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2x Converter for Macro Shots
- Thread starter afong
- Start date
For Bob Letsche and others.
Bob, you were kind enough to set me on the right track for a teleconverter and I have finally got my hands on a Vivitar. However it came without instructions. I would like to impose on you for a few tips.
It seems intuitive that, for long shots, you would set the converter at infinity and focus with the lens. What is the recommended procedure for macro shots? Set the lens at one end or the other of its focus range and focus with the converter?? Any tips will be much appreciated.
Regards,
Mike.
Bob, you were kind enough to set me on the right track for a teleconverter and I have finally got my hands on a Vivitar. However it came without instructions. I would like to impose on you for a few tips.
It seems intuitive that, for long shots, you would set the converter at infinity and focus with the lens. What is the recommended procedure for macro shots? Set the lens at one end or the other of its focus range and focus with the converter?? Any tips will be much appreciated.
Regards,
Mike.
Hi Mike - I've just dug out and read the leaflet - you are right.
For use as a normal 2x converter (not macro), it suggests leaving the converter set to infinity and adjusting the lens for focus. Thereafter, to increase magnification (i.e. Macro mode), adjust the focus on the converter.
There is only a relatively small overlap in magnifications between leaving the lens at infinity and at minimum focus - you can achieve mags between 1:3 and 1:1.5 by leaving the lens either at infinity or at minimum focus (and then adjusting the converter accordingly). I doubt if either combination is significantly more advantageous than the other.
The leaflet states that the converter is formulated for lenses between 28mm and 300mm including zooms! I must admit to being ignorant of its qualities with lenses below 50mm, but it seems to work fine up to the longest lenses I have, including the zoom - 80-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 Tamron SP's.
Cheers, Bob.
For use as a normal 2x converter (not macro), it suggests leaving the converter set to infinity and adjusting the lens for focus. Thereafter, to increase magnification (i.e. Macro mode), adjust the focus on the converter.
There is only a relatively small overlap in magnifications between leaving the lens at infinity and at minimum focus - you can achieve mags between 1:3 and 1:1.5 by leaving the lens either at infinity or at minimum focus (and then adjusting the converter accordingly). I doubt if either combination is significantly more advantageous than the other.
The leaflet states that the converter is formulated for lenses between 28mm and 300mm including zooms! I must admit to being ignorant of its qualities with lenses below 50mm, but it seems to work fine up to the longest lenses I have, including the zoom - 80-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 Tamron SP's.
Cheers, Bob.
7
7130
Hello all,
after following the discussion above for a while, i bought myself a 2nd-hand teleplus macroconverter. i use it a lot now, esp. for very-close-up portraits, particularly of my little one (that'l be my daughter) - and it really works well - thanks for the advice, esp. Bob.
As soon as i have the hang of the darkroom, i intend to turn my attention to the scanner and photoshop, and put some photos on this site.
cheers,
Marc.
after following the discussion above for a while, i bought myself a 2nd-hand teleplus macroconverter. i use it a lot now, esp. for very-close-up portraits, particularly of my little one (that'l be my daughter) - and it really works well - thanks for the advice, esp. Bob.
As soon as i have the hang of the darkroom, i intend to turn my attention to the scanner and photoshop, and put some photos on this site.
cheers,
Marc.
Another satisfied customer, (among many!) It really is a little known, under-rated means of getting quality close-up shots at an affordable price.
I look forward to seeing your efforts.
Oh! Out of interest, what is the going rate for a used one these days?
Cheers, Kyocera Kid.
I look forward to seeing your efforts.
Oh! Out of interest, what is the going rate for a used one these days?
Cheers, Kyocera Kid.
lotusflower
Active Member
Hello Bob,
The information you have provided throughout this thread regarding the 2x Macro converter has been most informative and helpful.
I knew nothing about converters even though I do own a Mutar III. Frankly, I had no idea what to do with it so it has remained in its box. It hardly elicited my curiosity at the time I recieved it, that is until now.
Bob, can you shed some light on the difference(s) between the Mutar converters as opposed to a 2x Macro converter? I know you mentioned something about the Mutar being high class Zeiss but I did not understand that point. You also mentioned that Mutars can be used with many lenses but are the Mutars II and III capable of 1:1 as the Teleplus? More? less?
Bob, if given the choice(and I certain you had plenty of choices) which would you find more useful for Macro work the 2x Teleplus or a Mutar II or III and why? I'm wondering if there is a reason I should sell the Mutar for a 2X Teleplus.
Do you know if the teleplus is lighter than the mutar or is the weight difference nominal?
Before I conclude I would also like to take a moment to thank everyone esp. Bob for freely sharing your experience with the rest of us and in such a professional manner. It's most appreciated.
The information you have provided throughout this thread regarding the 2x Macro converter has been most informative and helpful.
I knew nothing about converters even though I do own a Mutar III. Frankly, I had no idea what to do with it so it has remained in its box. It hardly elicited my curiosity at the time I recieved it, that is until now.
Bob, can you shed some light on the difference(s) between the Mutar converters as opposed to a 2x Macro converter? I know you mentioned something about the Mutar being high class Zeiss but I did not understand that point. You also mentioned that Mutars can be used with many lenses but are the Mutars II and III capable of 1:1 as the Teleplus? More? less?
Bob, if given the choice(and I certain you had plenty of choices) which would you find more useful for Macro work the 2x Teleplus or a Mutar II or III and why? I'm wondering if there is a reason I should sell the Mutar for a 2X Teleplus.
Do you know if the teleplus is lighter than the mutar or is the weight difference nominal?
Before I conclude I would also like to take a moment to thank everyone esp. Bob for freely sharing your experience with the rest of us and in such a professional manner. It's most appreciated.
Bob,
Re price: I got one on e-bay, near mint condition for $60.00 plus shipping. At the time I was not aware of equivalence of Soligor CD-7 (see above post). They were going for about $45.00.
Have used the Vivitar now for a few shots and am very pleased with the results. Thanks again to all.
Mike Blume.
Re price: I got one on e-bay, near mint condition for $60.00 plus shipping. At the time I was not aware of equivalence of Soligor CD-7 (see above post). They were going for about $45.00.
Have used the Vivitar now for a few shots and am very pleased with the results. Thanks again to all.
Mike Blume.
I'm pleased you have appreciated my efforts, but I am not the only contributor and I find all contributions useful, large or small! So, thank you all too! E.g. I did not know about the Soligor connection.
This forum is at its best when advice is offered freely, and criticisms only voiced for positive reasons. I may have been one of the major contributors to this thread, but I have gained so much myself in many other threads because of the efforts of the other members.
Lotusflower's questions are quite "meaty", so here goes ... "experts", please be patient or just ignore me!
Converters - why use them? The usual reasons stated are either cost saving or weight/size saving.
The 3 Zeiss Mutars are high class glass, as are the Zeiss lenses they are designed to compliment (we all know about the latter bit). They are built to a higher standard than ordinary 2x converters (macro or non-macro). Naturally, they cost more than the other converters. With a Mutar you are getting a product that (with some confidence) you know will not degrade the image produced by the attached lens(es) it is designed to be used with. Their designs differ to match the range of lenses better, to keep optimum performance. The trade-off is that they will reduce the effective aperture of the attached lens (as do all these converters).
Here's a brief summary of the characteristics of the Mutars. You can go to Manuals/Contax CY mount in this forum to see a more detailed spec.
Mutar I - 2x, 250 gms, can be used with virtually any Zeiss lens from Super wide to Telephoto.
Mutar II - 2x, 300 gms, used with lenses over 100mm.
Mutar III - 1.4x, 244 gms, used with lenses over 100mm.
(Viv/Tplus - 2x macro, 260 gms, use with any lens between 28mm and 300mm)
Use of the Mutar DOES NOT alter the minimum focussing point of the lens. If the lens without the converter does not have "close focussing", then it will still not have "close focussing" with the converter! (I'll expand on this later). There is no "focussing" ring on these converters.
Moving on to "other" 2x converters. Non-macro first. They do a similar job to the Mutar 2x's. They may not use the same high quality glass, or be built to as high a mechanical standard as the Mutars, they may be formulated for a wider range of lenses than any one particular Mutar ……. but the trade-off will be a slight reduction of quality compared with using the lens without the converter, in some budget cases the reduction is easily noticeable. They, like the Mutars, DO NOT alter the minimum focussing capability of the original lens. There is no "focussing" ring on these converters.
Now, 2x Macro converters. The ones with the focussing ring! They do the same job as the "other" 2x converters. When the converter's focussing ring is set at infinity, the effect on the attached lens is just like the effect of the Mutar or the "other" converters; it multiplies the focal length by 2x. The lens can be focussed anywhere between infinity (the combination will focus on infinity), or minimum focus distance as usual (i.e. as if the converter was not there!) Of course, the image will be larger, with the converter!
This, although a very effective use, is not the primary function of these macro converters. By using the focussing ring ON the converter, AND the focussing ring on the lens, you are able to focus much closer than the normal minimum focusing distance of the lens. With a "normal" 50mm lens, it is possible to focus at a distance to give a 1:1 image ratio. This would not achievable with the "normal" 50mm lens alone, or even with a Mutar or ordinary 2x converter attached.
Quality! As mentioned earlier in the thread, the Vivitar/Teleplus/Kenko/Soligor 2x Macro converters come out extremely well compared with their non-macro cousins. Even when used as an ordinary 2x converter (i.e. converter left at infinity) the 7-element construction of these Macro converters often exceeds their rival 7-element "ordinary" converters. Please note that in these "popular press" tests, Mutars never seem to be included. Could it be that they will show the deficiencies of ALL other converters?
But the 2x Macro's are formulated for close-up work, and, in my opinion, do it very well. Likewise they work well at their infinity setting, so double up as a non-macro converter too. The Mutars and ordinary 2x converters are only capable of close-up work if the lens attached to them is capable of close-up work! Remember the Mutars (or other non-macro 2x converters) do not alter the minimum focussing distance of the lens. But they will offer the best possible quality.
I said I'd expand on "close focussing" earlier. The Mutar I and II would be capable of reproducing 1:1, but only if the lens attached was capable of focusing at 1:2 (or thereabouts!). Now this lens would be considered a "macro" lens if it had this ability, and there would probably be no problem. Likewise, if the lens could be focussed to give 1:1.4 then attaching a Mutar III would deliver 1:1.
I think I covered the reasons for preferring the 50mm Planar and 2x Macro converter combo in messages on Aug 16th and 17th. Partly because of cost effectiveness - freeing up money for other items, size, weight, convenience and finally because, for what I mainly use it for - field work - I do not seem to notice any advantage with my earlier more expensive close-up gear, and found it hard to justify the other gear even after reasonably careful bench tests!
One last note .... I have mainly talked about Zeiss lenses when mentioning these converters. All the characteristics I mentioned would still apply if you attached Yashica or other C/Y fitting lenses, you just have to be careful about the physical coupling - making sure nothing clashes mechanically. Also, as mentioned in the Mutar leaflets, available to view in this forum, certain combinations of converters and lenses could cause vignetting.
Cheers, Bob.
This forum is at its best when advice is offered freely, and criticisms only voiced for positive reasons. I may have been one of the major contributors to this thread, but I have gained so much myself in many other threads because of the efforts of the other members.
Lotusflower's questions are quite "meaty", so here goes ... "experts", please be patient or just ignore me!
Converters - why use them? The usual reasons stated are either cost saving or weight/size saving.
The 3 Zeiss Mutars are high class glass, as are the Zeiss lenses they are designed to compliment (we all know about the latter bit). They are built to a higher standard than ordinary 2x converters (macro or non-macro). Naturally, they cost more than the other converters. With a Mutar you are getting a product that (with some confidence) you know will not degrade the image produced by the attached lens(es) it is designed to be used with. Their designs differ to match the range of lenses better, to keep optimum performance. The trade-off is that they will reduce the effective aperture of the attached lens (as do all these converters).
Here's a brief summary of the characteristics of the Mutars. You can go to Manuals/Contax CY mount in this forum to see a more detailed spec.
Mutar I - 2x, 250 gms, can be used with virtually any Zeiss lens from Super wide to Telephoto.
Mutar II - 2x, 300 gms, used with lenses over 100mm.
Mutar III - 1.4x, 244 gms, used with lenses over 100mm.
(Viv/Tplus - 2x macro, 260 gms, use with any lens between 28mm and 300mm)
Use of the Mutar DOES NOT alter the minimum focussing point of the lens. If the lens without the converter does not have "close focussing", then it will still not have "close focussing" with the converter! (I'll expand on this later). There is no "focussing" ring on these converters.
Moving on to "other" 2x converters. Non-macro first. They do a similar job to the Mutar 2x's. They may not use the same high quality glass, or be built to as high a mechanical standard as the Mutars, they may be formulated for a wider range of lenses than any one particular Mutar ……. but the trade-off will be a slight reduction of quality compared with using the lens without the converter, in some budget cases the reduction is easily noticeable. They, like the Mutars, DO NOT alter the minimum focussing capability of the original lens. There is no "focussing" ring on these converters.
Now, 2x Macro converters. The ones with the focussing ring! They do the same job as the "other" 2x converters. When the converter's focussing ring is set at infinity, the effect on the attached lens is just like the effect of the Mutar or the "other" converters; it multiplies the focal length by 2x. The lens can be focussed anywhere between infinity (the combination will focus on infinity), or minimum focus distance as usual (i.e. as if the converter was not there!) Of course, the image will be larger, with the converter!
This, although a very effective use, is not the primary function of these macro converters. By using the focussing ring ON the converter, AND the focussing ring on the lens, you are able to focus much closer than the normal minimum focusing distance of the lens. With a "normal" 50mm lens, it is possible to focus at a distance to give a 1:1 image ratio. This would not achievable with the "normal" 50mm lens alone, or even with a Mutar or ordinary 2x converter attached.
Quality! As mentioned earlier in the thread, the Vivitar/Teleplus/Kenko/Soligor 2x Macro converters come out extremely well compared with their non-macro cousins. Even when used as an ordinary 2x converter (i.e. converter left at infinity) the 7-element construction of these Macro converters often exceeds their rival 7-element "ordinary" converters. Please note that in these "popular press" tests, Mutars never seem to be included. Could it be that they will show the deficiencies of ALL other converters?
But the 2x Macro's are formulated for close-up work, and, in my opinion, do it very well. Likewise they work well at their infinity setting, so double up as a non-macro converter too. The Mutars and ordinary 2x converters are only capable of close-up work if the lens attached to them is capable of close-up work! Remember the Mutars (or other non-macro 2x converters) do not alter the minimum focussing distance of the lens. But they will offer the best possible quality.
I said I'd expand on "close focussing" earlier. The Mutar I and II would be capable of reproducing 1:1, but only if the lens attached was capable of focusing at 1:2 (or thereabouts!). Now this lens would be considered a "macro" lens if it had this ability, and there would probably be no problem. Likewise, if the lens could be focussed to give 1:1.4 then attaching a Mutar III would deliver 1:1.
I think I covered the reasons for preferring the 50mm Planar and 2x Macro converter combo in messages on Aug 16th and 17th. Partly because of cost effectiveness - freeing up money for other items, size, weight, convenience and finally because, for what I mainly use it for - field work - I do not seem to notice any advantage with my earlier more expensive close-up gear, and found it hard to justify the other gear even after reasonably careful bench tests!
One last note .... I have mainly talked about Zeiss lenses when mentioning these converters. All the characteristics I mentioned would still apply if you attached Yashica or other C/Y fitting lenses, you just have to be careful about the physical coupling - making sure nothing clashes mechanically. Also, as mentioned in the Mutar leaflets, available to view in this forum, certain combinations of converters and lenses could cause vignetting.
Cheers, Bob.
7
7130
Bob,
the macroconverter cost me £49 from jessops in london -i have no idea what the going rate was, but just took the opportunity to buy it, as it had been brought down from up north.
Marc.
the macroconverter cost me £49 from jessops in london -i have no idea what the going rate was, but just took the opportunity to buy it, as it had been brought down from up north.
Marc.