I haven't used a 16-45 but, from f/8 onwards, my MK2 18-55mm is as sharp as any prime I have (24mm,28mm,35mm,50mm). It starts to lose out at f/5.6, but only if you really pixel peep.

Andrew

Nigel, stop worrying about technical issues - just go out and take some photos.

Personally, I like using a M75-150 f/4 with extension tubes. I find it easier to focus than using a prime. Also, esepcially at the apertures you will (probably) be using, it's as sharp as anything else you could use.

Andrew

You need have no fear. Your Jessop rings do not have electrical contacts - at least, not unless I sent you the wrong set.

Andrew

Nigel, in your last pic, you need to push the button towards the top of the pic and rotate the tubes anticlockwise - i.e. lift the pin, don't push it inwards.

Andrew

A bit of excessive modesty there methinks. I could get away with that quite easily - but you, I think not.

Andrew

Nigel - go and buy some extension tubes and try them out with a lens you already have. The Pentax M75-150mm does work well with tubes (I have one too!). If you don't like the results - then go and buy a lens, nothing lost.

Andrew

Nigel, if you want to try out macro photography, why not just buy some cheap extension tubes off ebay and use them with your M75-150mm f/4? It gives quite a bit of flexibility and the IQ is great. Alternatively, you could pick up a Cosina or Vivitar manual focus 100mm f3.5 macro lens - also decent quality for very little money. The best bang for your macro buck has to be the extension tubes.

Andrew

You might be interested in this ongoing PU thread. It is about an attempt to create an image of a stained glass window, initially using LR/Enfuse.

I would be interested in folks experiences with the product, especially where they were able to produce natural looking HDR images or using it for focus stacking.

Andrew

It's not blurred in the corners of the crop, either. You want sparkle and blur in the stonework - I can do that, honest!!

Maybe Photomatix is a bit weak in image rotation/alignment and that has resulted in the blur. There's some Open Source software called CombineZP that I've used in the past for focus stacking. It is outstandingly good at image rotation/scaling/alignment and can output the aligned JPEGs rather than rushing off to stack them, if you want that. It might be worth trying that before the HDR processing in Photomatix, unless you prefer the blur, of course.


Andrew

Bear in mind, Nigel, that the exposure selected for the stonework looks the way it does because I wanted it to. I think it looks more natural.

If you want a brighter version (from the same image) with oodles more sharpening, you can have one.



This is your HDR version (copied to make it easier to compare)




Andrew