Macro lens set

[arri]

I have some macro lens heads in my collection and thought about to using it.

I´am using a Sinar camera system and the rear lens shutter as well but the shutter is not the best choice for macro photos because it produces vibrations when releasing and maybe your pictures are not 100% sharp.

For my lens set I used a Copal Press I shutter, made for the Polaroid MP-4 cameras, it has only the shutter blades but no aperture.
It is a self cocking shutter which makes it easier to use.

I adapted an Exakta female bayonet ring into the shutter and gave the lenses the male adapter bayonet.
This makes it better in handling and I can use extension rings for more extension.

In the moments the following lenses are in use:

Leitz Focotar 4.5/50mm
Steinheil 5.6/65mm
Leitz Summar 4.5/120mm
Zeiss S-Tessar 6.3/120mm
Rodenstock Apo Ronar 9/150mm

Now I started to test the lenses and I guess it will be interesting to see how it will perform.
Please have a look to my first sample, goto #560:
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...istance/page56

[xkaes]

It looks like you are all set.
I'm not familiar with any of those lenses, so I can't comment on their macro abilities.
There are lots of great macro and process lenses that can be found at great prices -- that have a read thread of 40mm (#1 shutter). I recently picked up a Tominon 35mm f4.5-f32 process lens for $40. It covers 4x5". I put it on a Polaroid Prontor #1 shutter -- which lacks a diaphragm so you can find these for $20.



I have not had a problem with vibration in my macro work because I'm either using a flash or a LONG exposure.

[Dan Fromm]

Arri, I know that you know what you're doing so this reminder may be a little insulting. I give it for readers who don't know as much as you. Your shorter lenses won't cover 4x5 at low magnifications and are designed for taking/enlarging (these are equivalent) so they'll have to be reversed for best image quality.

The 50/4.5 Focotar is an enlarging lens for 35 mm still. Ctein (see http://ctein.com/booksmpl.htm) didn't think enough of it to include it in his list of recommended enlarging lenses but it is certainly worth trying out, especially since you have it. A relatively inexpensive superb alternative is a 55 mm MicroNikkor. I've tested my 55/2.8 AIS, reversed and at apertures no larger than f/4. For best image quality in the plane of best focus, f/4 is best.

I don't know what your Steinheil lens is, suspect it is for an oscilloscope camera. Like the Focotar it will have to be reversed for best results at magnifications that will cover 4x5.

The 120/4.5 Summar is an older lens intended for magnifications from 0.7x - 4x, shouldn't need to be reversed when working above 1:1. Believe it or not a 105/5.6 Comparon is a cost effective alternative. The cells are direct fits in a Copal #0. The best lens around that focal length that I've tested is a 4"/5.6 Enlarging Pro Raptar. Better than my 100/6.3 Neupolar and a known good 100/6.3 Luminar. Klaus Schmidt doesn't agree with this assessment.

I'm not sure which S-Tessar you have, suspect that it is a lens for 6x6 intended to be used at magnifications below 1:1. Still worth trying out.

The 150/9 Apo Ronar is a fine lens, symmetrical so it doesn't have to be reversed when working above 1:1. It is, though, slow and this limits resolution in the plane of best focus.

For higher magnifications (>= 10x), a reversed 25/1.9 Cine Ektar II at f/2.8 is very good and quite cost effective.

Joe, I've tested all of the MP-4 Tominons except the 105/4.5. The 17/4 and 35/4.5 are very cost effective but the 35ers have variable quality. A good one is very good, not-so-good ones aren't. I wouldn't use any of the longer MP-4 Tominons. By the way, Polaroid's recommended magnifications for these lenses are actually the magnifications at which they'll cover 4x5, not the magnifications at which they perform best.

Given the difficulty of working at relatively high magnifications with LF and the associated DoF problems, I salute arri for trying. For me, given my goals, for immobile subjects stacked digital images seem the most cost effective approach. But we don't all have the same goals and preferences.

[arri]

Thank you for your explanation Dan.

A few lenses are risky to use, exspecially the Focotar but it has a M39 mount an I already have had an Exakta/M39 ring, so I can use a lot of other enlarging lenses.
A 50mm lens covers 4x5" at ration 3:1 and maybe it will be better to reverse it.
The Steinheil is a 100% symmetrical four element dialyt lens, like the Apo Ronar, It will be interessting to use it.
The Summar is a coated lens and with good optical quality.

The S-Tessar is a very interesting lens, it has two identic threads, it can be use in the range of oo-1:3 in the same way like a standard Tessar, the f/6.3 versions are wide angle lenses with nearly 60° angle of view. I guess it covers the 9x12cm format at oo, 4x5" maybe but I want to check it.
When the lens should be use in the range between 1:3-3:1 the lens can be turned and it is a reversed Tessar. The lens has two aperture scales for it.
Rodenstock use the same way with their Apo Macro Sironar lenses.
My S-Tessar were made in the late 1930th but it is one of the very early T coated lenses.

I have three Tominon lenses in stock and I want to test it as well, the f/4.5 in 75, 105 and 135 focus length.

Also I want to test an Elgeet Colorstigmat 4.5/135mm. A very solid made lens, it has excellent optical quality in normal photographic work, maybe it will be great for macro as well when used in reversed position.

The dark winter days are the best time to test lenses and make adapters and othe "crasy" things.

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you for your explanation Dan.

A few lenses are risky to use, exspecially the Focotar but it has a M39 mount an I already have had an Exakta/M39 ring, so I can use a lot of other enlarging lenses.
A 50mm lens covers 4x5" at ration 3:1 and maybe it will be better to reverse it.
The Steinheil is a 100% symmetrical four element dialyt lens, like the Apo Ronar, It will be interessting to use it.
The Summar is a coated lens and with good optical quality.

The S-Tessar is a very interesting lens, it has two identic threads, it can be use in the range of oo-1:3 in the same way like a standard Tessar, the f/6.3 versions are wide angle lenses with nearly 60° angle of view. I guess it covers the 9x12cm format at oo, 4x5" maybe but I want to check it.
When the lens should be use in the range between 1:3-3:1 the lens can be turned and it is a reversed Tessar. The lens has two aperture scales for it.
Rodenstock use the same way with their Apo Macro Sironar lenses.
My S-Tessar were made in the late 1930th but it is one of the very early T coated lenses.

I have three Tominon lenses in stock and I want to test it as well, the f/4.5 in 75, 105 and 135 focus length.

Also I want to test an Elgeet Colorstigmat 4.5/135mm. A very solid made lens, it has excellent optical quality in normal photographic work, maybe it will be great for macro as well when used in reversed position.

The dark winter days are the best time to test lenses and make adapters and othe "crasy" things.

The Apo Macro Sironar 210 and 300 had one aperture scale. So not quite the same

[arri]

Sample shot with the S-Tessar 6.3/120mm
Ration 2.3:1
Sheetfilm 4x5", Fomapan 100, Wehner Developer, Sinar F1, negative scan with Epson V700

[arri]

I mean not the aperture scale but the lens were use in standard way up to ration 1:3
In the ration between 1:3-3:1 you have to change the front to the rear and the rear to the front.
It is necessary to do it in this way because of the shutter, when this lenses are in barrel mount it will be possible to turn the whole lens like the S-Tessar.

[arri]

Her I used the Apo Ronar 9/150mm @/22
The S-Tessar in the picture before were used @f/11
All orthers are the same.

[John Layton]

Had great luck back in the day with a reversed 55mm/3.5 Micro-Nikkor P for 4x5. Also with the set of Nikkors that came with a Nikon Multiphot which I'd rescued from being basically put into a dumpster! (later sold it...ugh!) The 120mm Nikkor from this set especially - if you can find one you just might love it!

[Bernice Loui]

Might be surprised at how little affect the perceived vibration (hold the shutter release ON for the entire duration of shutter time, if not there will be kick baco from the shutter, yet does not appear to increase vibration from the shutter) from the Sinar shutter has on LF macro images. Been there, done this using reverse mounted enlarger lenses and microscope objectives and micro-foto lenses like Zeiss Lumnar, Leitz Photar. Do set up an extra standard on the same camera rail as a table/platform for the macro subject if possible. This aids in camera/object to be imaged to move in sync reducing the effects of vibration. Mass, weight and set up stability is your friend here and longer exposures are another friend as the image recorded over extended exposure time on film tends to negate the effects of vibrations.

More significant problem is lighting. This is where fiber optic lighting can make a BIG difference. What is often needed is very high intensity in a very small area.



Bernice

I´am using a Sinar camera system and the rear lens shutter as well but the shutter is not the best choice for macro photos because it produces vibrations when releasing and maybe your pictures are not 100% sharp.