Two lighting set ups for Rev 50 stacked lens

[Alex Paul]

Here is a couple examples of flash set ups for Rev 50 lens stacking. It is sort of equipment porn but it shows the set up needed to get the light right out front. First is Manfrotto twin arm Macro flash bracket with Canon's MT-24 flash heads mounted on Canon 20D, Canon 180f3.5 macro with reversed Nikkor 50 f1.4 lens..
Note: The lens tripod mount is rotated to put mount pad on top. This allows the bracket and flash heads to be held high so they won't interfere with the lens and body getting low and on target...
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n...0shots0191.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n...0shots0151.jpg
Notice the heads are right out front and can be aimed right at the end of the lens....With an in focus working distance of typically about an inch from subject to glass this is required to get the light on the subject.. Having the luxury of two independent heads allows you to vary flash angle, allows either flash to fire or both together so you get a combination of different lighting effects. This is one of the draw backs to the popular ring flash. Effective, but always the same..

The next set up is a typical flash mounted in this case to the same Manfrotto bracket and once again aimed directly over or to one side of the end of the lens.... This is also a very effective means of lighting in reversed lens macro work... Canon 420EX flash Manfrotto flash bracket, Canon off shoe flash adapter, 20D, with Canon 70-200 f4. and reversed Nikkor 50 f1.4. The drawback is it puts more weight out over an already lens heavy set up, and less flash placement options unless using a tripod and hand holding the flash unit in different positions.....The plus side is it is very affordable compared to the twin head option...
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n...o/IMG_0153.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n.../IMG_01541.jpg

My recommended Camera , Lens, and flash settings next post...... Take care...Alex

[robski]

LOL - these camera setups with horns almost look as fearsome as the insects

[yelvertoft]

Alex, I did wonder how you were getting the lighting on your subjects. Thanks for posting these pictures of your contraptions.

[Don Hoey]

Alex,

Thanks for posting these.

I can copy the idea and make my own bracket. Your use of single flash with stofen is good, as can't afford the twin head set up after my lastest purchase.

When made my problem will be finding a bug that has not gone into hibernation.

I have the 50mm f1.4 and think I need to shade the rear element a bit. Do you suffer from flare with yours ? Your pic 3 looks good as the flash mount screwing into the lens acts as a hood.

Now off to the workshop.

Don

[Alex Paul]

Proud of ya Don ... There is nothing more satisfying than getting great results from what you come up with yourself.....I am glad this is getting the wheels spinning.... Flare hasn't bee ab issue bu thats a very good question.. The problem with trying to hood it is the lens is right down on the deck and most times the working distance to short to fit one in.....Take care.....Alex

[Alex Paul]

Contraption is the right word Thanks....Alex

[Alex Paul]

Hi Rob Yep in the pursuit they can get wild looking....Take care....Alex

[Don Hoey]

Alex,

The results from today.

Unfortunately after a thorough search I could not find any material of suitable diameter to connect the 50mm to the 200mm. I checked SRB ( UK manufacturer of any adaptor you like ) and the ring is listed at £21:95 + £2:50 postage. Not sure what that is in $, but I bet a lot more than you can get it for.

With all my M/F lenses out in the workshop time for a bit of a think.
I was not too keen on using tape to secure the 50 to the 200. Glue residue etc. So I dug out my lens reversing ring and did some comparisons of magnification with various combinations.

Results :

200mm with reversed 50mm - measured field of view 11mm with a working distance of 40mm.

Reversed 28mm - measured field of view 16mm, with a working distance of 55mm.
Revesed 28mm + 14mm tube - measured field of view 14mm, with a working distance of 50mm.

I did try a 24mm but feel 28mm is about as far as you can reasonably go.

Now maybe its that bit of Scot in me that says £24:45 is a lot to pay for a small increase in magnification, but I have decided I will stay with reversed 28mm for now. I know I loose auto diaphragm, but I think I am more likely to use the set up in resonably controlled conditions, ie not with fast moving subjects. I got into photography in the age of pre-set lenses so not really a huge problem. If I find a coupling ring at a reasonable price then I will get one.

Attatched are a couple of pics. By the time I had got this far, it was dark and tipping it down with rain, did not facy wandering around with a torch in that, so its a shot of a micrometer. Afraid the images are quite large, despite compressing the resized images to 30% in save for web. To give some idea of scale the numbers on the mic are 1.52mm high. Aperture used here is f8.

So just a flash bracket to make now.

Don

[Alex Paul]

Don.... These images are sharp as a tack... I agree with the 24 being to difficult to manage the 28 is at the edge in my opinion...I haven't tried using the reversed lens with tubes direct mount and would love to see what that produces.... I have them here just never got around to trying it... I have two sites listed in my how to blurb which has the reversing adapters for a toal of about 10 dollars U.S. it might be worth a gander to see what your particular set up would run... I think it all comes down to just how much mag do you want to play with... I found the direct reversed 50 and 28 just didn't satisfy me after dealing with close to 5x with the lens stack.....I made my own adapter out of a plastic lens cover for an old set of binoculars which works quite well.. I just started looking through the piles of misc. crap I had laying around and found this thing that has an OD just right for a snug fit to the ID of the filter threads of my main lens... Cut the center with a Rotozip to fit the 50 snugly and then used an old filter step up ring and threaded it into the 50 just to be sure it wouldn't walk its way out of the cap... I have a piece of tape wrapped around the assembled set up to be sure it doesn't drop out and a Tie wrap finishes off the securing.... It is strictly back yard engineered but on Island you work with what you have... Based on our similar backgrounds I know you have what it takes to make your own out of something around the shop or house..... Anyway buddy.... Keep me posted on how you're getting along.... If you decide to give the stacker a go and you need the sites for the adapters for pricing I will email them to you if you'd like.....
Take care Don......Alex

[Don Hoey]

Believe me Alex I fair tore the place apart on the hunt for something to canabalise. I will keep looking as that would give auto aperture. However the straight reversed 28mm does give avenues to explore in high magnification.

Don