John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

What is the difference between close-up and macro-photography? Is macro your last choice before the microscope?

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

To answer many of your questions, please read:
Introduction to True Macro-Photography Forum
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-22447-1.html

Partial quote:
"For the purposes of this forum (and the vast majority of the technical photography world), Macro-Photography is defined as 1:1 magnification (life-size), up to 10:1 magnification (10x life-size), usually captured with a true macro lens. 1:1 magnification means that the captured image on a CMOS sensor (or film) is exact same size as original subject. Macro dimensions can also be achieved by cropping a near-macro image.
Comparisons will be made to: close-up photography, which is defined as 1:10 magnification (1/10th life-size) up to near life-size; and to micro-photography, which is defined as 10:1 magnification (10x life-size) & greater."

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

A few photographers on this forum adapt microscope objective lenses to mount directly to their DSLRs.
Magnifications up to 20x life-size are obtainable.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Many would appreciate a low cost "prescription" for adapter/microscope objective. Yes, I know they vary with cameras type, but that is generally just the body "cap" style.

The threads, type of objective are a 23 flavor ice cream store choice; choices best presented to the UHH Us in perhaps three basic flavors. References welcome. Surly, my fellow UHH people look forward to seeing my epithelial cells stained with OEM Epson ink!! :D

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I use a DIY set-up: drilled & tapped a body cap & then mounted on an extension tube.
Just a precaution: I'd be careful mounting directly to the body because the rear of some objectives may protrude too far into the DSLR. One would hate to mangle a mirror.
Here's a link to someone who knows a lot about microphotography: http://extreme-macro.co.uk/macro-gallery.php
He posts in the UHH forum-- but infrequently.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

At 2:1 and greater mags macro lenses and good enlarging lenses mounted in reverse are a well considered option.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Could you post your rig of a mounted/reversed enlarging lens as a macro lens?

I was looking at drilling / tapping a body cap for a bellows/tube configuration. The tap alone is around $900.
Too bad I didn't do this back when working as a machinist. :(

Muddyvalley Loc: McMinnville, Oregon

Much cheaper and easier to buy any adapters needed on eBay. I have adapters to mount an objective on my macro lens, to reverse a lens, to mount an objective on the bellows, etc. Probably spent less than $50. for all of them. They all seem to be of very good quality.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I do not have any at the moment - but I have drilled a body cap under size and then slowly enlarged the hole with a Dremel just until I could thread the lens into the plastic.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Yeah, That's the way I need to go. Sometimes I get caught up in the DIY thing--and it's not cheaper--and takes time away from actually taking pictures.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I once reverse-mounted two old manual CCTV lenses (different focal lengths). Each photo of the DIY progress is captioned:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikonian72/albums/72157623809060439

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Thanks.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

The last microscopy I ever did was on a metallograph. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallography
We had quite a few lenses available and some were oil immersion and fluorite crystal. Could easily reach 500x life-size.

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

A good way to get into the upper mag end of Macro and into the Micro region is with a microscope objective mounted to your camera body.
Two common techniques are to use a bellows with the proper adapters to mount the microscope objective to the bellows, another is to use cheap eBay tube extensions to act as a "fixed" bellows.

The common microscope objectives are available as direct and indirect imaging types (not sure of the proper term here). The direct types can image directly onto the camera sensor, the others require a "relay" lens. The objective images onto the "relay" lens which then images onto the camera sensor. Most high end modern microscopes seem to favor the relay approach.

In our use, the "relay" lens can be a normal fixed FL or zoom lens, set to the proper FL required by the objective (usually ~ 200mm).
I have used a Nikon 70-200 F2.8 as a "relay" lens for microscope objectives with some success. All that was required here (outside the objective) was a couple adapters to get the objective to mount onto the 70-200mm front threads (77mm). Probably only $20 cost.

I have also used tube extensions along with a dedicated "relay" lens with some success as well, and prefer this arrangement. Special dedicated relay lens can be quite expensive, but folks have discovered that the inexpensive Raynox 150 macro-adapter lens (mounts on front of regular camera lens and converts it into a macro lens with acceptable results) works as good if not slightly better than the dedicated special "relay" lenses costing 10~20X as much!!

42mm & 52mm tube extensions with Microscope Objectives


52mm breakdown

(Download)

42mm breakdown including manual Iris

(Download)

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

To address to cost. The 42mm tube extensions are less than $5 each, the 52mm tubes are about $6 all from eBay. The various "Ring' adapters are $1~2 each and the Nikon F mount is about $15~20 (I used a Nikon BR-2 52mm reversed lens mount). You can get the thin F mount adapters shown in the 42mm breakdown for $1~2, but these flex much more than the BR-2.
Depending on the objective, this adapter is $15~30 from eBay. The Raynox 150 is about $65. So total cost is under $200 sans the objective.