List of Enlarger Lenses Data

[Harold Gough]

Potential macro lenses?:

https://photocornucopia.com/1061.html

Harold

[Ian]

I think the use of unusual lenses, like enlarger lenses, and manual lenses, in general, for macro work, is interesting. But where macro has really developed in leaps and bounds is in focus stacking, and that really works best with autofocus lenses that can produce a series of focus-adjusted in real time.

Ian

[Harold Gough]

I think the use of unusual lenses, like enlarger lenses, and manual lenses, in general, for macro work, is interesting. But where macro has really developed in leaps and bounds is in focus stacking, and that really works best with autofocus lenses that can produce a series of focus-adjusted in real time.

Ian

That's OK for, essentially, "studio"-based tripod work. However, the final image can look very 2-dimensional.

This PC was built with stacking in mind but I have never felt it worthwhile.

I don't use AF for macro, except maybe for getting into range. Tele-macro is a different matter, where it can be more useful but can be equally unhelpful.

Harold

[Ian]

Don't get me wrong, I love trying old and strange lenses, especially on mirrorless bodies. I have written an article for AP magazine on this very subject and found out that an old Adaptall Tamron zoom lens I bought ultra-cheap on eBay could perform remarkably well, for example.

It's true, and I do this myself, moving the camera rather than focusing the lens is often the best strategy for macro.

My point about AF was actually not about establishing focus in the first place, but by enabling a rapid change of focus for the stacking of images. Doing this manually is very fiddly. And you are of course correct that focus stacking only works if the subject will cooperate by staying still.

Ian

[Harold Gough]

Don't get me wrong, I love trying old and strange lenses, especially on mirrorless bodies. I have written an article for AP magazine on this very subject and found out that an old Adaptall Tamron zoom lens I bought ultra-cheap on eBay could perform remarkably well, for example.

It's true, and I do this myself, moving the camera rather than focusing the lens is often the best strategy for macro.

My point about AF was actually not about establishing focus in the first place, but by enabling a rapid change of focus for the stacking of images. Doing this manually is very fiddly. And you are of course correct that focus stacking only works if the subject will cooperate by staying still.

Ian

Ian,

Point taken. The in-camera stacking must rely on the photographer and the subject both remaining absolutely still or the stack would at least need a re-sequencing. I suggest that there is a strong element of optimism involved.

Harold

[Ian]

Ian,

Point taken. The in-camera stacking must rely on the photographer and the subject both remaining absolutely still or the stack would at least need a re-sequencing. I suggest that there is a strong element of optimism involved.

Harold

Hand-held macro focus stacking can work really well with the latest cameras and the right lens.

Ian