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Best 50ish macro lens
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PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2014 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I do not have one but have a friend who has gotten very good results from the Olympus Zuiko 50 3.5. It also requires a 25mm tube to reach 1:1 but it is pretty affordable as macros go.


PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2014 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
eno789 wrote:
Preset Takumar 50mm f/4 Macro (Tessar design) - 8-blades; small, sharp, and 1:1.


seems pretty hard to find, at least the preset version Confused


PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2014 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
what about the Industar 61 L/Z or the Volna-9?


PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2014 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rick1779 wrote:
what about the Industar 61 L/Z or the Volna-9?


here you can see samples with industar , it's inexpensive lens , goes for 55$ on ebay
http://forum.mflenses.com/testing-my-lenses-part-21-industar-61-l-z-50mm-2-8-t37541,highlight,+testing++lenses.html

here with volna
http://forum.mflenses.com/testing-my-lenses-part-28-volna-9-50mm-2-8-t37799,highlight,%2Btesting+%2Blenses.html


PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2014 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WolverineX wrote:
Rick1779 wrote:
what about the Industar 61 L/Z or the Volna-9?


here you can see samples with industar , it's inexpensive lens , goes for 55$ on ebay
http://forum.mflenses.com/testing-my-lenses-part-21-industar-61-l-z-50mm-2-8-t37541,highlight,+testing++lenses.html

here with volna
http://forum.mflenses.com/testing-my-lenses-part-28-volna-9-50mm-2-8-t37799,highlight,%2Btesting+%2Blenses.html


I have the industar, i was referring to use it for film scanning


PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2014 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the following 50ish macros:

Leitz 65mm f/3.5 Elmar
SMC 50mm f/4 Macro-Takumar
Nikon 55mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor AIS
Topcon 5.8cm f/3.5 Macro Topcor


I haven't had the Topcon or the Leitz long enough to really say much about them. I got the Topcon for a good price since it had a former owner's SS# inscribed on it. The Leitz is ok, and even though its non-popularity (made in Canada, somewhat checkered reputation) make it a relative Leitz bargain, I do not find it a huge value in terms of price/performance.

Of the other two which I have used extensively, I usually end up reaching for the Macro-Takumar. It is a good performer, and I like the way it handles - especially on the Nex. The Nikkor is wonderful, sharper probably than the Takumar. I have the 27.5mm PK-13 tube which gets it to 1:1. With the Pentax, I use whatever generic helicoids or extension tubes I have handy to get to full size. Whether you go with the Nikon or the Pentax, you won't be sorry, IMHO.

Quite honestly, my favorite MF macro lens is the SMC 100mm f/4 Macro Takumar - I like the extra working distance!

I have tried doing slide transfers with my cameras, but I find that a film scanner gives me more convenience and better results - higher resolution, higher bit depth, and better auto dust spotting with Digital Ice, or equivalent.

All the best,

Paul


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rick1779 wrote:
I have the industar, i was referring to use it for film scanning


It was mentioned earlier, but I'll echo: using a vintage macro lens attached to a camera to scan film will not produce good results. For almost no money, you can get a dedicated film scanner that will produce vastly better images.


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Gardener wrote:
Micro-Nikkors are lovely but you need to watch out for problems - a ton of them have oily apertures and/or stiff focus.


Indeed! I have another one sitting on my desk that is well and truly stuck. But I have two that are sweet.


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 9:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not 50mm, I know.
I use for the digitalizing job of film the Olympus 135 or 80mm Macro lenses with the variable tube. For me the best equipment, I can afford.
Tried my Leica R Macro-Elmarit 2,8/60 and Zeiss Makro-Planar 2,8/60 and compared the results to thoose made with the Olympus lenses.
The Leitz and the Zeiss may be good for bugs & flower macro shooting, but for the film digitalizing they are absolutly not able to come near to the Olympus lenses.
I sold them instantly after this comparing!!!!

Klaus


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
for digitalizing the S-Planar T* 4/100 (on bellows) should be the better choice than Makro-Planar 2,8/60


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
exaklaus wrote:
Not 50mm, I know.
I use for the digitalizing job of film the Olympus 135 or 80mm Macro lenses with the variable tube. For me the best equipment, I can afford.
Tried my Leica R Macro-Elmarit 2,8/60 and Zeiss Makro-Planar 2,8/60 and compared the results to thoose made with the Olympus lenses.
The Leitz and the Zeiss may be good for bugs & flower macro shooting, but for the film digitalizing they are absolutly not able to come near to the Olympus lenses.
I sold them instantly after this comparing!!!!

Klaus


I was thinking of using the dslr for digitalizin film since the Epson prefection 3490 doesn't give me great results Confused


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's why I started using the 5DII with the mentioned lenses for that job.
With Imacon filmholders, which hold the film really flat. Important, as above f8 you will loose a lot of resolution!

Klaus


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
exaklaus wrote:
That's why I started using the 5DII with the mentioned lenses for that job.
With Imacon filmholders, which hold the film really flat. Important, as above f8 you will loose a lot of resolution!

Klaus


Thanks Wink


PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This is my setup:



Eos 40D, EF 100mm 2.8 USM Macro.

The scans are much better than those from my Canoscan 9000F.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
eeec wrote:
Rick1779 wrote:
I have the industar, i was referring to use it for film scanning


It was mentioned earlier, but I'll echo: using a vintage macro lens attached to a camera to scan film will not produce good results. For almost no money, you can get a dedicated film scanner that will produce vastly better images.


I like that this garbage opinion was ignored, lol.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
mackeral wrote:
eeec wrote:
Rick1779 wrote:
I have the industar, i was referring to use it for film scanning


It was mentioned earlier, but I'll echo: using a vintage macro lens attached to a camera to scan film will not produce good results. For almost no money, you can get a dedicated film scanner that will produce vastly better images.


I like that this garbage opinion was ignored, lol.


Laughing

Part of the post being echoed:

pdccameras wrote:
...

I have tried doing slide transfers with my cameras, but I find that a film scanner gives me more convenience and better results - higher resolution, higher bit depth, and better auto dust spotting with Digital Ice, or equivalent.

...


Depends on which "film scanner" was used, yes?

Or have modern camera sensors made drum scanners obsolete?


PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
My favs

* SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2.8 Macro
* Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 50mm f/2
* Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 (or f/3.5, any version)
* Asahi Macro-Takumar 50mm f/4 (preset, 1:1)
* Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 50mm f/3.5
* Vivitar 55mm f/2.8 Macro (1:1)


PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
For large or medium format scanning, about any decent macro lens will deliver good results.

For 35mm or smaller format film scanning, it's better to use a specialized lens in order to extract all the information present on the film without corner smearing. My sharpest lens for small format film scanning is the Canon Macrophoto 35mm f/2.8 bellows. This is an old Canon lens in RMS mount (microscope objective thread), which is supposed supposed to be used on a Canon FD bellows with an adapter. With this setup, the lens will provide a range of magnification from about 2:1 to 6:1. On a DSLR with an FD adapter, it will not allow 1:1 copy. When used on a full frame mirrorless camera, because of the shortest registration, it is possible to go to 1:1 and lower, thus allowing to copy 35mm frames while showing part of the sprocket perforations.

Here's a page with some test results from this lens: http://coinimaging.com/can35_bel.html

And here's a nice wasp head shot with this lens: https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?t=1136263&l=en

For small format film scanning, the Canon Macrophoto 35mm f/2.8 offers very good resolution, flat field, low transverse chromatic aberration and absolutely no coma. From 1:1 to 2.5:1 for flat subjects, it's hard to beat it in its price range (I paid about $200 for mine).

Cheers!

Abbazz


PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
FD 50/3.5

#1


Volna 9 50/2.8
#2


Zuiko 50/3.5
#3


PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 3:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Beautiful work Marin.
Lovely bokeh from the Zuiko
Tom
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