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Up close and personal..

LiamD
Posted 08/02/2007 - 20:33 Link
Hi all,

I thought today I would see how macro I can go..

Sadly this can only be checked by the British contingent (unless you have an english penny later than the late 90s).

Dig in your pocket and get a shiny penny out; now have a look underneath the Queen's neck.. just between that and the EL of Elizabeth's name, you can just make out three letters IRB..

..well here they are. This is uncropped, and except for a little clean up, is as it came out of the camera..

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I tried measuring it, (what?? with my eyes) and the image represents just a little over 1mm.. call it 1 1/4mm for the ease of maths, and thats 20x magnification..

I'd hate to think what the DOF is at that magnification, and that was as good as I could get the focus, but I'm guessing it'll be measured in microns rather than feet..

Now, as the schools have been closed today, here's your little known fact.. IRB stands for Ian Rank-Broadley, the sculptor who originally designed the portrait for the coin. Here endeth the lesson..

What I used: DL, Soligor 70-210 macro lens (at full macro extension) with two 30mm extension tubes, one 2x converter, and a 50mm 1.7 reversed over the end. I'll see if I can get any closer later in the week.

Cheers

Liam
Liam


"Make your hands respond to what your mind demands." Jesse James

Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward. Look for the 'ah-ha'. Ernst Haas
meirion
Posted 08/02/2007 - 20:56 Link
Holy moly, just studied a penny and never even knew that was there. By'eck it's little
Mongoose
Posted 08/02/2007 - 21:50 Link
That is a lot of macro.

I detect a challenge!
Mongoose
Posted 08/02/2007 - 23:17 Link
ok, I had a go.

first I'd like to say MAN is this a difficult challenge. All in good fun!

I don't have any extension tubes, so instead I have mounted the following

Tamron 90mm SP Macro + 3 2x converters (2x Tamron SP flat field ones and a Tokina RMC) with a Zeiss Flektogon 35mm reversed at the front of it all.

It's a bit dark with all those converters, so I used a desk lamp directed straight at the penny to give me enough light to focus by and then fired a flashgun manually during a 2 second exposure to provide the actual light in hope of reducing noise by keeping the exposure short and the ISO low.

This is the best I have managed

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LiamD
Posted 09/02/2007 - 00:10 Link
Nice one Mongoose..

A challenge indeed then..

Sadly again, only for those with a late 90s onwards 1 pence piece.. post the greatest magnification of IRB.. it will be taken on trust that no-one blew up a picture to suit.

In the words of Arnie.. I'll be back.. I haven't tried reversing a 300m 5.6 off of the soligor.. and I have another 2x converter to hand..

Without glasses, I wouldn't be able to put my socks on of a morning, so this should be interesting.

Cheers

Liam
Liam


"Make your hands respond to what your mind demands." Jesse James

Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward. Look for the 'ah-ha'. Ernst Haas
Mr. Ist
Posted 09/02/2007 - 16:32 Link
Not nearly as impressive as some of the other attempts above, but this is my offering. Quite a fun challenge to set it all up - the coin was blutacked to the wall with the camera on a small wheely table that I could move back and forth to focus. couldn't have used a tripod as the whole thing was about 18 inches long

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Ist DL2, 65mm worth of extension tubes, 300mm lens, + 135mm + reversed 50mm (+ all held together with sellotape and a bit of luck)

It makes one realise what a really flexible set up an slr system is

liam - your sensor looks pretty grubby
Mongoose the clear winner at the moment...
Mongoose
Posted 09/02/2007 - 17:08 Link
mr Ist that sounds a pretty mamoth setup! unfortunately the picture isn't showing at the moment neat idea with the focusing, it took me AGES to get mine even as close as it is.

my 35mm zeiss was selotaped to the inside of the tamron's lens hood. Good to get the old ingenuity going from time to time isn't it?

edit: picture has apeared now, nice one
LiamD
Posted 09/02/2007 - 17:13 Link
Hi Mr ist,

first.. your photo doesn't display.. although I've followed the link and it's pretty good..

OK, so it does now..

I noticed that about the dirt.. I'll have to give everything a good clean.

I used a tripod, but I hung it pointing down and used the centre column winch handle as a focussing adjuster. As long as it's perpendicular, it works fine.

Cheers

Liam
Liam


"Make your hands respond to what your mind demands." Jesse James

Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward. Look for the 'ah-ha'. Ernst Haas
Daniel Bridge
Posted 09/02/2007 - 17:22 Link
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Sigma 70-300, Sigma 24mm reversed, 6 extension tubes and the Pentax 1.7x convertor, lots of patience.

Closer, but not the best quality...

Dan
MattMatic
Posted 09/02/2007 - 17:30 Link
Crazy !
Wouldn't it be easier just to get a microscope?? Say a scanning-electron one
Matt
Rodger Fooks
Posted 09/02/2007 - 17:31 Link
My wife thinks you all need to get out more

BTW Why is nobody using bellows any more, when I get back I might give it a go (she knows I'm sad anyway)
Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
Daniel Bridge
Posted 09/02/2007 - 17:42 Link
MattMatic wrote:
Wouldn't it be easier just to get a microscope?? Say a scanning-electron one

Hmmm, I'll just check ebay.

Rodger Fooks wrote:
Why is nobody using bellows any more?

Cos I ain't got none!

Off to try a little closer...

Dan
LiamD
Posted 09/02/2007 - 18:02 Link
MattMatic wrote:
Crazy !
Wouldn't it be easier just to get a microscope?? Say a scanning-electron one
Matt

Yeah but, no but..

In the same vein, Captain Webb could've just got the ferry..

Hmmm.. I wonder if you can reverse a 500mm mirror lens..

I'll find out soon enough. DOF in microns.. anyone for doughnuts.

Cheers

Liam
Liam


"Make your hands respond to what your mind demands." Jesse James

Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward. Look for the 'ah-ha'. Ernst Haas
Mr. Ist
Posted 09/02/2007 - 18:03 Link
Daniel's one is incredible
Daniel Bridge
Posted 09/02/2007 - 18:18 Link
Mr. Ist wrote:
Daniel's one is incredible

Wait for it....


Ta da!!

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Actually using the 70-300 at 300mm. 6 extension tubes are around 140mm. Got another 3 somewhere...

As an exercise in patience, it's been rewarding, but practical uses...? Bearing in mind it's taken me about 30 minutes to focus the thing.

Dan

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