Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] leica nikon or canon for macro work (was quality control)
From: "Ken Iisaka" <ken@iisaka.org>
Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 23:09:11 -0700
References: <20010502160253.44642.qmail@web13708.mail.yahoo.com> <006901c0d45c$7087c680$e904c53f@pacbell.net>

I'm adding to my original mail as below:

I am also not fond of ringlight, because the light is completely flat.  I'd
rather use natural light with a tripod, with a diffuser and/or a reflector.
Ring light flash produces images that are almost too anatomical and
scientific for my taste.

You don't get more DOF by using a longer lens either.  DOF is a function of
magnification, and the focal lengh really has nothing to do with it.  While
I occasionally used the manual-focus Micro-Nikkor 200mm/1:4 lens for a
while, I found the lens to be harsh, and not particularly useful except for
insect photography.  For flowers, I would much prefer a shorter focal length
(50-60mm).  I even used a Nikon 28mm/1:2.8 lens that lets you focus down to
20cm for flower photographs with successful results.

I wrote:
> I don't know why you wouldn't recommend an R8, or a Leica for close-ups.
> Macro-Elmarit 60mm is a brilliant lens, and what I hear of APO
Macro-Elmarit
> 100mm is nothing short of brilliant.  I've used a Micro-Nikkor 55mm
1:2.8S,
> but I ended up selling it (last week on eBay) because I was never
satisfied
> of the colour rendition.
>
> Indeed, autofocus is unnecessary, or even disadvantageous for close-up
> photography.  It is important to have a brilliant focussing screen for
> accurate focussing, and Leicaflex SL, SL2, and R8 are among the best.
Nikon
> F3 has just a brilliant viewfinder, but you cannot use Leica glass with it
> (not without a lot of pain)
>
> > I have done a lot of macro on flowers and can
> > recommend the Nikon with ring flash.
> >
> > If you don't want or use flash try to get the 200mm
> > micro nikkor the extra distance from the subject
> > allows much more light and enables much better frame
> > filling and better DOF.
> >
> > I found manual focus is much better for macro work as
> > you can choose the critical point of focus which is
> > not always in the centre of the frame.
> >
> > --- Kyle Cassidy <cassidy@netaxs.com> wrote: > >(snip)
> > . . . I have things narrowed down to an R8,
> > > an F3 which comes
> > > >with some great glassware, or a new EOS body with a
> > > 28 to 70 f2.8  L
> > > >lens. I need an SLR because I do a lot of close ups
> > > of flowers. (I've
> > > >heard, by the way, that the Leica 60mm macro is a
> > > hell of a lens.)
>
>
>

In reply to: Message from McFadden Peter <leicausergroup@yahoo.co.uk> (Re: [Leica] leica nikon or canon for macro work (was quality control))
Message from "Ken Iisaka" <ken@iisaka.org> (Re: [Leica] leica nikon or canon for macro work (was quality control))