Oly 100-400 for close-ups.

[Dave in Wales]

What follows below are ‘rough-a*s*d' and not very scientific tests to judge the capability of my Oly 100-400 for close-up snaps.

I got to wondering as to whether I really need the new 90mm Macro, whenever it appears, at probably £1k+.

Most of my stuff isn’t macro it’s close-ups, butterflies, insects flowers and the like.

What is more important to me is not so much magnification but WORKING DISTANCE, the distance from the hood to the subject.

The working distance for the new 90mm will be I guess, a lot less than the 100-400.

The embroidered butterfly is roughly the size of a ‘common-blue’….about 31/32mm.

The combo of lens + TC1.4 proved most successful, with the added extension tubes it felt very unstable and fragile.

P1250055-RS by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

Images below are 'un-cropped'

400mm..WORKING DISTANCE APPROX..37 inches.
P1250057-RS by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

400mm + TC1.4..WORKING DISTANCE APPROX..55 inches.
P1250056-RS by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

400mm + TC1.4 + 26mm extension tube..WORKING DISTANCE APPROX 72 inches.
P1250058-RS by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

[blackfox]

Dave as far as I'm aware ( though I might be wrong ) adding the t.c does not increase the working distance ..however thats really irrelevant as you have come to the same conclusion as me , unless you want to see flys eyes or count the hairs on there legs or see insects that cant be seen with the naked eye then the 100-400 in close focus mode is more than adequate for general photography i.e butterflies ,dragon/damsel flies and insects. so much so that my macro lens has not seen the light of day for a year now and really ought to be sold ..but it was a xmas present from the wife and daughter so delicate problem 🙄
as shown below ,hand held

[BDennis]

I use the 100-400mm for butterfly closeups, I find it much easier than the 60mm f2.8 because I’m less likely to scare them off.

Have you seen this Olympus / OMDS article on the subject of working distances with various lenses:

https://learnandsupport.getolympus.com/learn-center/photography-tips/macro/close-up-photography-with-mzuiko-lenses

It says the minimum working distance with the 100-400mm and MC-20 at full zoom is 4 inches. I’m not convinced that is right, it. The minimum focus distance is 1.3m / 51 inches and that is from the subject to the sensor, that would make the extended lens nearly 4 feet. I will have to check this myself sometime - it is close but not that close I’m sure.

Bill

[MJ224]

I am happy to use the 300mm, sometimes with the MC-1.4 as a close-up lens. Depth of Field is the only bugbear, and a long lens does not do Focus Stacking very well IMHO.

But results are usually OK....

Acrobatic Snail by Mark Johnson, on Flickr