Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

A few special macro lenses (the best I dare to say)
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:08 am    Post subject: A few special macro lenses (the best I dare to say) Reply with quote

Well, I have been asked a few months ago to make some shots for a coming book on macro photography,
so why not share that here.



What you see here is in my humbly opinion the best special macro lenses this world has to offer currently, the:

- Zeiss Luminar II (63, 40, 25, 16mm) - middle
- Nikon Macro Nikkor (120, 65, 35, 19mm) - top right
- Leitz Photar II (130, 80, 50, 25, 12.5mm) - top left

and btw. the order is NOT coincidental ... Wink

Here a close up of the Zeiss LUMINARs (last series II):



PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Never heard , never seen any of them Shocked


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What is the mount on these things?


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW Shocked NSFW NSFW! too late...


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Arkku wrote:
What is the mount on these things?


"these things"??? Look it up in my database here:
[url] http://www.macrolenses.de [/url]


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kds315* wrote:
Arkku wrote:
What is the mount on these things?


"these things"??? Look it up in my database here:
[url] http://www.macrolenses.de [/url]


Looking at the database, I guess “RMS” would be the correct answer for most of these? I guess that is a mount used for microscope lenses, but it seems to be quite hard to google it due to the overloaded acronym. =)


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes,the small ones are indeed RMS, the larger ones either M39 (Macro Nikkors) or M42 (Photars).
RMS stands for "Royal Microscopic Society" and is being used since many decades. It has later been
standardized as DIN/EN/ISO 8038-1 as has W 0,8" x 1/36"

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_thread


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Only problem is, most of these are not commonly available & when encountered, fetch extremely high prices. I think a ranking of more commonly available lenses would be better for most on this forum...


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wow! great family pic, and they are new!


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Screamin Scott wrote:
Only problem is, most of these are not commonly available & when encountered, fetch extremely high prices. I think a ranking of more commonly available lenses would be better for most on this forum...


True Scott but all of us here including yourself may well have lenses or cameras that other members may not so relevance is a moot point.

If members are lucky enough to have exotica it does no harm to share it pictorially with the other members to further increase their knowledge of what's out there. Affordability is relative.

This is the Equipment Gallery where we can show off our gear after all... Smile


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Screamin Scott wrote:
Only problem is, most of these are not commonly available & when encountered, fetch extremely high prices.


Not necessarily. Indeed, these (and even more so their predecessors) sometimes are bargain finds - the market is small, and as used ones tend to come from industrial or research facilities where they may be installed by the dozen, one surplus seller may end up with far more lenses than the potential customers in his reach can absorb.

Sevo


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, yes indeed guys. You could be lucky and find those sitting in a corner of a microscopist lab or microscope dealer and get them for little (if you happen to know them and that was the idea) or see them on ebay where prices have been driven up (I plead guilty thanks to my macro lens database). Since quite some time prices are about constant now after a few years of increase.

But still, these are the best of the best and why should that not be mentioned just because they are expensive?


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very admirable collection Klaus.

Also I agree to the opinion of showing various and/or rather rare equipments
to this forum, otherwise we wont know things or unable to know the best of
the best regardless the price. Museums exist for this purpose, so is Klaus. Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Agreed Koji, but I'm not a museum, I use my stuff (time permitting) Wink Wink


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice to see you are working these things into a book. It will certainly be a necessary reference on the subject, as you probably have the worlds leading collection of these lenses.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Luis, the book on macro photography is out since more than a year, but written be someone I know and who asked me for images of these specialized lenses.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello!

I was looking for some info about Photar II 80/5.6 and I found this thread. May I compare the lenses in the first picture with athletes on a podium? Like 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place? Smile

I wasn't able to find any good reviews about Photar II 80/5.6 and I'll receive the lens very soon. I was getting a little bit worried the lens is not that good.

I have currently a Schneider Componon-S 80/4 and a Rodenstock Rodagon 80/4. I'm especially impressed with Rodagon, I'm already able to get very good results with it so I hope I'll get even better with Photar.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Luminars and macro Nikkors are my person #1's, Photars II are close behind #2's - no need to worry!


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm just wondering, how do you use the RMS thread lenses? I take it you need specialist bellows?

I have been thinkin of picking up a cheap microscope objective for extreme macro then spotted this thread.

Do 'normal' microscope lenses have a large enough image circle to cover an APS sensor or will they just produce a circular image?


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure, just get a RMS-M42 adapter on ebay and use a bellows long enough that allows you to also use microscope lenses (low magnification up to max. 20x, better 10x or 5x). Do not buy infinity corrected ones, only 160/- or 210/-. That dash "-" is important as it denotes "no cover glass"! Normal mic. objectives (they are not called "lenses") do not have an iris, so be prepared to have very shallow, paper thin DOF.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wow, what a collection... all I have is THE excellent Nikkor-EL 80/5.6 Razz


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quality and quantity have always been two very different subjects Wink


PostPosted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello, me again. Smile

I wasn't able to find a thorough review of the Photar 80/5.6. Any idea of the recommended magnification range for this lens?

Thanks.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great collection and also professionally photographed.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crisarg wrote:
Hello, me again. Smile

I wasn't able to find a thorough review of the Photar 80/5.6. Any idea of the recommended magnification range for this lens?

Thanks.


ever read the footer with my links? Seen the macrolenses link? I guess not, as it lists all that you ask... Wink