Recommendations for an Old Macro Lens

[milandro]

I'm happy to hear that you got this in the end.

 

I am personally very happy with it especially for the reason that I can use it both for macro and to adapt lenses without any helicoid.

 

Lately I use it also on an Helios which had lost the last part of the focussing barrel (still has the internal helicoid) and in this way is adapted to Fuji and focusses very easily too.

 

Of course there are disadvantages in using an helicoidal extension macro tube since the light diminishes with the square of the distance you are pretty soon losing light like hell ( at the speed of light!) when you get very close.

 

Did you have to pay any tax?

Edited February 14, 2017 by milandro

[Alex Cremers]

 

Of course there are disadvantages in using an helicoidal extension macro tube since the light diminishes with the square of the distance you are pretty soon losing light like hell ( at the speed of light!) when you get very close.

 

Did you have to pay any tax?

 

True ... but it beats using tubes. I found some beautiful Minolta Achromatic Close-up lenses (not those thin ones you see everywhere) for a few Euro so I'm probably going to alternate between that and the helicoid adapter for the coming time.

 

Nope, no taxes! The price was on the outside of the package. It said "Lens adapter. Value: 3.00". That is such a low value that Belgium customs probably let it slide. 

[milandro]

yes, they do that often, of course being a very small item this helps.

 

Interesting the achromatic lenses. I have found one Sigma Achromatic macro lens too but it appears to be just a close up filter like many others there is no indication of its dioptric correction. Maybe I will find something better one day.

 

Macro photography is not something I practice a lot but it is nice to have some extra macro capability.

[Alex Cremers]

Here's a list of currently available achromatic close-up lenses.The Minoltas don't really have high diopters but it's more than enough for me. I'm not really into super macro. It's just nice to get closer to a little flower with a Super Takumar 55mm 1.8 lens, for instance. The helicoid adapter is downright perfect for that.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/erker/closeups.html

Edited February 14, 2017 by Alex Cremers

[milandro]

thanks, found a SIGMA but tit is not mine, I think. 

 

I am happy for what I have to do with what I’ve got   

[Jaco van Lith]

Panagor Macro 50 mm. Panagor 100 mm. A 100 mm enlager optic mounted on a macro bellow. Close up lens +10 with your standard optic.

Pentax 100 mm macro. Anything mounted on a macro bellow !!!!

[Alex Cremers]

The cheap Chinese helicoid adapter (Pixco) that I bought on ebay already died on me (a little screw on the inside sticks out a bit and jams the adapter). So I just bought a slightly more expensive one from Fotodiox. Fingers crossed!

[Jaco van Lith]

Macro? A macro-bellow with M 42 screw mount will do very well from infinity to 1:1. An enlarging lens ( with M39/M42 ) can fixed to the bellow.

Focal distance of the enlarging lens: 50 mm,  80 mm, 135 mm. Any brand is okay !

[Alex Cremers]

I probably will try that just to see the difference between a normal lens and an enlarger lens. 

[milandro]

an enlarging lens would work well for macro ( better so on an helicoid than on a macro bellows which makes the ensemble rather more heavy and difficult to operate) because corrected for short distance, some would work better than others ( like old Leica and Agfa lenses and old Componons) because of their circular, sometimes stopless, aperture. Some lenses are also apochromatic.

 

The drawback is the aperture relatively slow of most enlarging lenses and the size of lenses longer than 150mm, but shorter lenses than that are very small and light.

[Alex Cremers]

I'm waiting for a 50mm 2.8 to cross my path. Or maybe a 75mm 3.5 .... Most are 4 or 5.6 ...

[milandro]

There are many, Componon, Rodagon, Nikon, all at little money, I suggest you look at charity shops.

 

The latest Componon or Rodagon have less blades but can be clicked into continuous ( stopless ) aperture ( was useful for color printing).

 

 

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/audio-tv-en-foto/fotografie-lenzen-en-objectieven/m1152350064-schneider-kreuznach-componon-s-2-8-50mm.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr&pos=6

 

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/audio-tv-en-foto/fotografie-lenzen-en-objectieven/m1172618975-rodenstock-rodagon-2-8-50-mm-vergrotingsobjectief.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr&pos=3

 

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/audio-tv-en-foto/fotografie-lenzen-en-objectieven/m1152348319-rodenstock-rodagon-lens-50mm-2-8.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr&pos=11

[Alex Cremers]

Thanks! 

 

So all I need is a step up/down ring to connect a M39 enlarger lens to my helicoid M42 adapter?

[milandro]

yes, I use to have a few but I gave them away when I sold all my enlarging stuff.

 

I also had them to use on seiko/tominon ( Polaroid) shutters of my MP4.

[Alex Cremers]

Would it be a good idea to glue the ring onto the M39 thread of the lens? I fear that small ring will get stuck in the helicoid adapter. Once it's inside you'll never be able to unscrew it again.

[milandro]

I wouldn’t do it.  You will not really put any real power on the lens since you are focussing with the ring.

 

At most i’d use loctite thread locker (the weakest one)