cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

Recently, I read about a little lens that was excellent for macro photography, a lens salvaged from a Minolta film/slide scanner. In the earlier days of digital when we had libraries of film, a number of fine resolution film scanners hit the market. Perhaps the highest resolution, short of a drum scan, was obtained by the Minolta Dimage 5400, which could resolve 5400 dots per inch. When I ordered the scanner, I also ordered an adapter from RafCamera. The lens is about an inch long. I tried it out yesterday and it is a little jewel. With 52mm of extension, it was at approximately 1.75:1. I think it is sharper at that magnification than my Canon 65 Mpe. It also sets up further from the subject and has a thinner profile so it is easier to light. Unfortunately it has no aperture, so you can't stop it down. But it is great for focus stacking

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tinusbum Loc: east texas

yep,thats sharp!

Eric2018 Loc: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Could you explain (or refer me to an explanation of) focus stacking? I think I know what you mean, and I'd like to understand how you do it with that "unstoppable" lens.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

Focus stacking is a process where you take multiple image to obtain a sharper final image. Usually I will take the first image with the lens focused at the nearest point that I want to be in sharp focus. Then I advance the focus incrementally, take a picture, then advance focus again, take another picture, etc.. The series of images is then fed into focus stacking software, the most common of which are Zerene Stacker and Helicon. The sharpest areas in each of the images is used to make one final image. The resulting image is very sharp.

Most lenses have have a variable aperture that allows you to set the fstop and control the diameter of the hole through which light comes through the lens. Stopping down means that you close the aperture until it is a tiny hole. The more you stop down, the greater your depth of field. This lens lacks an aperture.

I hope that explains it Eric.

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

The Minolta Dimage 5400 lens is indeed a jewel, originally spotted by Robert O'Toole I believe. https://www.closeuphotography.com/scanner-lenses
Where did you find the scanner, or did you already have one? They are hard to come by and expensive now that the "lens secret" is out!!
I think Robert's lens tests shows this lens is hard to beat and as you mentioned superior to the MPE-65, even around 2X!!
Now your on the hook for showing some stunning images here :>)

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

From Frequently Asked Questions & Answers Concerning Macro-Photography at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-36372-1.html
FAQ: What is Focus-Stacking, and What Programs are Required?
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-50561-1.html

FAQ: Zerene Focus-Stacking Program -- The Basics
http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker

FAQ: Helicon Focus-Stacking Tutorials
http://www.heliconsoft.com/helicon-focus-tutorials

FAQ: Focus Stacking in Macro-Photography
Page 1: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5717972844/focus-stacking-in-macro-photography
Page 2: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5717972844/focus-stacking-in-macro-photography/2

FAQ: Focus-Stacking: When to use Rails vs Lens Focusing Ring
http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker/docs/troubleshooting/ringversusrail

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

It's funny, Mike. As soon as I compiled the first stack with the lens, I did 2 things: post here and email Robert a little thank you note. I just bought the scanner on Ebay. It was not cheap, but it wasn't crazy either. It came up as a buy now at $285 (free shipping) without slide or film holders. I didn't think I would be able to do better, so I pounced on it and am so glad I did. It is incongruous that this lens, which is barely over an in long and 1/2 in in diameter out resolves larger more expensive lenses. Amazing. Given Robert's test results, I should not be as amazed as I am. That said, I look at this lens that is about the same size as my pinky's first joint and marvel that it is so clear, so sharp, and so free. from distortion.

As for posting...my wife, Robin, has been harassing to post, saying that I might as well keep my work in a locked closet. I promised her that I would try to put up with the frustration of typing and post more often.

Take care, Mike. Always good to hear from you.

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

I've been looking for a bargain scanner lens since Robert posted his initial results with the Nikon Coolscan 8000 lens results last summer, then he came across the Dimage 5400 which upped the ante even more!!

For the 1~3X magnification range it is difficult to find a superb cost effective lens, and your 5400 certainly covers the upper portion very well indeed!! I have the lower range covered well with an old Nikon Printing Nikkor 105mm F2.8A highly optimized for 1X, and with a teleconverter to keep the lens at it's optimized design center (1X) I can push it to 1.4X and maybe 1.7X but the teleconverter effects begin to show at 1.7X and become significant at 2X. I have an old Canon 35mm F2.8 Macro Bellows which is good for the rest of the range but lacks the sharpness of your superb 5400!! Slightly above 3X I can push down a Mituotyo 5X M Plan Apo (0.14NA 200mm) with a Raynox 250 (125mm), old Vivitar 135mm or old Zeiss 135mm as a tube lens. This produces excellent results abet on a APC size sensor since vignetting becomes an issue on full frame sensors when the Mitutoyo is pushed down this much.

Recently to achieve better stability (never ending effort) I've built two lens setups based upon Peter's (MJKZZ) excellent new lens clamps, all the details are here.

https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37452&highlight=

Here's a couple lens setup images showing the clamps and lenses. First is for the Printing Nikkor PN105mm, second is for the Mitutoyo Objectives with a Sigma LSA as a tube lens.

Best,

Printing Nikkor PN105mm F2.8A

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Mitutoyo Objective with Sigma LSA Tube Lens

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cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

Mike,

In a recent email, Robert indicated that the 5400 was the best lens he test in the 1.3 to 2.1 range. I have not yet checked whether he pushed it down to the 1x level on a test. I did some preliminary checking. Using a cheap 13mm extension, my field of view was a bit over 33mm for a magnification of just under 1x. Although I was not pleased with the photographer who knew he needed more diffusion and did not inspect for cat hairs (a problem in my...sorry, the cat's house) and therefor ran only a part of the stack, the results were very sharp on my full frame 5DSr. Unfortunately, I could not check the extreme corners due to the composition. I anticipate checking vigorously in about 2 weeks after I finish a rush project.

One of the best aspects of the 5400 lens is its size. I estimate that the lens has a focal length of about 33-34mm. Given it's short focal length and small size, lens support is not as big a problem as with your 105 Printing Nikkor. (Love your setup. The info on the clamps is invaluable) With only 13 mm of extension, it is quite rigid. Pushing the upper range (3x), I would need about 90mm of extension, which my be assisted by the additional rigidity provided by Peter's clamp. So thanks.

I am posting my initial test stack (8688 x5792 pixels) and a severe crop (930 x 997 pixels). This is a Zerene Pmax stack. No post processing other than cropping. There is a higher noise floor than I would like due to using 300+ images without slabbing.

Hope all is and remains well with you.

Irwin

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cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

Thanks Jerry for spending the time to look and comment.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

All very interesting. i am sure many know (but some may not) that other super sharp lenses come from the old photographic enlargers. These will have a manual aperture diaphragm. There is a lot of information out there about the various enlarger lenses that can be purchased. A lot of people use them for focus stacking, but some also use them free-hand as an out-and-about lens for taking single shots.

As for this lens, you could build in a fixed diaphragm with black paper if you feel the need for it.
On download of your picture, I said 'Woa'.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

Mark,

Robert OToole has compared a number of excellent enlarging lenses at various magnification as well as other lenses. https://www.closeuphotography.com/lens-tests/. While there are a number of enlarger lenses that give fine results, there are other lenses that resolve finer detail, particularly in the corners. That said, I have reverse mounted a number of the enlarging lenses, APO Rodagons, Apo Componons, Componon S's, etc and gotten fantastic images. But I will be selling them in the near future along with a number of macro lenses, as I seldom use them anymore, except to experiment.

Thanks for you time and thought, Mark.

Irwin

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

Irwin,

I don't think I've seen anything with the 5400 around 1X, I would think the image circle would be small though and vignette on full frame sensors. But without good test this is just my guess, which isn't worth much!!

Your images are exceptional, certainly showing off the 5400 in your very capable hands I might add!!

Peter's clamps are really a help with mounting various lens setups, I've used the Hejnar "Y" telephoto lens support but these clamps are much better for our macro use IMO.

Looking forward to seeing more superb images from your new 5400.

Best,

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

Mark,

Agree with Irwin.

Robert's very carefully configured tests show that many enlarger lens are very good but few can compete at the top with the Minolta 5400.

Long ago I was heading down the enlarger path when I discovered the Canon Macro Bellows 35mm F2.8, this is a very good macro lens from 2~4X. It gives way to the Mitty microscope objective 5X (which I already had) when pushed down to ~3.4X with an old Vivitar or Zeiss 135mm though. Still needed to cover below 2X down to ~1X, which is where many of the larger chips we design fit (12~25mm on a side).

I finally saved up enough to get the Printing Nikkor PN105mm from Ray over on Photomacrography. This lens is stunningly good, and expensive at 1X, easily out resolving any camera I had, D800E & D500 and later D850! It's optimized (see below on Roger's site) for 1X and corner sharpness is as good at corners as in center but falls away quickly from 1X. In fact it's so good I use it to align my Vertical Stand (Wemacro) base to be orthogonal to the focus rail optical axis.

As mentioned elsewhere, I use Nikon teleconverters to work at 1.4X & 1.7X with the PN105 (keeps it at the optimal design point) but the IQ does suffer slightly, so Irwin's Minolta 5400 might just fill this void....if I could only find a bargain 5400

Another good lens reference source, though old, is Roger's site below.

http://coinimaging.com

Best,