ianhargraves1066 Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida

Old fashioned macro set up! As one of the founder members of the old farts club forum! I wanted to show you how I have for years, (pre digital days) used to do macro work in a studio!

The set up consists of a 4x5 Camera (in this case a Sinar) on the front end a 210 mm f5.6 enlarger lens, a 12 inch bellows extesion plus an adaptor on the rear end to hold a camera (Shown here an Exacta 35mm film camera.

The focusing screen in the camera allows you to see the highly magnified image from the enlarger lens. The Sinar focusses the image and you only need to set the aperture manually. The bellows are 12 inches in length so you can imagine the resultant image is very sharp and much enlarged. You can get even closer by using a 80mm or 50 mm enlarger lens. I have ordered an adaptor to affix my Canon Digital and therefore be able to see instantly what the resultant image will look like. Not for the weak or beginner but I feel in future this will produce some great pics.

A feature of the system is the movements on the Sinar. You can swing the front lens to get extra depth of field if needed.
The adapter from Sinar back to Canon is the only expense in my case as I had the other bits anyway.

Ian

The perveyor of useless information>

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Impressive and interesting.
Brings back memories from 40 years ago when I drooled over, but could never even dream of owning, a set-up like that.
Thanks for sharing it with us.

Care to pose your favorite image from you "old fashioned" macro set-up?

I'm sure many UHHers would be impressed to see what "old school" technology can accomplish without all the technological computerized advantages offered today.

ianhargraves1066 Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

This is a great idea, Ian. Some of our older photographic goodies (some becoming obsolete) can be put to good use in our new and exciting (?) digital age!
One could similarly press on old enlarger into use for this purpose. Use a spare body cap for a camera mount, there's no need for a shutter in the lens.
Nice job, Ian...and, oh, next time clean your fingernails before your photo session! LOL!

ianhargraves1066 Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida

Thanks for the comments there are many ways to skin a cat. Your assuming its my hand with the dirty finger nails haha and your right. I was in the yard planting and we got a much needed storm arrive, 5 mins rain but enough time to knock of the pics.

There must be a million old enlargers in closets all over. ! other trick I used to use for copying slides was to mount a 35mm camera and lens to the old spot where the enlarger lens was. the camera lens pointed up towards the negative holder. Place the slide to be copied in place, turn on the enlarger lamp and focus the camera on the slide and away you go. On a color enlarger you could alter colors and do all sorts of neat stuff. The camera and slide where always in alignment and the bellows shut out all stray light and reflections. With a digital camera and close focus macro lens you could copy a collection of slides easily and without scanning problems!


Ian

jfrrn117 Loc: chicago

out of the dog house, I see!

ianhargraves1066 Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida

Not so much "out" of the dog house , more escaped from the confines and free to run around, Ha Ha

Thanks so much for noticing though.


Ian

jfrrn117 Loc: chicago

off leash, as they say..

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Love enlarger lenses for macro but I do not use my view cameras to use them. Just get a bellows that fits your camera and glue a enlarger lens flang to the lens end. I have 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, 90mm, 135mm, and 150mm enlarger lenses (flat field like macro lenses) so any focal length I want. I got my spiratone t mount bellows on eBay for $12. Had the t mount but you can get them on eBAy too. - Dave

ianhargraves1066 Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida

THanks for the info. I appreciate it. People invest oodles of dollars and a bellows unit and enlarger lens do as good without the convenience of auto stop down.

Thanks a million. I am in the Error99 with my Canon and trying to resolve that so a new camera might have to come first!

Ian

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

This looks very interesting, but could you describe in greater detail, or attach a picture or two, the rear standard adaptor showing exactly how the camera is attached?

Thanks, Jack

ianhargraves1066 Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida

Sure, all you do is get a body cap for the camera you own, drill a hole in it as large as possible or better still get a T Mount adaptor and mount it to a blank camera face plate . I glued mine on with Superglue. If you have oodles of money, I do not, you can buy pro made ones on Ebay Lookf or Sinar to Nikon adaptors on what ever your comonation is. I recall $58 dollars for thr Nikon version, Hasslebad and the Mamiya pro series are more expensive but no where near the cost of a good bellow unit, new. and if you have a view camera, you can tilt or swing the front lens to get better DOF

Ian

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Wait a minute! I am not old! But when I was in high school in the early 70's (don't say it), we had to learn this almost exact same system in our graphic arts class. I used a Mamiya Sekor 500 DTL on the unit. I bet I could go up to it right now and shoot my usual matchbox cars. Too bad they would be in black & white though. Lol.

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

Thanks. I have a couple of 4x5s and using them this way never occured to me. For close ups, I normally use my 210/5.6 with lots of extension, with or without a roll film back, but the above method should allow for much more magnification.

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

The closet I ever came to a macro kit was SLR,tripod & adjustment rail. LOL