Emergency Macro setup

Lord Vetinari

My sigma 105mmEX macro lens is away with sigma-uk hopefully having the iris fixed. It started giving me either error 99s or taking overexposed pics, indicating the iris was not shutting down.

So how to relieve my macro craving in the meantime?

I have some old Pentax kmount extension rings and of course some pentax Kmount 50mm lenses plus an EOS T-mount adapter ring. I removed the T-mount ring from the adapter and found my extension rings would fit into the EOS part of the adapter, so I super-glued the smallest adapter ring to the modified mount- added a few more rings, put the pentax Kmount 50mm lens on the end and attached the whole thing to my EOS 300D.

Tried a few test resolution shots and it was giving me close to 1:1 with a focus distance from the front of the lens of about 2". Main problem was focusing manually with the lens open and then stopping down for the shot whilst maintaining focus (I was handholding this).

Anyway was quite suprised how well shots came out- just goes to show what you can put together if you try!

Garden spider (partial crop)



Crop showing spinnarettes



Fly- partial crop- focus not quite correct but body is pretty sharp!

lynnma

Lord Vetinari wrote:

My sigma 105mmEX macro lens is away with sigma-uk hopefully having the iris fixed. It started giving me either error 99s or taking overexposed pics, indicating the iris was not shutting down.

So how to relieve my macro craving in the meantime?

I have some old Pentax kmount extension rings and of course some pentax Kmount 50mm lenses plus an EOS T-mount adapter ring. I removed the T-mount ring from the adapter and found my extension rings would fit into the EOS part of the adapter, so I super-glued the smallest adapter ring to the modified mount- added a few more rings, put the pentax Kmount 50mm lens on the end and attached the whole thing to my EOS 300D.

Tried a few test resolution shots and it was giving me close to 1:1 with a focus distance from the front of the lens of about 2". Main problem was focusing manually with the lens open and then stopping down for the shot whilst maintaining focus (I was handholding this).

Anyway was quite suprised how well shots came out- just goes to show what you can put together if you try!

Garden spider (partial crop)



Crop showing spinnarettes



Fly- partial crop- focus not quite correct but body is pretty sharp!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

running from desk with loud screaming.............:uhoh :smack

god thats scary...I'll have another look later when I'm feeling brave..

Nikolai

Wow!
Amazing! Great work and great post!

ridetwistyroads

wow, wow, and wow.


A skill i am FAR from mastering!

Bravo LV. Innovation often lends unexpectedly amazing results.

Lord Vetinari

Thanks all- I'm quite suprised how sharp the pics are- maybe those old pentax lenses are quite good!

Had to add one more shot
Headshot of the moth Autographa pulchrina- common name "Beautiful Golden Y". The moth is about 18mm long.

Like the punk hairstyle. Shot with the same emergency macro setup.

Higgmeister

Hi Brian,
Nice going, emergency setup or not. It's also a little closer than I care to be to a gal like that. I like the web in there as well, it adds some additional form though she really doesn't need any (additional form).

Those 50mm lenses do a nice job, but the DOF is so shallow. That's how I started into macro (50mm reversed) and haven't gone back since I purchased my 100mm f2.8 macro. But in a pinch, I have to say that I'd do the same and sport the 50mm once again.

Thanks for creeping me out with another fine macro,
Chris

DoctorIt

I'm always so impressed with your shots. It's nice when someone really knows not only their art, but the science behind it - well enough to construct an emergency setup with super glue and stuff that's "laying around".

Very cool.

Lord Vetinari

Higgmeister wrote:

Hi Brian,
Nice going, emergency setup or not. It's also a little closer than I care to be to a gal like that. I like the web in there as well, it adds some additional form though she really doesn't need any (additional form).

Those 50mm lenses do a nice job, but the DOF is so shallow. That's how I started into macro (50mm reversed) and haven't gone back since I purchased my 100mm f2.8 macro. But in a pinch, I have to say that I'd do the same and sport the 50mm once again.

Thanks for creeping me out with another fine macro,
Chris

Thanks Chris,
Diodn't find the DOF to be a problem- pretty sure it's about the same as my normal macro lens- just need to stop down (around F11) for reasonable shots. You obviously know your spiders! (ie it's a female).

DoctorIt wrote:

I'm always so impressed with your shots. It's nice when someone really knows not only their art, but the science behind it - well enough to construct an emergency setup with super glue and stuff that's "laying around".

Very cool.

Thanks Erik,
I just knew I'd kept my old pentax lens stuff for a reason- My pentax cameras ( a km and ME ) haven't worked for about 10 years.

Brian V.