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SL Macro adapters


count_greebo

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Hi,

 

are there macro extension rings for the SL, best case directly for the L-mount? I want to adapt a M 75/2.0 APO as a macro lens.

 

Thanks!

 

-cg-

 

Since you are using an M lens, then I would use the M macro adapter helicoid. It should work well with the M 75 AA, and on the SL you won't have to worry about parallax focussing issues that you might encounter on the M. Good luck.

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I'll be interested to hear how the M75 works in the macro range. Not all lenses fare well ... For many designed for more general purpose use, macro range can be surprisingly good but it cas also be rather mediocre. 

 

I use R system lenses for macro work with the SL. The R60/2.8 macro is simply outstanding, the old R100 and APO R100 are both remarkable. The Focusing Bellows-R works extremely well, and my oldest lens (Summicron-R 50/2 from 1965) outperforms even the R60 in the 2:1 to 3:1 range. 

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So which of the R macros would you recommend, the 60 or the APO 100? The 60 can be had for about a quarter of the price of a 100 with an Elpro if one wants to go to 1:1. - but a lot of people still see it as a reference design, and I'd like to use it as a portrait lens, too.

 

The M Helicoid is maybe not long enough (30mm), and Novoflex (2 Adapter sets) and Quenox (6 pieces) go to EUR 600,--  each if you need 60mm tube length - and it would be quite a contraption.

As the M75 is such a nice APO I was hoping to find a cheap way to try it as a macro with an el cheapo Chinese set and save the about 1.500-2.000 the APO 100 would set me back...

 

At the moment I use the macros for tabletop only, 1:4 up to 1:1.

 

OTOH, a ZEISS 100mm Macro in Nikon mount can be had for about 1.400, new...

Edited by count_greebo
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OTOH, a ZEISS 100mm Macro in Nikon mount can be had for about 1.400, new...

 

I have the Zeiss 100mm Makro Plannar in a Nikon mount. It's absolutely fantastic on the SL. Easy to focus. Brilliantly sharp. A little CA wide open that mostly disappears with a single click in Lightroom. You could add a set of Nikon tubes to get to 1:1. The Leica 100mm R is apparently superb but I haven't used it.

 

But the SL has many options for cheap and great macro. You can use any EF macro lens if you get the Novoflex EF>SL adaptor including the Canon MPE65. The best bang for the buck would be a Nikon mount Tamron 90mm f2.5 macro. A stunning lens for not a lot of money and widely available used. Or a Nikon AIS105mm micro. I even picked up a Nikon 90mm PC which gives 1:2 and has tilt/shift movements.

 

The issue with adapting normal lenses is two fold. Firstly they aren't always designed to be good optically at extremely close focus distances. Secondly they don't usually have a flat plane of focus, which is useful in macro work and essential if you want to focus stack. You'd need to be sure the 75 will give you the optical quality you require at very close distances before laying out many hundreds of dollars on adaptors. If it is OK then the LEM/VIS-II from Novoflex is 199 euro and will give you most of the extension you need (it's 0.94x with a 50mm). However I'd but the Tamron and a cheap adaptor for it instead.

 

Gordon

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Get the 24-90 zoom and just add a +5d Marumi 77mm macro lens with an 82 to 77 step down ring ...... total cost (in the uk) of about $100. ..... ( ok, and $5000 for the zoom :p ) 

 

Performance is on par with a dedicated macro lens like the 100mm and 60mm r macros or the 90mm M series with the adapter...... I've posted plenty of examples.... plus you have image stabilisation, no aperture alterations and autofocus.

 

There is not much advantage of the SL over an M if you are not going to exploit the dedicated SL lenses .....

 

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Edited by thighslapper
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So which of the R macros would you recommend, the 60 or the APO 100? The 60 can be had for about a quarter of the price of a 100 with an Elpro if one wants to go to 1:1. - but a lot of people still see it as a reference design, and I'd like to use it as a portrait lens, too.

... 

 

 

Depends on what you're shooting. The 60 is long enough to do well with modest 3D work but a longer lens is better for that; 50-60mm is better for flat art IMO, and for 3/4 portraits. I use the older Macro-Elmarit-R 100/4 in bellows mount for medium to small 3D work. Altogether, Focusing Bellows-R with 100mm lens cost me just under $500 and does a lovely job with 1:43 scale automobile models and similarly sized things. 

 

The Summicron-R 90mm fitted with 2x Extender-R makes a nice longer lens for reasonably close-up work, if not 1:1 macro. I think it gets down to about 1:4. I love the 90mm for portrait shooting; haven't even tried with the 100 and bellows setup. 

 

Different needs, different equipment. Closeup and macro work is a broad area of endeavor. 

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At the moment I'm doing a lot of product photography of jewelry. The biggest pieces are necklaces, ca 50x30cm. The smallest pieces though are details of rings. Just now I use a Nikkor 85/1.8 from the 1990ies with cheap distance rings on a D300s. At f 8-11, it's quite workable, and I just had it lying around.

Personally, I like not to spend so much on gear, not just money wise, but the amount of stuff that eventually lies around in the drawers.

For the ZEISS I was lusting for the 135 APO, which is no macro, so I'm torn here as well. 

For the SL system, the 24-90 is so large, I hate to lug it around. Have to admit though that IS would be nice. Maybe I should work with what I have and wait for a native macro lens in the system which is hopefully bound to happen.

 

How well does the R APO 100/2.8 work as a portrait lens? I just had the opportunity to handle the 60, and the focus ring worked quite well for me at longer distances, too. Is that the same with the 100?

 

Options, options.

Edited by count_greebo
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How well does the R APO 100/2.8 work as a portrait lens? I just had the opportunity to handle the 60, and the focus ring worked quite well for me at longer distances, too. Is that the same with the 100?

 

Options, options.

 the apo 100/2.8 is superb as a portrait lens ...... and short telephoto ..... very sharp and nicely saturated natural colours. Very easy to focus on the SL (and the M surprisingly). My mint one was an absolute bargain from the not so long ago days when R lenses had few users .....

 

..... but I would have thought the 24-90 was the perfect solution to not having ' a lot of stuff eventually lying around in drawers' ...... and the SL +100/2.8 is halfway to the same weight and bulk without the flexibility. 

Edited by thighslapper
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All good arguments.

ATM I own the 18/3.8M, the 35/1.4 ASPH-M and the mentioned 75/2.0 APO M. If I ever use a tele, I'd adapt a Nikkor 180/2,8D.

So for what I do now, just the macro was missing and for that price I'd like to dual use it.

As a part time professional I just feel I would not use the 28-90 enough to justify the price, especially as the lenses I have do all I want. Dont get me wrong: I love the fact it starts at 24 and the IS, but that 900g difference to the 35mm make quite a difference in a more leisure oriented setting.

T/S would be indeed interesting for that kind of macro work, but I guess getting to 1:1 with the 90 Nikkor PC would be problematic if you want to retain quality?

 

BTW, my other cameras are a M9 and a D300s Nikon.

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The Apo Macro Elmarit-R 100 is the best lens for me. It is perfect at all apertures at all distances and I also like the 100mm for portraits.

But some prefer the 1.4/80 for portraits.

I think 100mm or 135mm is preferable to the shorter lengths - but tastes are different.

P.S: AF is not a big help with portraits. The EVF is more important.

Edited by steppenw0lf
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Since you are thinking about jewelry I'll show you this.  This is with the APO-100mm-R coupled with the APO 2x extender-R which gives you 1:1 

 

There are also a myriad of Visoflex Macro options to use with the Novoflex Visoflex SL adapter for a lot less money than the APO 100mm

 

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And just in case you like bugs...

Same setup, APO 100mm with APO 2x extender

 

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T/S would be indeed interesting for that kind of macro work, but I guess getting to 1:1 with the 90 Nikkor PC would be problematic if you want to retain quality?

 

BTW, my other cameras are a M9 and a D300s Nikon.

 

No. Not really. you'll need more light but the working difference on the 85mm Nikkor PC is pretty good. However the Canon 65MPE might be a better choice if you really need to get detail shots of rings.

 

Gordon

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Since you are thinking about jewelry I'll show you this.  This is with the APO-100mm-R coupled with the APO 2x extender-R which gives you 1:1 

 

There are also a myriad of Visoflex Macro options to use with the Novoflex Visoflex SL adapter for a lot less money than the APO 100mm

 

attachicon.gifL1060238.jpg

 

great shots, what adaptors did you use to mount the lens?

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great shots, what adaptors did you use to mount the lens?

 

The Novoflex R to SL/T adapter has worked just fine for me.  I can manually enter the lens in menu so I doubt I will be purchasing the Leica R to SL adapter.

Edited by hsw
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If you are looking for a cheap alternative then you could look at Canon FD Macro lenses and a Chinese adapter.  Canon made 3 macro FD lenses at 60, 100, and 200 as well as extension rings and mulitliers.  Very good for the price and fairly easily available from the well known internet auction site.  I have the 60mm and have used it with both the M and now the SL.

 

 

The Novoflex R to SL/T adapter has worked just fine for me.  I can manually enter the lens in menu so I doubt I will be purchasing the Leica R to SL adapter.

 

 

By the way, it's intersting that you mention manual selection of R lens profiles as I also use the Novoflex LET/LER adapter and can't get the selected lens to show in the EXIF, how did you manage to do this?

Edited by Bobitybob
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If you are looking for a cheap alternative then you could look at Canon FD Macro lenses and a Chinese adapter.  Canon made 3 macro FD lenses at 60, 100, and 200 as well as extension rings and mulitliers.  Very good for the price and fairly easily available from the well known internet auction site.  I have the 60mm and have used it with both the M and now the SL.

 

By the way, I use the Novoflex LET/LER adapter and can't get the selected lens to show in the EXIF, how did you manage this?

 

FD 50mm … yes it's a good lens … there was no FD 60mm.

 

dunk

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