sure is. I haven't tested it throughly but it's there. not sure about how it is in the center with contrasty areas. I'll post more results later with better lighting but impressed so far for a free macro lense.
toonhorse wrote:
Is that some CA in your picture jaybussiere? Specifically, on the "35-80" lettering. Almost looks like it doesn't it?
Yeah, a free macro is hard to beat. I wasn't using the 35-70 at all, now I keep it in my bag all the time. And the CA can always be corrected in PS if need be. So far I haven't noticed any in my photos but the 35-70 probably has different lens elements.....
update on that last 35-70 I just got "as-is" on ebay, well, I got it and fixed it. it appeared the guy somehow dropped it and bent the name plate, which on the old mark 1's was aluminum. So I pried it off, took the entire front end off, cleaned it (I know how to take them apart now) bent the ring back into shape, and voila, I have a late 80's 35-70 EF zoom. I have to say it's pretty sharp. Not amazing, but it's pretty decent for $24. They sure built those lenses better than today... so my quest for a banged 35-70 or 28-70 II (old style) will go on...
About the reversed 50... here's another example. You can clearly see the vignetting and that the photo is not very sharp. Focusing is nearly impossible using this method and you have to get within inches of whatever you want to focus on. Sometimes the focus distance is less than 2 inches. Amazingly this guy didn't get scared away. It's actually from my first day discovering the technique! http://img37.exs.cx/img37/7371/img34478zp.jpg
Brilliant find Bellyface, I'm gonna keep an eye open on ebay for some of these lenses, maybe you could make a list of lenses which you know this works with, would be real helpfull!!!
I did something recently that I should post about here - I ended up making a bi-convex lens in our university optical grinding lab, and I taped it to the front of my 50mm f/1.8 II, it makes one hell of a macro lens! Probably somewhere in the realm of 2:1 magnification.
Awesome bellyface, looking forward to checking that site out once it's up. I have quite a few sample shots with the 35-70 that you can add to it, if that's the kind of thing you want to do. Also, I can take a picture of my lens, so people can have an example of what it will look like. I wish i had taken better notes when i took it apart.....let us know when that site is functional!
Found a 35-80 on ebay for $25 and quickly took it apart. Unfortunately I had to be right on top of my subject to focus so I used bellyface's technique to gain a few inches of working room. Here's my first result. This is a little league baseball that is about 20 years old.
Full frame:
Thanks for sharing this mod, bellyface. I love it. All the fun with none of the expense. Here's one more. This lovely item is a $3 Empire State Building souvenir (sp?). My favorite keepsake from a day trip to New York City last fall.
I wasn't using the 35-70 at all, now I keep it in my bag all the time. And the CA can always be corrected in PS if need be. So far I haven't noticed any in my photos but the 35-70 probably has different lens elements.....
it appeared the guy somehow dropped it and bent the name plate, which on the old mark 1's was aluminum. So I pried it off, took the entire front end off, cleaned it (I know how to take them apart now) bent the ring back into shape, and voila, I have a late 80's 35-70 EF zoom. I have to say it's pretty sharp. Not amazing, but it's pretty decent for $24. They sure built those lenses better than today... so my quest for a banged 35-70 or 28-70 II (old style) will go on...
