Focus with screw-on close-up lens ?

[zdav]

hi,

I have a yashica lynx 14 which has a 50mm lens and a 58mm filter thread.

It feels like the 50mm works best for subjects that are not too far, not too close. I was wondering if I could make the lens more versatile with a screw-on close-up lens or wide-angel lens.

1. How can you focus with this lens attached to the 50mm ? I guess the rangefinder isn't calibrated for the "new" focal distance.

2. Are these screw-on lens adapters any good, worth the price? Considered that my camera cost me 50€. Or should I just learn how to deal with the "limitations" of my current lens.

thanks,

zdav

ps: I'm heading for Ladakh, India next month, so I'll probably want to shoot mountain landscapes. hence my question about the wide-angle

 

[RobVinc]

Screw-on close up lenses are normaly made for (D)SLRs, where You can see trough the changed Lens..
I haven't used one on an RF. But in general I think the close-up lenses do not generate as good results as a dedicated marco-lens would do.
I am not sure but I don't think there are macro lenses for RF.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Zdav,

A 1-dioptre lens will give you 1 metre at infinity focus; 2 dioptre, 0.5 metre; 3 dioptre, 0,33m. Quite honestly I'd not recommend it because the 50/1.4 is unlikely to perform well, and framing will be problematic. Learning to live with the limitaions might be a better idea. Or buying an old SLR with a slower lens, and a 1-dioptre close-up lens.

Cheers,

R.

 

[oftheherd]

Some camera manufacturers sold an accessory sometimes called an Autoup. It was specifically for closeups and had the closup lens attached to a finder that took care of paralax. I never owned one so I don't know how well they worked, or if one was ever available for your camera. They are hard to find.

Close up filters will work, and may give you acceptable results. They require good measurement and a tripod for best results. Below is an image I took sort of just to prove I could. It is with my Canonet III 17, a close up two filter, and hand held. I used a tape measure for the distance per the data sheet that came with the lens. Hand held is not the recommended way. A tripod would have given a better image. It will be hit or miss getting the right depth of field.

As to auxillery lenses, I don't think I ever used one, although many years ago I had a set. I always read they caused some reduction in in the image. How much and whether or not it is acceptable, only you can decide.

I would really suggest following Mr. Hicks recommendation for an inexpensive SLR. Something like a working Yashica TL Electro X for the filter you already have. They aren't small in size.

An Olympus OM1 or Fujica ST 701 or 801 are smaller. They are also older and more difficult to get a working model. But a close up lens on an SLR, or a wide on an SLR, will give you superior results if they are working as they should.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[pvdhaar]

Using close-up diopters on an RF will generally not lead to satisfying results..

That is because when you move closer to your subject, depth of field becomes very shallow. Scale focusing correctly, even if you would know the exact diopter value, will become a hit and miss mission. Therefore Roger's idea to buy a cheap SLR is a very sound one, though I would rather suggest getting a reversing ring instead of a close-up diopter if you're thinking about macro. A reversing ring allows the lens to sit reversed on the camera body, will provide more magnification than a close-up diopter, and will have infinitely better image quality to boost.

Also, be aware that close-up diopters don't work well for short lenses. The amount of extra magnification is limited. A 50mm lens has a dpt value of 20. Even if you add a +3 diopter, the combination has an effective focal length of 43mm. With the 5mm extension that a normal 50mm lens typically has, the magnification increases from 1:10 to 1:8.7 only. Cropping is easier..

Close-up diopters start to really do their work from ca. 100mm focal length and up..

 

[zdav]

Thank you for your help everybody.

I haven't bought a close-up lens yet (and probably won't after reading your replies). I have a yashica FX3 SLR, if I ever buy a close-up lens I will buy one for this camera.

What about wide-angle screw-ons? For landscapes you probably focus on infinity anyway so focusing isn't an issue? Has anybody got any experience with that ?

thanks,

Zdav

 

[Roger Hicks]

What about wide-angle screw-ons? For landscapes you probably focus on infinity anyway so focusing isn't an issue? Has anybody got any experience with that ?

Dear Zdav,

The very few I've tried, and the rather more that I've seen reviewed or tested, all entail quite a loss of image quality. Quality loss is likely to be worst with a fast lens which was not designed to be used with such adapters, i.e. lenses like the one on your Lynx 14.

Cheers,.

R.

 

[zdav]

ok thank you Roger,

I'll just forget about the screw-on lenses and maybe look for a real wide angle lens for my fx3 slr if I feel the urge to buy new stuff

thanks again.

zdav

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Some camera manufacturers sold an accessory sometimes called an Autoup. It was specifically for closeups and had the closup lens attached to a finder that took care of paralax. I never owned one so I don't know how well they worked, or if one was ever available for your camera. They are hard to find.

Close up filters will work, and may give you acceptable results. They require good measurement and a tripod for best results. Below is an image I took sort of just to prove I could. It is with my Canonet III 17, a close up two filter, and hand held. I used a tape measure for the distance per the data sheet that came with the lens. Hand held is not the recommended way. A tripod would have given a better image. It will be hit or miss getting the right depth of field.

As to auxillery lenses, I don't think I ever used one, although many years ago I had a set. I always read they caused some reduction in in the image. How much and whether or not it is acceptable, only you can decide.

I would really suggest following Mr. Hicks recommendation for an inexpensive SLR. Something like a working Yashica TL Electro X for the filter you already have. They aren't small in size.

An Olympus OM1 or Fujica ST 701 or 801 are smaller. They are also older and more difficult to get a working model. But a close up lens on an SLR, or a wide on an SLR, will give you superior results if they are working as they should.

Good luck in your decision.

The nice thing about a TL Electro X is that it is one of very few M42 SLRs made with a proper mirror lock. I have a Fujica ST I like in a lot of ways, but the Yashica gets the nod for any long exposure or close focus work if I'm using M42 glass. Yashica's TL Super is another M42 with M/L, however the shutters are not as robust (although it's a simpler unit with less electronics). The Yashicas are built like tanks, too, although having said that, they have been known to break mirrors occasionally.
Cheers
Brett

 

[oftheherd]

I have both the TL Super and the TL Electrol X. Both are great cameras, but no as small as the Fujica ST series, at least the 801 and 901. I have never seen or held the older ones. But the 801 and 901 are small (before the Olympus), and both hold up well and take great photos. The ST 901 had special dampening built into the shutter and mirrow, and was not therefore considered to need MLU. Usually when I use to do a fair amount of closeup, I never worried much about it, finding I got sharp photos with the 901. For some extreme closeups, when I wanted to be able to say I used MLU, I might be tempted to use my TL Super (I didn't have an Electro X then), I would use it. But frankly, I never saw an advantage of using the MLU over the ST 901 and self timer or cable release.