar)

I do not see anything...tried IE and Mozilla with the same success...

[altopiet]

I do not see anything...tried IE and Mozilla with the same success...

I see them fine on my side, using Firefox, will try clearing cookies, hotdogs.. or whatever.. see if it helps