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How to reverse Nikkor EL 50/2.8 on Canon Fd bellows
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 10:41 am    Post subject: How to reverse Nikkor EL 50/2.8 on Canon Fd bellows Reply with quote

Hi. I have a fd bellows and an adapter that connects to my m4/3 camera.
I also have a Nikkor EL 50/2.8 enlarger lens that i want to reverse-fit on my fd bellows.
Can somebody tell me what adapters to buy to reverse my EL lens on my bellows?


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nikon used to sell reverse mount adapters for EL-Nikkors, you can still find one of those at eBay.
Though for 50mm f2.8's reverse ring is hard to find I guess, depending on your 50mm EL-nikkor
there are two kinds of front openings; one is 40.5mm and possibly the other one is 39mm.

So you must find female-female adapter/ring of one end 42mm one, and M42->FD adapter ($11)
at eBay. But it is extremely difficult to find one, you may have to make it yourself for your need.

Just buy a step-up ring of base 40.5mm AND an another step-up ring of base 42mm one, glue
them together to make for example 40.5->42mm female-female adapter after filing off some parts.

setting I am talking is this:
(reversed EL-Nikkor 50mm) + (female-female ring 40.5->42 or 39->42) + (M42->FD adapter) + (FD mount bellows) + Camera

You have to know the front opening size of your EL-nikkor. See this>


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It might be easier to use a different bellows, an M39 or M42 bellows, an M39 could adapt to M-mount which is what I did for my NEX-7, which is quick and easy to mount and dismount, then all you need is an M39 to M40.5 male to male adapter to mount it in reverse.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lightshow wrote:
It might be easier to use a different bellows, an M39 or M42 bellows, an M39 could adapt to M-mount which is what I did for my NEX-7, which is quick and easy to mount and dismount, then all you need is an M39 to M40.5 male to male adapter to mount it in reverse.


So for a M42 bellows that would be an M42 to M40.5 male adapter I guess.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is a very reliable guy who makes those Click here to see on Ebay


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why reverse an enlarging lens?

On a standard, camera lens the front is designed for curved field and the rear for flat field. An enlarging lens is designed for flat field front and rear. So you can mount it normally and get great results.

Use this M42 to Canon FD adapter Click here to see on Ebay or one like it and an M39 to M42 ring .Click here to see on Ebay . That is how I do it.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nope, not sufficient reason.

Reversing only needs to be done, if used for large magnifications where the distance object - lens is (much) shorter than the distance lens - sensor and or if the lens is non-symmetrical.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So for normal macro work reversing the lens would be unnecessary?


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

caspert79 wrote:
So for normal macro work reversing the lens would be unnecessary?


Totally unnecessary, enlarger lenses are perfect for macro because of their design.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks a lot guys. I'm glad it's even easier than I thought.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

philslizzy wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
So for normal macro work reversing the lens would be unnecessary?


Totally unnecessary, enlarger lenses are perfect for macro because of their design.


untrue, not in general.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kds315* wrote:
nope, not sufficient reason.

Reversing only needs to be done, if used for large magnifications where the distance object - lens is (much) shorter than the distance lens - sensor and or if the lens is non-symmetrical.


kds315* wrote:
philslizzy wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
So for normal macro work reversing the lens would be unnecessary?


Totally unnecessary, enlarger lenses are perfect for macro because of their design.


untrue, not in general.


"Untrue not in general" ??

Try it caspert79, you will get good results.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 4:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Of course you can use an FD 50mm 1.8 lens quite happily in its reversed position on the Canon FD bellows. The bellows even came with its own attachment for doing so.
And 50mm 1.8's are pretty cheap - maybe cheaper than a new bellows
OH


PostPosted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's my setup and some pics with a 7.5cm/3.5 enlarger lens that is not reversed.
http://forum.mflenses.com/kominar-e-7-5cm-3-5-more-pics-t60140.html


PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 3:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Technically none of the Nikon enlarger lenses (except the really long ones) are optimized for the macro range from 1:2...2:1. They are OK but not as good as so-called duplicating lenses which are optimized for that narrow magnification range. If you're working from 1:20...1:2 you should mount the lens forward. If working from 2:1 or higher you should mount it reversed. From 1:2...2:1 it doesn't matter which way you mount it...Ray


PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

koji wrote:
...
So you must find female-female adapter/ring of one end 42mm one, and M42->FD adapter ($11)
at eBay. But it is extremely difficult to find one, you may have to make it yourself for your need.

Just buy a step-up ring of base 40.5mm AND an another step-up ring of base 42mm one, glue
them together to make for example 40.5->42mm female-female adapter after filing off some parts.

setting I am talking is this:
(reversed EL-Nikkor 50mm) + (female-female ring 40.5->42 or 39->42) + (M42->FD adapter) + (FD mount bellows) + Camera



Or another solution without any bellows could be the VNEX... it has the the 40.5mm filter ring and a small 6mm M39 ring or alternative a 25mm M39 tube for reversing the 40.5mm to M39...

with VNEX you can use the EL NIKKOR N 2.8/50mm as a standard 50mm lens or - like seen in this construction, reverse for macro work 1:1...

hinnerker wrote:
Ok, let us see, what we can do with the accessories from VNEX...

There is also a retro - ring in the optional VNEX tool-set shown left part of second row in the picture..





If you combine that retro - ring with the macro - extension - tube in the next picture..



You will get a provisorical lenshood.. ugly, but works perfect for a 75mm lens (50mm x 1.5 crop!)



This solution has two advantages..

1. you have got a lenshood for free, always taken with you..
2. and you can reverse the complete lenshood/ macro-tube Unit together with the lens very fast on the VNEX for immediately doing macro-shots with a reprodution scale of 1:1 instead the normal scale of 1:3 without the tube. If you sometimes really need that Very Happy

Advantage: There is no need to take a specialist makro lens with you..! You already take that with you Very Happy



So this is a great compact solution for "normal" situations .. using good enlarger lenses as a "normal" lens with reproduction scale up to 1:3 and with the tube having directly a macro 1:1 option if reverted the lenshood/lens Unit....


A very compact thing.. have a look at this small comparison in dimension..

(Leica-R Makro Elmarit 2.8/60mm with adaptors, EL NIKKOR N 2.8/50mm with VNEX, Componon 4/28mm with VNEX accessory's brought to a normal M39 to NEX adaptor)

Very compact, isnt it?


Cheers
Hinnerker


PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PM sent.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fwiw, one of the sharpest macro setups I ever used was a new style mc el nikkor 135mm f5.6 mounted normally on a bellows via a m39 to m42 ring. NOT reverse mounted.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are adapters availble now here: http://rafcamera.com/en/adapter-rev-m40-5x0-5-to-m39x1