a_venk

<p>This is to report back on what worked for those who may later refer to this thread.<br>

(1) Lens reversal was essential to get decent images when I used the MF 28/2.8 and 50/1.8 primes with extension tubes approximating their focal length to get to the magnification ratios (approaching 2:1, ie twice life-size) I needed. Image quality was very good, with the usual caveats about razor-thin DoF and tiny working distances. Stopping down in the f8-f16 range worked well with no visible evidence of diffraction effects.<br>

(2) The SRB Griturn manual extension tubes come in 7, 14 and 28mm lengths. I found them well made and sturdy (anodised metal, good tolerances) as were the reversal rings and coupling rings I also got. Excellent customer service.<br>

(3) The popup flash on both the Nikon D200 and D7000 bodies worked as a CLS commander to trigger slave strobes operating in M mode with reversed lenses or extension tubes (ie., lens not detected by body). Metering with flash was fairly accurate, which makes me suspect that some form of iTTL was being implemented.<br>

Thanks to Jose and Sem in particular for their help.</p>

<p>I've used my D7000 with several AF-D and AF-S type lenses, and have had no problems with auto focusing that could be attributed to the camera's AF system rather than other factors.<br>

My experience is similar to that of Bruce Rubenstein explained in his post above: the D7000s autofocus system appears to limit the maximum time to focus before the shutter fires, such that some shots of difficult subjects taken with slow-to-focus AF-D lenses at their widest apertures do miss. But this doesn't happen very often, and the snappy autofocus is an advantage in most usual circumstances.</p>

<p>Thanks for the further information, Sem and Jose. I now know what I will need to get started!<br>

If anyone out there has used the manual extension tubes from SRB Griturn, it would be very helpful to learn what is the max extension distance they provide. Thanks.</p>

<p>Thanks for your responses, Michael, Jeannean and Jose, and for the useful information.<br>

I can see that 4:1 is going to be difficult just using extension tubes, and will try to stay nearer 1:1 or 2:1 reproduction ratios. A macro bellows would be great, but is out of my budget for the moment.<br>

A few remaining issues further to the responses above:<br>

If anyone has experience with the SRB Griturn manual tubes [http://www.srb-griturn.com/manual-extension-tubes-1246-p.asp]: are the sizes sufficient for 50-100 mm of extension?<br>

Is there a formula to estimate the reproduction ratio when reversing lenses?<br>

When using a manual extension tube or reversed lens with the D200 or D7000 body, will it be possible to trigger off-camera strobes using the pop-up flash as commander? I assume the camera will not detect the lens, but cannot figure out whether the CLS system or iTTL metering will work in manual mode with this setup.<br>

Thanks for your help.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I use the 18-35mm f3.5/4.5 IF-ED lens regularly with the D200 or D7000 Dx format bodies, and it works very well. Its compactness and light weight are particularly helpful when I am traveling or hiking. Bjorn Rorslett rates the image quality of the 18-35 pretty highly given its price even when compared to the pro (read: large, heavy and expensive) 17-35 f2.8.<br>

That said, the 18-35 is an AF-D lens which will not autofocus with the D3200 (or any other body lacking a focus motor).</p>

<p>Hello!<br>

I'm new to PN (but have a few years' experience with film and digital photography). I am putting together a simple set-up for the macro photography of static subjects, and am posting here with a few questions that I haven't readily been able to answer from the information already posted on PN.<br>

I will be using D200 or D7000 bodies, and manual extension tubes with 28mm f2.8 or 50mm f1.8 MF AIS lenses (neither is a macro-focusing design). I expect to need reproduction ratios ranging between 1:4 to about 4:1.<br>

(1) Can anyone recommend inexpensive (say <£25) manual extension tube sets that will provide the ratios I need? I am based in the UK and have found manual extension tubes sold by SRB Griturn [http://www.srb-griturn.com/manual-extension-tubes-1246-p.asp] but the tube sizes are not listed, so if anyone has used this type before, it would be helpful to hear from you.<br>

(2) Is it advisable to reverse-mount the lenses, particularly when my working distance lens->subject is less than the sensor<-lens distance, and if so, why?<br>

(3) I would ideally like to use off-camera strobes for lighting my subject. Will it be possible to trigger off-camera strobes using the pop-up flash as commander, given that the camera will not detect the lens via a manual extension tube? I reckon I won't need iTTL metering with the flash, since my subjects will be static, and I can find the right exposure by trial and error, but please correct me if my thinking is wrong.<br>

There's clearly a lot I need to learn concerning lighting for macro photography, so I'd appreciate links to any guide covering this topic.<br>

Thanks for your help.</p>

<p>Hello!<br>

This looks to be a wonderful website for a photography hobbyist like me, and I look forward to improving my skills with the help of the PN community! I've used film and digital cameras for a few years, gradually acquiring the kit that I currently use. It comprises Nikon D200 and D7000 Dx bodies, and a few lenses (fast-ish 28, 50 and 80-200 lenses, plus slower 18-35 and 70-300 zooms for travel), almost all bought second-hand.<br>

Most of my photography thus far has been to document interesting places and things I have seen during my travels. Please feel free to critique the examples in my gallery to help me improve my skills in this fairly eclectic interest. I am particularly interested in learning more about macro and flash photography before I delve into these areas in the future.<br>

<br />Thanks for reading,<br>

Ashok</p>