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shorter (~30mm) MF/vintage macro lenses?
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PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 12:02 pm    Post subject: shorter (~30mm) MF/vintage macro lenses? Reply with quote
Hi,

I've been thinking about getting the Lumix G Macro 30mm f/2.8 ASPH ever since it was announced, and it looks pretty neat -

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_G_Macro_30mm_f2-8_H_HS030E/

however - up til recently I was also looking at getting the Samyang 100 2.8 macro, but the recent additions of the Tokina AT-X 90mm 2.5 & Vivitar 135mm 2.8 Close Focusing have really delivered for me, which (put together with mount adapters to m43 and the 2xMFTC) still cost less than that single Samyang lens new.

So I'm wondering - is there anything good in the ~30mm length from pre-autofocus days? I'm familiar with the existence of a couple of Olympus OM macros at 35 and 20mm, but as far as I remember, at least the 20mm is a bellows only lens with a huge magnification ratio, and maybe not practical as walking around lens at all. There are several 50mm nikkor/micro nikkor variants that seem to be regarded as the best thing since sliced bread, but is there anything else around the 35-20mm kind of range that exists, is likely to be reasonably cheap (<~$300-400) and can hold its own vs newer glass?


PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
First i think of CZJ Flektogon F2.4 35mm and Vivitar / Komine Close Focus 2/28mm, then there is really good Revuenon / CHINON in Pentax bayonet 2.8/35mm (Min focus distance: 23cm): http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/chinon-auto-mc-35mm-f2-8.html
Click here to see on Ebay.de
possible choice is also plastic German Enna 2.8/35mm, 28mm or 4/24mm if you find them with clean glass.


PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
First i think of CZJ Flektogon F2.4 35mm and Vivitar / Komine Close Focus 2/28mm, then there is really good Revuenon / CHINON in Pentax bayonet 2.8/35mm (Min focus distance: 23cm): http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/chinon-auto-mc-35mm-f2-8.html
Click here to see on Ebay.de
possible choice is also plastic German Enna 2.8/35mm, 28mm or 4/24mm if you find them with clean glass.


Wow, that's a lot of options! Very Happy

I'd completely forgotten about the Vivitar/Komine 2/28 (is there also a 2.8?) CF lenses, I was just looking at them last month when I was searching for the 90/2.5.

Thanks for your help.


PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another good option for little money is a Ensinor/Clubman 2.8/24 macro which focuses down to a shade under 17cm giving 1/4 life-size at this distance. The image quality, even on full frame, is very good.


PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I,ve been thinking the same on m42 for my canon 500D?


PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 6:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
lens - minimum focus:
Nikkor 28mm/2.8 ais version - 20cm
Flektogon 35mm/2.8 - 18cm
Flektogon 35mm/2.4 - 20cm
olympus 24mm/2.8 - 25cm
sigma 24mm/2.8 superwide II - 18cm
pentacon 29mm/2.8 - 25cm


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Paragon-24mm-f2-8-lens-Olympus-fit-Cimko-macro-wide-angle-lens-/151691072976?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item23517e15d0
Oops copy n paste, not sure how much it will go for but hopefully cheapish


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tervueren wrote:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Paragon-24mm-f2-8-lens-Olympus-fit-Cimko-macro-wide-angle-lens-/151691072976?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item23517e15d0
Oops copy n paste, not sure how much it will go for but hopefully cheapish


That's the same lens as the Ensinor/Clubman I mentioned earlier. Smile


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm curious what is the attraction to "short" focal length macro lenses? Usually folks go for longer lenses to have reasonable working distance. With a 24mm lens, you'll just be a couple inches from subject at 1:1.


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Plenty here on my site: http://www.macrolenses.de/objektive.php?lang
"real" macro lenses that is. Short(er) focal lengths usually result in very high mangifications.


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ray Parkhurst wrote:
I'm curious what is the attraction to "short" focal length macro lenses? Usually folks go for longer lenses to have reasonable working distance. With a 24mm lens, you'll just be a couple inches from subject at 1:1.


While longer macros may be better for working with, it is easier to make a short lens close focus. My 105mm macro is over 15 cm long at full extension; my close focus Flektogon is a nice and compact everyday lens, and could probably get to 1:1 with a medium extension tube


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
DigiChromeEd wrote:
Tervueren wrote:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Paragon-24mm-f2-8-lens-Olympus-fit-Cimko-macro-wide-angle-lens-/151691072976?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item23517e15d0
Oops copy n paste, not sure how much it will go for but hopefully cheapish


That's the same lens as the Ensinor/Clubman I mentioned earlier. Smile


Yes, that's the same. And it's a great lens..

My other choice would be the Flektogon 35 2.4, as recommended earlier, it's a wonderful lens to use close up.


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Basilisk wrote:
Ray Parkhurst wrote:
I'm curious what is the attraction to "short" focal length macro lenses? Usually folks go for longer lenses to have reasonable working distance. With a 24mm lens, you'll just be a couple inches from subject at 1:1.


While longer macros may be better for working with, it is easier to make a short lens close focus. My 105mm macro is over 15 cm long at full extension; my close focus Flektogon is a nice and compact everyday lens, and could probably get to 1:1 with a medium extension tube


Makes sense. I have greatly enjoyed using the Venus/Laowa 60mm SuperMacro for this reason. It has only come off the camera once since I bought it.


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ray Parkhurst wrote:
Basilisk wrote:
Ray Parkhurst wrote:
I'm curious what is the attraction to "short" focal length macro lenses? Usually folks go for longer lenses to have reasonable working distance. With a 24mm lens, you'll just be a couple inches from subject at 1:1.


While longer macros may be better for working with, it is easier to make a short lens close focus. My 105mm macro is over 15 cm long at full extension; my close focus Flektogon is a nice and compact everyday lens, and could probably get to 1:1 with a medium extension tube


Makes sense. I have greatly enjoyed using the Venus/Laowa 60mm SuperMacro for this reason. It has only come off the camera once since I bought it.


On m43 every 60mm macro turns into something that takes shots which look 120mm long, so a short one around 30mm just brings you down to around what the 50-60mm kinds of macros were intended to look like.


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
piggsy wrote:
Ray Parkhurst wrote:
Basilisk wrote:
Ray Parkhurst wrote:
I'm curious what is the attraction to "short" focal length macro lenses? Usually folks go for longer lenses to have reasonable working distance. With a 24mm lens, you'll just be a couple inches from subject at 1:1.


While longer macros may be better for working with, it is easier to make a short lens close focus. My 105mm macro is over 15 cm long at full extension; my close focus Flektogon is a nice and compact everyday lens, and could probably get to 1:1 with a medium extension tube


Makes sense. I have greatly enjoyed using the Venus/Laowa 60mm SuperMacro for this reason. It has only come off the camera once since I bought it.


On m43 every 60mm macro turns into something that takes shots which look 120mm long, so a short one around 30mm just brings you down to around what the 50-60mm kinds of macros were intended to look like.


Yep, and quite down on your knees Wink


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 10:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kds315* wrote:
Plenty here on my site: http://www.macrolenses.de/objektive.php?lang
"real" macro lenses that is. Short(er) focal lengths usually result in very high mangifications.


Oh wow, that's massive. And thanks for all the new suggestions everyone Very Happy


PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kds315* wrote:
piggsy wrote:

On m43 every 60mm macro turns into something that takes shots which look 120mm long, so a short one around 30mm just brings you down to around what the 50-60mm kinds of macros were intended to look like.


Yep, and quite down on your knees Wink


Ha ha Very Happy

But yeah, I have the M.Zuiko 60 2.8, two 90s now (if anyone wants yet another Tokina at-x 90 2.5 vs freshly absurdly expensively professionally cleaned and repaired Vivitar s1 90 2.5 comparison I am equipped to do one Very Happy), the Vivitar 135 2.8 Close Focusing, and the OM 2xmftc for the s1 90 and s1 135 making them even longer. Not so much down low - actually now I remember, I have the Samyang 7.5mm 3.5 fisheye, which focuses pretty ridiculously close, but doesn't really give you a lot of magnification out of it.

From the Lumix AF 30 review earlier -

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_G_Macro_30mm_f2-8_H_HS030E/sample_images.shtml

the shots look nice, and while you do seem to end up with some very short distances for 1:1 that can give self-shadowing behaviour, as the guy says in it - you don't always need every single shot at 1:1, even just a bit back from that for framing or whatnot is fine. And 30mm seems more agreeable as something to carry around on my little E-PM2 just for taking every day photos at normal/infinity distances than any of my absurdly long ones. Those are basically "put the flash bracket and grip on the E-P5 and rest your arms every now and again" Very Happy
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