Nevermind found them, I never new that kind of mount existed, just the lens to lens mounts. I don't do much macro I will definitly play with this on my 28 2.8 ais though...

Also keep in mind that a lot of us didn't walk into a camera shop and buy it all at once. A lot of my kit I picked up a piece at a time, often having to wait to use one piece while I saved up money for the next...

I think the bigger problem is that people come here, see the images that people post, and think it's easy to do -all you need is the gear. Tight rope walking always looks easy when you watch it from the ground...

Go to e-bay or google and search 'EOS reversing ring' or just reversing ring if you're not shooting Canon.

I can't find a ring for my 50mm. Anyone know of a place...already checked Ebay, etc. Was thinking of making one from an old camera cap, clean out the plastic in the center with a dremel tool, then knocking the glass from an old filter, try bonding the two together...thought it would work almost the same if I can't find an adapter ring.

Has anyone tried this method yet?

Like normal lens 28, 50 and 135mm focal lengths, the image gets larger for the longer focal length.
What is the relationship of lens focal length when reversed? Is that reversed too?
Like the image would get larger going from 135 to 50 to 28mm.
Is that correct?
If so, then I would assume the DOF would be shorter on the shorter FL lenses.
Also, based on the lens to sensor length being constant when the lenses are mounted normally, would the subject to lens working distance would be the same?

bigdphoto wrote:
I can't find a ring for my 50mm. Anyone know of a place...already checked Ebay, etc. Was thinking of making one from an old camera cap, clean out the plastic in the center with a dremel tool, then knocking the glass from an old filter, try bonding the two together...thought it would work almost the same if I can't find an adapter ring.

Has anyone tried this method yet?

Yes that is how I made my first one some 4 years ago.still works today. Ebay is full of people that sell the rev. adapters .

who me wrote:
Like normal lens 28, 50 and 135mm focal lengths, the image gets larger for the longer focal length.
What is the relationship of lens focal length when reversed? Is that reversed too?
Like the image would get larger going from 135 to 50 to 28mm.
Is that correct?
If so, then I would assume the DOF would be shorter on the shorter FL lenses.
Also, based on the lens to sensor length being constant when the lenses are mounted normally, would the subject to lens working distance would be the same?




the smaller the lens the greater the magnification and the closer the working dist , just hold a lens in rev to the front of the camera body and you can see what you will get , heck go ahead and take a few shots .

Here's a Zebra spider done with a Pentax 50mm f/1.4 reverse coupled to 100mm Macro plus a Life Size Converter. Not sure about magnification. Maybe 3:1. Would be great to have more working distance if anyone has any ideas...

Burk Young wrote:
I really apprecaite the DIY techniques shared... wife thinks its cute when I pull out the duct tape...



So does my girlfriend.

Oh, wait- You're talking about PHOTOGRAPHY?

Tom Hicks wrote:



the smaller the lens the greater the magnification and the closer the working dist , just hold a lens in rev to the front of the camera body and you can see what you will get ...


I just tried this for the first time. Man, greater than 1:1 magnification is addictive!

-but I am just hold the lenses together. DOF is razor thin, virtually impossible to do hand-held.

Are there any guidelines here, any know FL combinations that work well?

Also, is it best to start with the lenses focused (in normal mode) for close, or for infinity?

Cableaddict wrote:
Tom Hicks wrote:



the smaller the lens the greater the magnification and the closer the working dist , just hold a lens in rev to the front of the camera body and you can see what you will get ...


I just tried this for the first time. Man, greater than 1:1 magnification is addictive!

-but I am just hold the lenses together. DOF is razor thin, virtually impossible to do hand-held.

Are there any guidelines here, any know FL combinations that work well?

Also, is it best to start with the lenses focused (in normal mode) for close, or for infinity?






Either make or buy a reversing ring for eos mount if you shoot canon or one for the nikon mount . screw a 28mm lens on and you should have close to 3 x . I don't pay much attention to where the focus ring is is make little to no difference . Hope this helps. you can buy the rings at a good independent camera shop or on ebay. type in reversing rings .

Thanks, but I'm talking about when using two lenses together.

FL combinations and focus starting points. There are a lot of variables.

what lens's do you have now ? aside from the 50mm

I have about 15 primes.

I dont really get it . Can you only do this with a prime lens ? I just tried holding my 17-50 reversed to my camera , and I either get a shot thats all black , or just blur ..

Cableaddict wrote:
I have about 15 primes.


Take any prime 100mm or over and attach your 50mm to the front , to give you an idea of the mag you get divide 50 into the mm of the lens you are attaching it to.

50 into 100 = 2X
50 into 200 = 4X

get the idea. If you use a 100mm with the 50 you might get some vignetting if so add a 12mm extension tube to the camera first then the lens .

deermatt1 wrote:
I dont really get it . Can you only do this with a prime lens ? I just tried holding my 17-50 reversed to my camera , and I either get a shot that's all black , or just blur ..

this shot was done with a nikkor 35-70 rev directly to the camera . shot at 35mm with pop up flash.

I dont know how your camera does that, when I try to turn my camera on, take the lens off, and hold it to the body backwards, even with the flash , I just get like a all gray or black screen .

Tom Hicks wrote:
Cableaddict wrote:
I have about 15 primes.


Take any prime 100mm or over and attach your 50mm to the front , to give you an idea of the mag you get divide 50 into the mm of the lens you are attaching it to.

50 into 100 = 2X
50 into 200 = 4X

get the idea. If you use a 100mm with the 50 you might get some vignetting if so add a 12mm extension tube to the camera first then the lens .


That's exactly what I was looking for. thanks!
-------------------------

Now the other part:

Again, what's the best focus starting point? Is it best to focus with the "body" lens or the front lens? Is it best to keep one less near infinity, or near MFD?

How about aperture? Regardless of how the front lens is set, is it best to keep the body-lens wide open, for light, or stopped down, for sharpness?

I'm sure this all makes a difference, and it's pretty convoluted. Has anyone done extensive testing on this?

Your putting way to much thought into this , it's very simple , even if I didn't tell you how you would be able to figure it out yourself in about 2 min. But hey I'm feeling good tonight so here goes.

The lens attached to the camera will control the f stop, the lens rev is left wide open . leaving the rev lens at infinity or at min focus distance is up to you . In the begining that will be the least of your problems .

Set the camera f stop to f11 and go shoot, a lot. You should get good results in about 3 months.

Hope this helps,


tom

thanks for the info tom !

deermatt1 wrote:
thanks for the info tom !

If you are trying to use an EF lens. you will need to select an f stop then activate your DOF prewiev button. While the lens is stopped down remove it from the camera and it will stay at that f stop, you can then hold it or attach it to the camera body lens opening and take a shot . f8--- f16 works well but it will be dark , so make sure you are shooting in some good light.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Tom,

Thanks for all your great info, I have a question. I tried hand holding my 18-105 lens reversed to test it out, but I cant see anything when i look through the viewfinder. Is this normal or am i doing something wrong? I tried it in bright sunlight. Thanks.

Kyle

Thank you Tom,
I never knew that I could "make" a macro like this I just played with my 17-50 and it worked like a charm!! Now to get a reverse ring and have some fun...Thanks again!!

Kyle Yu wrote:
Tom,

Thanks for all your great info, I have a question. I tried hand holding my 18-105 lens reversed to test it out, but I cant see anything when i look through the viewfinder. Is this normal or am i doing something wrong? I tried it in bright sunlight. Thanks.

Kyle



If you are trying to use an EF lens. you will need to select an f stop then activate your DOF prewiev button. While the lens is stopped down remove it from the camera and it will stay at that f stop, you can then hold it or attach it to the camera body lens opening and take a shot . f8--- f16 works well but it will be dark , so make sure you are shooting in some good light.

Hope this helps.