Projector Lens For Extreme Macro

I have just reverse mounted an 85/f2 projector lens on my 4x5 to use

for extreme macro....I wanted the benefit of the thinnest sliver of

depth of field this lens gives plus it has lots of coverage for my

purpose. However, even when considering bellows factor exposure

speeds are not slow enough for me to use a lens cap for a

shutter..... Am I going to be shooting by moonlight or is there

something else I can do?

 

Thank you... Annie

Annie, your 80mm enlarging lens you use for the hassie will do the same thing, maybe better and it already has an aperture. jg

Do you have a neutral density filter around? Focus through a UV filter then replace it with a ND before taking (so that the filter doesn't shift your focus too much).

oops.... sorry I wasn't clear... I am using the projector lens because I want to use the wide f stop.....f2. That is why I am running into the problem with speed.

The ND filter is a good answer, as is slower film.

Of course!!! My only excuse for not thinking of that is I rarely use filters.... I'll order a ND and use the moon until it arrives.

 

Jim!! I didn't know enlarging lenses worked... great!! I'm on it for my next project... who knows it could be my big breakthrough and I will finally make a decent photograph!

 

Thanks all..... Annie.

Annie, Are you quite sure that you are considering the true magnification of the lens in the reversed position? It is my understanding that this takes your situation out of the realm of conventional bellows extension considerations.

Don... I have it set up right at this very moment.... bellows extension is 23 inches and I have the most sublime little slice of my subject in focus then it fades softly away...is there a certain point in bellows extension where the usual considerations change?

.....A.

Annie, you see to be working around 6:1. At that magnification there is NO depth of field to speak of even at stops smaller than your projector lens' f/2.

 

Odds are that your projector lens is relatively lousy. If you have access to a manual focus 55/2.8 MicroNikkor, try it reversed at f/4. At that stop its diffraction limited, i.e., as good as possible, and at 6:1 it will easily cover 4x5.

 

About your exposing problem, have you considered using open flash? Set up, insert film, turn lights off, withdraw dark slide, pop the flash, insert the dark slide ...

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

Flash.... No, I had not thought of flash....a solid sane idea!. No moon last night, it clouded over... so I used a candle and created little gusts of air using a Japanese paper fan to create a flame flicker so the shadows were not too harsh. I know the lens is poor but I really like that cat's whisker of DOF. I did not realize that at that magnification the f stop made little difference and I was centering my 'technique' around that.... Thanks.

If the lens is too big to use with a standard (e.g. Sinar) behind the lens shutter, use a packard shutter or a focal plane shutter.