Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to look into that 180mm macro Schneider lens, and yes I agree the Toyo is a hassle to do macro with. I might buy a cheap monorail from ebay just for this purpose.
Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to look into that 180mm macro Schneider lens, and yes I agree the Toyo is a hassle to do macro with. I might buy a cheap monorail from ebay just for this purpose.
Emre, True macro lenses, either those from Schneider or those from Rodenstock (or older luminars for tht matter) are truly stunning performers for macro work but in this instance the definition of macro is very precise. About a year ago I did a real-world comparison of the 180 Macro to a 180 Apo Sironar N. At closeup distances, read almost 1:1 but not quite (and I measured exactly in the tests) there was virtually no difference in the performance of the two lenses. Once I went to exactly 1:1 or beyond the differences showed up very clearly. My test subject was necklace made up of thousands of sterling silver links, each link perhaps 2-3mm. At 1:1 and beyond the ability of the macro lens to hold the resolution all the way out to the corners of the frame was clearly superior to that of the regular lens. I mention this because, IMO, they are worth the relatively high price if you are doing true macro work, such as jewelry where that edge sharpness/corner resolution makes a real difference in 'snap' and helpspull the viewer into the image, helps sell the client. If you aren't doing this type of work they are a bit of an investment for many.
You will need to buy that monorail if you decide to get the lens. The Toyo AII bellows extgension of 324mm just isn't enough to work in the macro range with the 180mmlens. You will need a minimum of 360mm and more is advisable if yiou want to go beyond 1:1. Any inexpensive monorail should give you what you need.
Emre, True macro lenses, either those from Schneider or those from Rodenstock (or older luminars for tht matter) are truly stunning performers for macro work but in this instance the definition of macro is very precise. About a year ago I did a real-world comparison of the 180 Macro to a 180 Apo Sironar N. At closeup distances, read almost 1:1 but not quite (and I measured exactly in the tests) there was virtually no difference in the performance of the two lenses. Once I went to exactly 1:1 or beyond the differences showed up very clearly. My test subject was necklace made up of thousands of sterling silver links, each link perhaps 2-3mm. At 1:1 and beyond the ability of the macro lens to hold the resolution all the way out to the corners of the frame was clearly superior to that of the regular lens. I mention this because, IMO, they are worth the relatively high price if you are doing true macro work, such as jewelry where that edge sharpness/corner resolution makes a real difference in 'snap' and helpspull the viewer into the image, helps sell the client. If you aren't doing this type of work they are a bit of an investment for many.
You will need to buy that monorail if you decide to get the lens. The Toyo AII bellows extension of 324mm just isn't enough to work in the macro range with the 180mm lens. You will need a minimum of 360mm and more is advisable if yiou want to go beyond 1:1. Any inexpensive monorail should give you what you need.
Large format macro is almost all I do, generally 5:1 up to 12:1, sometimes more. I have two lenses, a 180mm and a 60mm.
It's true that the shorter lens allows you to use less bellows, and that has its advantages. There was a time when I really was just using the 60mm because of that. Then I saw the light, or rather the lighting problem when using that lens, and switched over to the 180mm and haven't really looked back.
Depending on the magnification you're working at you will have very little space between the front of the lens and the subject. So while the smaller lens allows less bellows, you have to get in closer with the lens. This means it can be more difficult to light your subject. It gets to the point where the lens is practically touching and even a ring light around the lens would really only provide side lighting. If you are trying to do anything at all interesting with light then you really need the space between the lens and the subject.
If you really want it to look good do as the others say and get a dedicated macro lens, your edge-to-edge resolution will thank you.
You can see what I'm talking about here: AngelsAndInsects.com
Dear Emre:
This is off topic but since I know you use a SA 72 on a Toyo AII I am curious if you use this lens on a recessed lens board. I use this lens on a flat board on my AII but want to know if it is worth getting the 12.5 recessed board for this set up.
Cheers
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