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Archive 2016 · Looking for Advice

  
 
Macrogirl
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Looking for Advice


Hello,

After saving up for two years, I have finally taken the plunge and bought a used MP-E 65mm to get into really close up Macro photography. I bought the lens from a very reputable UK dealer with a good warranty and returns policy, and have spent the last few days testing it. Before this I used mainly the canon 100mm 2/8 USM, which I have been really pleased with.

As most of you probably know, it's quite a leap getting used to the focusing DOF etc that this lens requires. I tested the lens on various objects, the last of which was a dark blue structure against a white/yellow background. Looking at the live view screen, I could see some really weird 'ghosting' effect going on - almost as if there was a shadowy copy of my object following it around

I took some test shots (handheld) at F5.6 ISO 800 1/100, this one at an approximate magnification of 3.5. The effect is only slightly visible on these images, as a sort of wide shadowy border in some places. Now I am unsure of what to make of it. The lens was in a very good condition, with little use and only one tiny cleaning scratch to the front element as well as a tiny amount of dust inside. It has not obvious scuffs, scratches or other faults, everything moves smoothly and has not been tampered with.

Obviously my focusing is still nascent, I am getting some good shots, but not great and my usual methods for evaluating a new lens won't work in this scenario. My question is now: Is this fringe Chromatic Aberration? My incompetence? Some other optical phenomenon I am unaware of? A result of the tiny front element scratch? Other internal (not immediately visible) damage to the lens? Should I send it back and save up for a new copy instead? Help!!!



Mar 09, 2016 at 09:05 PM
LordV
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Looking for Advice


The only optical problem I've heard of with an MPE-65 is a ribbon cable getting into the optical path and causing odd effects. I'd take the lens off the camera and look through the back of the lens to see if there is anything odd.
The lens in normal use can give some shadowing effects of OOF objects in the background.
It would be useful to actually see a photo of the effect.
You can host a photo on somewhere like flickr and then post a link to it here.

Brian v.



Mar 10, 2016 at 01:41 AM
Macrogirl
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Looking for Advice


Hello, Thanks for your reply. I looked inside the lens and it looks perfect, a few specks of dust (though not many) and two really small shiny glitter-like spots?

Here is a photo of the effect I mean - it's only visible on a small area of the image which I have cropped here.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140937679@N08/shares/7N637j



Mar 10, 2016 at 06:35 PM
LordV
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Looking for Advice


Need a bit more info- is the photo taken with flash ?
Is the background fairly close to the subject ?

Do you get the same effect if you take a natural light shot ?

Just wondering if it's more to do with the light (ie a shadow effect) rather than the lens.

Brian V.



Mar 11, 2016 at 01:42 AM
MarkB1
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Looking for Advice


You wouldn't think flash with those settings but exif says it fired. And there looks to be quite some movement (blur, most obvious in the trail of the white spots) in the picture which could account for the shadowing - it also suggests the flash wasn't used.

Some pictures would be helpful to the MPE experts - I am not one.

Have you seen this setup thread - https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/780820 I think everybody uses flash with that lens.



Mar 11, 2016 at 03:25 AM
Macrogirl
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Looking for Advice


Thank you for your replies! I used flash and it fired, and blur is really likely as I handheld and am still getting used to the size and heft of this lens in conjunction with the focusing technique. I haven't managed to get outside with the lens as of yet - I live in Scotland and the weather has so far thwarted my efforts...

I am starting to wonder if it is a weird shadow effect - I will try and post some more pictures as soon as I get my tripod set up.



Mar 12, 2016 at 05:00 PM
LordV
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Looking for Advice


Macrogirl wrote:
Thank you for your replies! I used flash and it fired, and blur is really likely as I handheld and am still getting used to the size and heft of this lens in conjunction with the focusing technique. I haven't managed to get outside with the lens as of yet - I live in Scotland and the weather has so far thwarted my efforts...

I am starting to wonder if it is a weird shadow effect - I will try and post some more pictures as soon as I get my tripod set up.


Just to check you are using flash with the camera in manual mode ? with settings something like 1/200th and F11 at 1:1

Brian v.



Mar 13, 2016 at 01:45 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Looking for Advice


The different parts of the image tell a different story. The right edge (vertical) suggests a partial daylight exposure prior to the flash firing.

The smudges, top left, are suggestive of a greasy mark (possibly very thin) on that part of the lens.

Harold



Mar 13, 2016 at 04:22 AM
Constable
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Looking for Advice


Macrogirl

What flash did you use and if it was not at MR14 or MT24, how was it mounted. I have seen weird shadow effects like this with the MPE65.

Ed



Mar 13, 2016 at 09:36 AM
Macrogirl
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Looking for Advice


I used the 430 ExII with a large home-made diffuser, set on the table next to the object, triggered remotely. The yellow background is from the box I set my object on. I used manual mode, F5.6 1/100 at approximately 3.5x magnification handheld, as I was just testing different settings. This is only a small crop of the image, approximately upper right centre.

Ed, could you please tell me a bit more about the shadow effects and whether this is part of a normal behaviour of this lens?



Mar 13, 2016 at 01:29 PM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Looking for Advice


Macrogirl wrote:
This is only a small crop of the image, approximately upper right centre.


It might be more instructive to also see the whole image.

Harold



Mar 13, 2016 at 01:51 PM
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Looking for Advice


Sounds like you are doing everything right. I have seen something like this but I cannot really remember what was happening. My first thought was that you did not have enough diffusion or you had a hot shoe mounted flash. Harold is right ... The whole image would be helpful.

Ed



Mar 13, 2016 at 05:37 PM





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