THE CORNUCOPIA - OPEN PAGE 1
macro images from jan steinman
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THE CORNUCOPIA - OPEN PAGE 1 macro images from jan steinman |
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A SERIES OF MACRO PROGRESSIONS WITH VARIOUS OMZ's ON AN E-300:
My macro testbed setup: NOTES: All shots done on a copy stand re-cycled from an old enlarger. I typically fixed focus on the lens, then moved the camera up and down to achieve focus. In the shot below you can see the macro flash TF-22 is mounted on the lens - the best place and the control unit FC-1 in the E-300 hot shoe. With some of the lenses on test it was not possible to mount the flash ring around the lens and the flash was used off-lens and placed on the table top to give the best illumination possible.
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Here you can see the set-up. The subject is an old caliper guage. Note too several pairs of my glasses, pens and paper to record progress; this is essential as you can easily get lost or forget the settings. Remember too that the exif information is not complete when using OMZ's on the E-300, so you cannot rely on that..
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ESTABLISHING A REFERENCE: The following images are taken with the Zuiko Digital 50mm Macro lens and serve to act as a 'reference' point. No 1 is with the lens wide open and using available natural light and was color-corrected in Apple Aperture, as it had a yellow cast from overhead lights. The reason the first is done in natural light is because no other lens was going to be tested at wider than f4. Why - because flash used cannot be dialled down enough to allow such a large aperture and the use of ND filters may have skewed the results. The second image is the same set-up but this time with FC-1 and TF-22 twin macro flash at GN 2, at aperture f=8. The rest are using various OMZ's to show the variations applied by balancing the Guide Number (GN) with the aperture.
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Reference image 1: Zuiko Digital 50mm x 2.0 Macro, wide open in natural light.
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Reference image 2: Zuiko Digital 50mm x 2.0 Macro, f=8.0 flash illuminated. |
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RESULTS FROM OM ZUIKO LENSES: Here are the results from a range of OMZ's in my posession; some of which can be mounted directly on the E-300, some directly on to the OM to 4/3rds adapter, some on to extension tubes and others on the unique OM macro focusing tube. (They are suitably notated). |
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OM Zuiko 50mm x 2.0 Macro (OM) Lens |
This shows the balance between the light (GN value) and aperture, allowing the photographer to be selective regarding DofF across the image. Of course in small web images these differences look small but for detailed macro work they are important.
As above; the overall lighting is the same but the DofF is sharpening up those areas nearer the lens.
As above; lighting remains the same but sharpness increases again on higher areas. To my eyes however at F=16 the 50mm x 2.0 macro lens is losing its base line sharpness (the figures in the centre are not as sharp). |
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OMZ 90mm x 2.0 From the photographer: My favourite Macro lens proves itself! Contrasty and sharp! |
The field of view is slightly different due to the focal length change from 50 to 90mm. The image is crisp and contrasty and well rendered.
Notice the slight sharpening of the figures on the reference bar.
At f=16 sharpness improves marginally and DofF also increases. |
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OMZ 80mm x 4.0 'special macro' From the photographer: This lens cannot be mounted directly onto a camera; it requires either extension tubes or the unique Olympus telescoping adapter. Results are quite impressive to me, begins to get soft at f32. Also a bit over-exposed at f32. |
Very nice indeed.
Slightly sharper.
Slightly sharper again.
Tending to soften and some contrast lost due to overexposure (typical of OMZ's on E-bodies).
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OMZ 135mm x 4.5 From the photographer: Pretty impressive. I think the lighting, being mounted on the lens, which was the furthest from the subject of all shots, didn't help any. If I had been thinking better, I would have fixed the lights at the same point for all lenses, rather than mounting the twinlights *on* the lens, which was at different locations for each lens. The f4.5 looks a tad underexposed. |
Impressive! A tad underexposed perhaps. Lighting possibly not the best setup.
Improving sharpness.
Likewise.
Very sharp - can't really complain at these results. |
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OMZ 38mm x 2.8 Series two Macro on 19mm extension (Vivitar 12mm + Olympus 7mm). From the photographer: Seems to hold up fairly well, even at F=32 (not shown). |
Impressive! A tad underexposed perhaps. Lighting possibly not the best setup.
Improving sharpness.
Likewise.
Very sharp - can't really complain at these results.
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OMZ 20mm x 2.0 Macro mounted directly on OM to 4/3rds adapter. From the photographer: I may have botched the focus on the first shot -- or maybe it's really that soft wide open. This lens shows I should have cleaned that caliper before shooting! Each tick is 1/40th of an inch. |
I may have messed up here though it's not that bad for wide open.
Much better.
And again.
This series really shows DofF across the frame getting better as the aperture closes..
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OMZ 55mm x 1.2 Standard lens mounted on a 25mm extension. From the photographer: Just for comparison and since John tested this lens, I thought I'd include it in my macro series. Well, it's pretty soft at any aperture with some over-exposure at f16. (Very much in line with my findings - not recommended JF). |
Dear oh dear! this is not good at all. I suspect the big glass 55mm was at its limit on a 35mm camera.
Not getting any better. No improvement in contrast and flat.
Getting worse! Overexposure kicking in.
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