97 replies to this topic

[lou f]

with a 50/60 the subject at 1:1 will be nearly on the front port, the 105/100 macros get a little more working distance, 4 or 5 inches.

[fcharp]

with a 50/60 the subject at 1:1 will be nearly on the front port, the 105/100 macros get a little more working distance, 4 or 5 inches.

Lou,

Thank you for the feedback. A rather important point, as a matter of fact :-)... So yes, I will be looking at the Nikon 105mm micro w/VR. I saw somewhere else in this forum that the VR actually works quite well underwater.

As a footnote, let me add that we are switching to Nikon for the new gear. The D300 to be more specific. I contemplated the soon-to-come D90, but there will be no Ikelite housing for it for a while, whereas the housing for the D300 exists. The D300 has Live View and great ISO. The Live View was a must for me... I tried taking some close-ups with the Canon 20D underwater and framing anything through the viewfinder is a little too much of a challenge for me... I also prefer Nikon's lens line for macro photo. For general purpose photo, I went with Ken Rockwell's advice and got the 18-200mm VR lens. All in all, this is amazing equipment.

Cheers,

Frederic

[fcharp]

Oh... one more thing... Does anybody manufacture a ring macro flash for underwater? That would be a wonderful gadget!

Frederic

[lou f]

with duel strobe placed right beside the lens port you dont need a ring flash. if you go with ikelite the i-ttl works perfectly.

[kerimos]

I've been reeding this topic and I believe I still need some help.

I have a Nikon 60 mm macro (on a d200), do I buy a (2x or 3x) TC (or should it be an extension tube) and (4x or 6x) a diopter to get the largest ratio ?

Also TC are multiplying the f's we know that, but is it important for underwater macro photography since we all are using powerful strobes at very close distances ??

Thanks

[aussie]

Oh... one more thing... Does anybody manufacture a ring macro flash for underwater? That would be a wonderful gadget!

Frederic

It's from the film days, but Inon do: http://inonamerica.c...c...=1&subcat=1

[Gudge]

Athena do an UW ring flash too:

http://www.athena-op.../ringflashe.htm

[bruceterrill]

I've been reeding this topic and I believe I still need some help.

I have a Nikon 60 mm macro (on a d200), do I buy a (2x or 3x) TC (or should it be an extension tube) and (4x or 6x) a diopter to get the largest ratio ?

Also TC are multiplying the f's we know that, but is it important for underwater macro photography since we all are using powerful strobes at very close distances ??

Thanks

Hi Kermidos,

Extension tubes are a bit out dated and cumbersome underwater. I think that you would need about 180mm of extension tube to get the same effects as the 3X T/C.

A 2X or 3X T/C will definately lose you some FStops, about F5.6 or F8, but I have seen pics from units a helluva lot bigger than the 60mm micro with 3X T/C attached in the pages of this forum, so I'm guessing that the lighting can be controlled with correct placement more so than power.

Now this diopter stuff still scares the shit outa me. I really wish that someone with the "smarts" would step in here and once and for all give a decent 'reading' as to how we select and use these "critters from space". . . . .

Now I know that the 60mm micro has a short focusing distance, and a diopter works by shortening the minimum focusing distance, and if you intend to use a diopter with the 60mm micro to shorten the already short minumum focusing point, some say that the short point will be inside the port and that will be too short. But how short is too short? I have used the 60mm micro with Nexus wet diopter before and used a slightly shorter focusing point and not the full short focusing port with good results. I know that the shorter than full short focusing point gives good results because the pics from the shorter than full short set-up are definately different in magnification than images that haven't been shortened by the wet diopter. Now, I don't have any images from the full short minimum focusing port because I didn't have anything that was short enough to fit inside the port and be photographed at the full short minimum focusing distance. Anyway, I would probably come up short using the wet diopter because I would no longer have the full short minimum focusing point because the short thing that I had placed inside the port for the full short minimum focusing distance of the 60mm micro with wet diopter to take a picture of would be behind the wet diopter and in front of the 60mm micro, so again, I'm guessing that I would come up short. . . .

It really would be nice for someone to step in and give all the readers a decent working 'paper' on the selection and use of wet/internal diopters. . . .

Bruce...

[kerimos]

Thank you Bruce for your prompt reply,

I see that we both have the same setup (Nexus flat port, Nikon 60mm macro lens and the wet diopter).

Here comes the questions;

I will purchase the 3x Kenko TC (do you have suggestions for other brands ?), would you say, it is worth buying a 105 macro vr ( I read in an article that it has an underwater AF problem) and use with the Kenko TC (hoping that Nexus has the port extension)?

And is it worth buying the new nikon 60 mm macro.

Thank you in advance

Kerim

[bruceterrill]

Thank you Bruce for your prompt reply,

I see that we both have the same setup (Nexus flat port, Nikon 60mm macro lens and the wet diopter).

Here comes the questions;

I will purchase the 3x Kenko TC (do you have suggestions for other brands ?), would you say, it is worth buying a 105 macro vr ( I read in an article that it has an underwater AF problem) and use with the Kenko TC (hoping that Nexus has the port extension)?

And is it worth buying the new nikon 60 mm macro.

Thank you in advance

Kerim

Hi Kerim,

Honestly mate, I know very little on this subject and that is why I continually ask people who have this 'knowledge' to step in so I can learn also.
I think that you could learn a lot from James Wiseman's thread on the Tamron 70 -200mm F2.8 macro lens.
If I were running full frame, this is the way that I would go.
I don't own the new 105mm Micro but if I had the money, I would get one "in a heartbeat." I haven't heard any valid or repeated concerns with this lens.
I have tried the wet diopters with my own 105mm Micro 'D series' lens and cannot get it to work. Focus becomes a serious issue. I have finally found one of Nikon's 3T internal close-up lenses and it works superbly. This is the way I will continue to work in the future.

Kenko is the teleconverter of choice. However, the Tamron is 'supposed' to be from the same factory...

When I started chasing super macro, I found a few Wetpixel members VERY friendly and helpful. Read the thread that you are in very carefully for your questions and then contact those members for your answers.

I have heard mixed reports about the new 'G series' 60mm Micro. I will be trying to buy it for the IF value of the thing, alone...

HTH, . . . . and please re-read my opening line.

Bruce

[eskasi]

I am picking up some new stuff tomorrow....a 70-200VR topside lens, an SB-900 flash and 2 Kenko TCs (1.2x and 2x). I too am keen to try them on my 105VR this week in Lembeh. I may also slap a Inon wet diopter to the front of my Athena port on top of this. My question is how do you customize your focus gears to work with the added length of TCs? Do I just slap it to manual focus and move the rig forwards and back to obtain focus? I can't imagine AF would work well......would it??

Edited by eskasi, 06 December 2008 - 05:54 PM.

[StephenFrink]

I did some analysis with wet diopters during recent trip to Raja Ampat. Images and observations for magnification beyond 1:1 at:

http://stephenfrink....et-diopter.html

Edited by StephenFrink, 06 December 2008 - 12:55 PM.

[Mariozi]

This is a baby goby on 4.5:1 on film days:


This is his dad on the same setup:


These pictures are only 8 x 5.33 mm!!!
They would look like 6.75:1 on my D300 (but would still be technically 4.5:1).
I heard cases of a few guys who tried to go past 1:1 and simply didn't make it.
I use Kenko Pro300 3x TC and Kenko AF ETs. But I have to lock everything in the max magnification and hunt for the subjects.
I also have the specification for the ports on Sea&Sea system for up to 6.25:1 magnification if you want.

[Mariozi]

I just finished a series of small articles on supermacro on my home page.
If the guys at the UWPhoto Resources site wants to use it or link it, feel free to do it.
I tried to use the most updated and correct info available on equipment and the most precise technical info.

[kerimos]

Hi all,

I ve purchased 1+, 2+, 4+ filters on top of my Nikon 60mm Macro Lens (Old Model).
You will see the results below.
Final shot was taken by adding up all three filters and woody's wet lens on the Nexus Macro port ;


1 - 60 mm macro

2- 60 mm macro + 1+

3- 60 mm macro + 2+

4- 60 mm macro + 2+ 1+

5- 60 mm macro + 4+

6- 60 mm macro + 4+ 1+

7- 60 mm macro + 4+ 2+

8- 60 mm macro + 4+ 2+ 1+

9- 60 mm macro + woody

10- 60 mm macro + 4+ 2+ 1+ woody

I hope this answers some of the questions.

Kerim Sabuncuoglu
Istanbul

Edited by kerimos, 17 April 2009 - 11:20 AM.

[blibecap]

Does anyone have any experience with the Nikon 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-G lens?

[ckchong]

Others than woody wet lens, do any one here have expericene with inon or UN wet lens????? (i mean attach to the port)

[danielstassen]

Hi there,

After reading the above threats I have a question:

- If I use my canon 100 with a 1.4 teleconverter and a canon 500D close up lens, will the camera be able to focus automatically or will I need to focus manually?

Cheers

Daniel

[wahlaoeh]

Hi there,
I wanna to buy a 2.0x teleconvertor for my AF-S Nikkor 60mm and AF-S VR Nikkor 105mm. Nikon has got a TC-20E II/III teleconvertor (http://imaging.nikon...20e_3/index.htm) but the website stated that auto-focus cannot be used for the 105mm. The 60mm is not listed in the compatible lenses listing. Does this means that the teleconvertor cannot be used for this lens? This teleconvertor is quite expensive (USD450-500) so I do not want something that cannot be auto-focus or not worked with either lens.

Is there any other compatible teleconvertor for these AF-S lenses. I know that the Kenko 2.0X teleconvertor cannot be used. Pls help to advise. Many Thanks.

Happy bubbles,
Jovin-

[TomR1]

I use a Nikon AF-105-VR almost exclusively. It has a 6-7" working distance (Distance from the end of the lens) to get 1:1. A subsee adapter will give 2.25:1 at a workind distance of about 3", somewhat less if you back up just a bit.

Here is a Bubble Coral Shrimp at more than 1:1. It is full frame. (I am not sure of the actual magnification but it is better than 1:1.) What is nice about this shot is that it is still a shot of the critter and the environment,

Attached Images

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Edited by TomR1, 11 April 2010 - 08:22 PM.