I wound up using a body cap for attachment also. After awhile, it does loosen up and the tube pulls off more easily than I'd like.
yeah, I'm looking into a way to secure the body cap better. Still working out finishing touches. I'll definately post new pictures when I get everything completed. I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete yet.
Went to a local camera / photo shop where I know they have boxes of junk and one of the staff is very helpful ... and asked if they'd got any EF fitting lens that was completely 'naff '
Guy roots around and produces a plastic mount 28-80mm / 3.5-5.6 which has loose bits rattling around inside and asks a fiver ($10) for it.
Take it home, strip all the guts out, find a PVC pipe fitting which 'just fits' in the front ...make a ply disc with hole in centre for the objective, job done
... works (already had an objective) - and also get a plastic tub full of interesting odds / sods to mess around with
Went to a local camera / photo shop where I know they have boxes of junk and one of the staff is very helpful ... and asked if they'd got any EF fitting lens that was completely 'naff '
Guy roots around and produces a plastic mount 28-80mm / 3.5-5.6 which has loose bits rattling around inside and asks a fiver ($10) for it.
Take it home, strip all the guts out, find a PVC pipe fitting which 'just fits' in the front ...make a ply disc with hole in centre for the objective, job done
... works (already had an objective) - and also get a plastic tub full of interesting odds / sods to mess around with
pp
Very cool! I was thinking of going down a similar route but decided to just follow Ziggy's instructions first, then refine my own design
Well, before I bought the scrap lens, what I was actually looking for was something like a plastic drinks bottle (with screw top) that'd just slide over my extn ring set (Kenko).
Reason being that I reckoned that having a flared / tapered neck - leading to a top that was just big enough to take the rms objective thread would offer 2 advantages over a flat ended rig.
1. Easier from the light positioning pov (esp. with v. short working distances)
2. Should the rig ever be used in a dynamic situation - rather than a static one ... having a smaller dia at the end of the lens system provides a (slightly) greater range of angles if resting the end of the 'lens' on the same surface as the subject ... thus of use if trying to get down to eye level with small critters.
Also - having a screw top would (assuming got other bottles / caps) offer the possibility of readily interchangeable objectives - if wanting to try different mags etc
I'll prob come back to it when not got other things to do etc.
btw - well worth asking about scrap stuff, imo - as they're only too glad to get rid of such stuff ( just grovel...) - incidentally, if you remove the front optics from a similar lens, you get a half reasonable zoom macro jobbie
Well, before I bought the scrap lens, what I was actually looking for was something like a plastic drinks bottle (with screw top) that'd just slide over my extn ring set (Kenko).
Reason being that I reckoned that having a flared / tapered neck - leading to a top that was just big enough to take the rms objective thread would offer 2 advantages over a flat ended rig.
1. Easier from the light positioning pov (esp. with v. short working distances)
2. Should the rig ever be used in a dynamic situation - rather than a static one ... having a smaller dia at the end of the lens system provides a (slightly) greater range of angles if resting the end of the 'lens' on the same surface as the subject ... thus of use if trying to get down to eye level with small critters.
Also - having a screw top would (assuming got other bottles / caps) offer the possibility of readily interchangeable objectives - if wanting to try different mags etc
I'll prob come back to it when not got other things to do etc.
btw - well worth asking about scrap stuff, imo - as they're only too glad to get rid of such stuff ( just grovel...) - incidentally, if you remove the front optics from a similar lens, you get a half reasonable zoom macro jobbie
pp
That's a good idea. I was trying to think of a way to make interchangeable lenses. Still trying to figure out a way to have more working distance, but the math escapes me
<< Still trying to figure out a way to have more working distance, but the math escapes me >>
My understanding is that it's a fact of life / optics that we've just got to live with ... for this sort of configuration.
There's all manner of useful info here - and of specific interest (for the sort of rigs under discussion) is the 'Technical + Studio / Macro + Closeup' forum.
Once I get an appropriate mount figured out, I'll share that too. I'm working on something to allow a fairly portable solution that doesn't weigh too much or become intrusive for the camera.
My thought right now is to use a camera body cap, punch out the middle to allow the image to pass and mount the tube directly to that.
I wold take an look at an T-adapter, those are used for Astro photo, it is an adapter/ring with an thread in one end and Nikon, Canon, Pentax or whatever mount in the other end. Maybe you can screw it and glue it onto the "lenstube" and get an working mount.
I did it!
Alright. I told you guys that I would figure out how to make the cheap microphotography a little more portable and extend the use. I did it!
Cost breakdown is as follows:
4x objective: 7.50 USD
10x objective: 19 USD
Bellows: 36 USD
Microscope Adapter: 20 USD
For right now I put some gaffer's tape around the objectives to fit them into the microscope adapter. I want to find a female threaded peice that i can put into the adapter and screw the objective into, just haven't found one yet.
Not quite as cheap as the original project. However, now I can use just about any objective as my "tube" is expandable. It's pretty sweet!
Here are the photos of the unit.
1. Closed bellows, 10x objective in the adapter.
2. Bellows open.
3. With the objectives removed.
Here are a couple photos I took with this setup. I am not great at focus and all that yet, but I think they will show you what is possible.
4. A hand of my watch with the 4x objective.
5. Edge of the gaffer's tape with the 10x objective
Comments
They're here http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=96883
Oh yeah, that would be helpful! I'll get those up tonight.
But here they are, finally.
1. Complete system with caps on
2. Front element with cap removed
3. Back with cap removed
4. Looking through the back
5. Looking through the front
I wound up using a body cap for attachment also. After awhile, it does loosen up and the tube pulls off more easily than I'd like.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
yeah, I'm looking into a way to secure the body cap better. Still working out finishing touches. I'll definately post new pictures when I get everything completed. I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete yet.
Went to a local camera / photo shop where I know they have boxes of junk and one of the staff is very helpful ... and asked if they'd got any EF fitting lens that was completely 'naff '
Guy roots around and produces a plastic mount 28-80mm / 3.5-5.6 which has loose bits rattling around inside and asks a fiver ($10) for it.
Take it home, strip all the guts out, find a PVC pipe fitting which 'just fits' in the front ...make a ply disc with hole in centre for the objective, job done
... works (already had an objective) - and also get a plastic tub full of interesting odds / sods to mess around with
pp
Flickr
Very cool! I was thinking of going down a similar route but decided to just follow Ziggy's instructions first, then refine my own design
Reason being that I reckoned that having a flared / tapered neck - leading to a top that was just big enough to take the rms objective thread would offer 2 advantages over a flat ended rig.
1. Easier from the light positioning pov (esp. with v. short working distances)
2. Should the rig ever be used in a dynamic situation - rather than a static one ... having a smaller dia at the end of the lens system provides a (slightly) greater range of angles if resting the end of the 'lens' on the same surface as the subject ... thus of use if trying to get down to eye level with small critters.
Also - having a screw top would (assuming got other bottles / caps) offer the possibility of readily interchangeable objectives - if wanting to try different mags etc
I'll prob come back to it when not got other things to do etc.
btw - well worth asking about scrap stuff, imo - as they're only too glad to get rid of such stuff ( just grovel...) - incidentally, if you remove the front optics from a similar lens, you get a half reasonable zoom macro jobbie
pp
Flickr
That's a good idea. I was trying to think of a way to make interchangeable lenses. Still trying to figure out a way to have more working distance, but the math escapes me
My understanding is that it's a fact of life / optics that we've just got to live with ... for this sort of configuration.
There's all manner of useful info here - and of specific interest (for the sort of rigs under discussion) is the 'Technical + Studio / Macro + Closeup' forum.
Many ppl use mic objectives / enlarger lenses etc
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/
pp
edit
whilst I realise this thread is about 'cheap' micro work, this is worth reading (imo) if you want to go a bit further.
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1521
Flickr
I wold take an look at an T-adapter, those are used for Astro photo, it is an adapter/ring with an thread in one end and Nikon, Canon, Pentax or whatever mount in the other end. Maybe you can screw it and glue it onto the "lenstube" and get an working mount.
The T-adapter i talked about might be much cheaper than an extension tube, but if you already have an Extension tube then it might be an easy choice.
Welcome to DGrin!
Actually, a body cap works great and is only a couple bucks. Just needs something to cut out the center with (I used a dremmel)
Ahh, you are right.
Did i really read it that wrong???
Sorry, I can see that you wrote body cap in your earlier post.
And thanks for the "welcome".
Alright. I told you guys that I would figure out how to make the cheap microphotography a little more portable and extend the use. I did it!
Cost breakdown is as follows:
4x objective: 7.50 USD
10x objective: 19 USD
Bellows: 36 USD
Microscope Adapter: 20 USD
For right now I put some gaffer's tape around the objectives to fit them into the microscope adapter. I want to find a female threaded peice that i can put into the adapter and screw the objective into, just haven't found one yet.
Not quite as cheap as the original project. However, now I can use just about any objective as my "tube" is expandable. It's pretty sweet!
Here are the photos of the unit.
1. Closed bellows, 10x objective in the adapter.
2. Bellows open.
3. With the objectives removed.
Here are a couple photos I took with this setup. I am not great at focus and all that yet, but I think they will show you what is possible.
4. A hand of my watch with the 4x objective.
5. Edge of the gaffer's tape with the 10x objective
Amazing device!
Thanks Nik!
I'm loving it so far, I even found a piece to screw the objectives into. Now it will look even nicer.:ivar
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Glad you like the modifications.
Here is a shot of the whole system in use with a microscope slide.