X-Pan Close-Ups Or Macro?

[Harold Gough]

This should be possible, using supplementary lenses and a frame to position the camera in relation to the subject.

The question arises as to how useful the X-Pan focusing is at short working distances.

Does anyone have any experience to share?

 

[didjiman]

The lens are not designed to focus closer than the closest distance. i.e. you just can't make the optics moves further back!

 

[sepiareverb]

I've never tried, but have wondered about using those + filters on an XPAN. I came to the conclusion that I'd just be missing both focus and composition too often.

 

[payasam]

The camera's range-finder and view-finder will both become irrelevant with a supplementary lens. Leitz made several attachments for near range work -- BOOWU, BELUN and so on -- and Canon had their Auto-Up, but a reflex camera is far more convenient if used with a macro lens or extension tubes or bellows.

 

[Harold Gough]

reflex camera is far more convenient if used with a macro lens or extension tubes or bellows.

This is not about convenience (I have just about every piece of kit I could ever want for macro with my OM system) it is about format.

 

[jbrubaker]

X-pan macro

X-pan macro

This should be possible, using supplementary lenses and a frame to position the camera in relation to the subject.

Does anyone have any experience to share?

Harold - I haven't tried with the X-pan, but I did with the Mamiya 7. Mamiya made a kit with screw-in close-up lens and a folding frame arraignment to show the area and focus plane. It did work, but not too convenient. Another thing I tried with good success is to mount the camera to a copy stand, open the back and the lens, and focus on a piece of ground glass. Then close the lens, load the film and shoot. This , of course, only works for indoor, static subjects. What is it you would like to photograph? Regards ---john.

 

[Harold Gough]

Harold - I haven't tried with the X-pan, but I did with the Mamiya 7. Mamiya made a kit with screw-in close-up lens and a folding frame arraignment to show the area and focus plane. It did work, but not too convenient. Another thing I tried with good success is to mount the camera to a copy stand, open the back and the lens, and focus on a piece of ground glass. Then close the lens, load the film and shoot. This , of course, only works for indoor, static subjects. What is it you would like to photograph? Regards ---john.

That is, essentially, what I did when I calibrated distances and field width, etc. with various supplementary lenses. The next stage is to see if the focusing mechanism can be used by fiendish trickery.

 

[Harold Gough]

The lens are not designed to focus closer than the closest distance. i.e. you just can't make the optics moves further back!

That's what supplementary lenses are always used to overcome.