First Look: DX Lensbaby

Just the other day I was thinking, what Lensbaby really needs to do is make a series of optics for DX Cameras. And ironically, they did just that, with last week’s introduction of the Sweet 35.

Read more >




Exposure Table

Exposure times, in seconds or minutes (m), for various exposure values and f-numbers

EV	f-number
	1.0	1.4	2.0	2.8	4.0	5.6	8.0	11	16	22	32	45	64
−6	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m	128 m	256 m	512 m	1024 m	2048 m	4096 m
−5	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m	128 m	256 m	512 m	1024 m	2048 m
−4	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m	128 m	256 m	512 m	1024 m
−3	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m	128 m	256 m	512 m
−2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m	128 m	256 m
−1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m	128 m
0	1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m	64 m
1	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m	32 m
2	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m	16 m
3	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m	8 m
4	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m	4 m
5	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30	60	2 m
6	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30	60
7	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15	30
8	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8	15
9	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4	8
10	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2	4
11	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1	2
12	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1
13	1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2
14		1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4
15			1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8
16				1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15
17					1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30
18						1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60
19							1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125
20								1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250
21									1/8000	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500
EV	1.0	1.4	2.0	2.8	4.0	5.6	8.0	11	16	22	32	45	64
	f-number

…In with the new

Is There a Macro Lens in My Future?

So I guess it’s pretty clear by now that I’ve been consciously avoiding the purchase of a dedicated macro lens. I can’t help it; I’ve been having so much fun exploring all the ways I can get around it. It might even have something to do with the $500.00-$900.00 price tag.

The truth is, I already have one. It’s just not a Nikon. When I acquired my Minolta SRT-201, it came with a beat-up Vivitar standard zoom, and a Genuine Rokkor-X 100mm f/3.5 macro lens in pristine condition. I’ve been wondering what to do with it. And I think I know what that is.

In addition to the Canon FD to Nikon F lens mount adapter, Fotodiox also offers a Minolta MD/MC to Nikon adapter. Would it not be worth $39.99 to have a dedicated 150mm f/3.5 macro lens?

With the 1.4x element removed, there would be no degradation in image quality. True, it would no longer function as a telephoto lens, and the reproduction ratio scale on the lens itself would be off, but it would certainly give this very useful lens a new purpose.

Out with the old…

Review: Fotodiox Canon FD-Nikon Lens Adapter

They said it could not be done and yet here it is. A means to use Canon FD lenses on a Nikon body.

If like me, You’re a Nikonian with a considerable investment in Canon glass, you might consider getting one of these. In exploring the option of converting my FD lenses for use with my new Nikon body, I came across many a claim that this is simply not possible.

To say that it’s impossible to adapt a Canon lens, or any other lens with a negative flange-to-film-plane distance for that matter, is simply a lie. Of course it’s possible. If they can make a teleconverter or an extension tube that couples with a lens and a lens that contains its own focusing motor, they can make an adapter from a Nikon body to a Canon FD lens. So for better or worse, I parted with $40.00 to prove these claims false.

The build quality is not the best, but it does the job. It mounts smoothly to both camera and lens, and features a rotating collar that unlocks the aperture blades. You set the aperture, compose and focus wide open, and rotate the ring to stop down and take the picture.

The optical quality is another story.

If your intent is to avoid purchasing redundant Nikon lenses, forget it. If your intent is to have fun and say, “Hey, look what I can do!”, then go for it.

To be truthful, I wrote this off way too soon. Sensors hate legacy wide angle lenses, so judging it solely by a 24mm f/2.8 lens at its maximum aperture was a little too harsh on my part. The images were actually quite sharp. It’s just that they’re veiled in coma, giving them a soft-focus effect which can be quite effective if that’s your intent.

But stop down, and things change drastically. One stop is a sizable improvement, but two, and the image is quite usable. The 24mm f/2.8 looks good at f/5.6, the 50mm f/1.8 looks good at f/4.0 and the 35-105 f/3.5 looks good at f/8, but was still quite usable at f/5.6; and that was at 35mm! At 105mm, I could easily resolve a window screen at twenty-five feet.

Yes, for about the cost of a new lens, the quality could be improved. I’m not sure even I would pay that. The thing is, this thing costs less that the price of a good filter. And at that price, it does a pretty good job.

Build Quality ★★★

Enameled brass with dull-chromed mount (Canon side). Fit and finish acceptable. Mounts firmly, and aperture collar rotates smoothly.

Compatibility ★★★★

It allows products from two completely different brands to work together; how much more compatible can it be? If it coupled the lens’ aperture to the body, it would have gotten five stars.

Optical Quality ★★★

Usable, but not good at wide apertures. Images are sharp, but suffer from clarity issues. Depends largely on the lens. Shoot at around f/4-5.6 minimum, and you’ll get reasonable images.

Value ★★★★

For less than the cost of a good filter, you can play with your old lenses and make them feel useful again.

Versatility ★★★★

Because the optic can be easily removed, (the website now points this out as a feature) it can be used to mount a Canon lens to a Nikon extension tube for macro use with no optical degradation. It can also be used on the mount end of a reversed Canon lens to protect the rear element and unlock the aperture ring for macro work in place of the hard-to-find Canon Macro Hood and Diaphragm Adapter.

Included Accessories

Includes a “reproduction” Canon body cap and Nikon rear lens cap.

Specifications

You can view Fotodiox’s Specifications for this product by visiting their website.

Review: Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG for Nikon

If you want to explore macro photography but don’t want to invest in a dedicated macro lens, for an investment of around $170.00, you can convert any lens into a macro lens.

Kenko, one of the THK group brands (Tokina/Hoya/Kenko) is well known for its auto extension tube set, available in Canon, Nikon and Sony/Minota mounts. Basically, it’s a set of three tubes, 12mm 20mm and 36mm in length, which are mounted between the lens and camera body, moving the rear of the lens further away from the film plane. The purpose of this is to shorten the minimum focus distance of the lens, which allows you to get closer to the subject, and thus increase magnification. The upside is that there are no optics to degrade the image quality. The downside is that you lose infinity focus.

The three tubes in the set can be used in any combination to give you different magnification factors. The longer the tube, the greater the magnification, but the narrower the range of distances at which you can focus. But what’s really great about this product is that it preserves all of the lens’ exposure and autofocus functions because each tube has a set of CPU contacts, an aperture lever, and a mechanical focus coupling. So, they’re compatible with both manual and autofocus/auto aperture lenses. The Nikon version tested here is compatible with all Nikon manual focus, AF and AF-S lenses.

The quality of the build is excellent, and they are quite durable despite their light weight, which is due not to quality, but to the absence of optics. There’s also a lot of rattling around due to the free-floating aperture levers, which goes away once a lens is mounted and it’s aperture lever spring takes up the slack. This may also lead to the misconception of substandard quality.

Focusing
Auto focus works well, making these tubes great for field work. However, used with slower lenses it can be tricky, especially when more than one extension tube is used. The extremely shallow depth of field wide open will cause the lens to hunt, and it may be difficult to direct the lens to what you are focusing on. But with practice, it’s possible to develop a technique that provides excellent results without the need for a tripod.

The more tubes you use, the narrower the range of focus, and you may find yourself moving in and out to help the lens find its mark. At this point, it may be easier to set the lens or camera to manual and focus by moving the camera in and out. Set the focus ring to infinity, and move closer to or farther away from the subject until you have focus confirmation. This is actually the traditional way of focusing in macro photography, and it works quite well. When using a tripod, a device exists for just this purpose—the macro focusing rail.

Exposure
Possibly the most important advantage is the preservation of TTL auto exposure. The added distance between the lens and film/sensor increases the necessary exposure, and the ability to meter through the lens and tubes and to use any of the auto exposure modes greatly simplifies things. This is especially true of cameras in which you cannot manually set the lens information such as the D90. It also enables TTL flash, which simplifies things even further.

Mounting
The extension tubes mount to the camera and to each other very easily, as do lenses to the tubes. The tolerances are not as great, so they go on very smoothly. You can feel the contacts engaging as you rotate the lens, which is a little disconcerting at first, but perfectly normal. The index markings (which are tiny red plastic inserts) make it easy to align to the camera and lenses). The release lever can easily be operated by the hand grasping the lens, while the other hand holds the camera body.

Reversing Lenses
In addition to mounting lenses conventionally, you can also reverse mount them to increase magnification. Using all three tubes with a reversed wide angle, such as the AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D creates an enormous amount of magnification. An object a quarter of an inch across will more than fill the frame. With this setup, you may lose metering and auto exposure capability, so you will have to rely on test shots and the histogram to arrive at the correct exposure. A tripod and focusing rail are recommended.

Using with Flash
Because the subject can be so close to the lens, lighting challenges can be overcome by using a macro flash such as the Sigma EM-140 DG. Keep in mind that the tubes achieve macro ability by reducing the focus distance, not by magnifying the image with optics. The more tubes you use, the shorter the focus distance and the harder it is to light. Therefore, extension tubes work best with longer lenses which already have greater magnification and long minimum focus distances. In some instances where multiple tubes are used, the focus distance may be shorter that the depth of the flash head, in which case the light from the flash will be blocked.

Using Zoom Lenses
Telephoto zoom lenses work better than standard zoom lenses. For example, the AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5/5.6G works better than the AF-S DX Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5/5.6G because most of the latter’s zoom range renders the working distance too short to be practical. Even with all three tubes, the 70-300mm’s working distance is still about 2", which works fine with the Sigma EM-140 DG. Zoom lenses bring the feel of working with a macro lens to extension tubes.

Using with Catadioptric Lenses
Let’s get ridiculous. When the 20mm tube is fitted to the Pheonix/Samyang 500mm f/8 mirror lens, something strange happens. Because this lens focuses past infinity (common for T-mount lenses to assure compatibility) it still makes infinity focus as a telephoto. However, no other combination of tubes allows this to happen. But with the other tubes, it certainly has the capability of focusing at about 30 to 50 feet, with enormous magnification. Used on a tripod or with a ring or conventional flash this lens could easily be used with or without these extension tubes as a macro lens due to its extreme close-focusing capability (5.5 ft @ 750mm!) So, it’s definitely worth pursuing.

Using with Canon or Other Brand Lenses
Because there’s no need to preserve infinity focus, you could easily use these tubes with other lenses with an adapter. In the case of a Canon FD to Nikon F adapter, you may be able to temporarily remove the optic, restoring its original optical quality. If you want to reverse the lens, you can then use the lens mount adapter in reverse to unlock the aperture lever.

Extension Tubes vs. Macro Lenses
It’s basically a matter of convenience. A macro lens is similar to a normal lens, except that it has a helicoid with a longer travel to allow for closer focusing. You determine the degree of magnification by moving in and out, and focus accordingly. The lens-to-subject distance can vary widely. With extension tubes, there’s a much narrower range of lens-to-subject distance, so the magnification is determined primarily by the length of tube you use, and there’s no longer the possibility of infinity focus.
With Zoom lenses, you regain the ability to adjust the scale of the composition by moving closer to or farther away from the subject. You just adjust the zoom to match the distance, and use the focus ring for fine tuning.

Recommended Lenses
Any lens with the equivalent focal length of 50mm or longer are suitable for use with extension tubes (this means that a 35mm lens can be used with an APS-C size sensor.) Less than 50mm, and the minimum focusing distance is already so close that the working distance may be impractical.

AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G
This lens is ideal under existing light conditions. Even with all three tubes used, there’s an adequate working distance to allow natural light to illuminate the subject. With fewer tubes, the quality of that light increases. The 75mm equivalent focal length help to achieve a higher magnification with a longer focal length.

Art glass vase. 20mm tube, about three inches across.

AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
If you’re using a macro flash, this lens is wonderful. The longer minimum focus allows greater working distance, and the zoom capability lets you dial in your magnification. However, zoom works a little differently here; you “foot zoom” in and out to achieve the desired level of magnification, then use the zoom to bring the image into general focus, and fine tune with autofocus. Zooming essentially sets the “range of focus” for a given distance, as opposed to changing the actual scale. This makes a zoom lens behave more like a dedicated macro lens when used with extension tubes. Even with all three tubes used, under poor lighting conditions, auto focus at f/16 is possible.

Distressed face of an air velocity meter, about two inches across. 12, 20 and 36mm tubes used.

When the lighting conditions are adequate, existing light can also be used, although a larger aperture may be required, thus narrowing the depth of field. Plus, it may require a shutter speed that eliminates the possibility of hand-held use, but the VR helps out greatly in this regard.

AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 (reversed)
When reversed and used with extension tubes, this lens provides a fast and compact solution for photomicrography, it’s that powerful. Manual focus and aperture make it best suited for studio work.

The first three digits of an 1899 penny. Only the 20mm tube was used.

Phoenix/Samyang 500mm f/8.0 Mirror Lens
As crazy as this seems, this lens does macro. With a minimum focus distance of 1.72m (5.5') @ 750mm (APS-C), this lens lens can do extreme close ups. But, when combined with a standard (not macro) flash and all three extension tubes, it can do this:

Lucky Penny from four feet; 12, 20 and 36mm tubes, Nikon SB-900 speedlight @ 200mm zoom.

Granted, this was helped along a little with post-processing. But it’s possible to make this shot hand held, with manual focus, exposure and flash. The flash is what makes this possible. With the zoom head of the SB-900 set to 200mm there’s plenty of light on the subject, and the flash is so easy to set up manually that it’s a breeze. Focusing was achieved by setting the lens to its minimum focus, and moving the camera in and out slightly until sharp.

Sextant at twenty-five feet. 12, 20 and 36mm tubes, ISO 400,  Nikon SB-900, 200mm zoom.

The focus range is so wide that even with all three tubes you can shoot from about 4 ft. to 30 ft. You just compose, turn the focus ring until sharp, then move the camera in and out very slightly to fine tune the focus. As soon as it’s sharp, trip the shutter. Don’t worry about camera movement, because it’s cancelled out by the flash.

Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f2.0 SL II (normal or reversed)
If this were a contest, the Voigtländer just might be the winner. It works equally well normal or reversed, and with its ability to use all three tubes in either configuration, it has the widest range of scale. It’s fast and tack sharp.

Christmas Bulb Filament. Reversed with 12, 20 and 36mm tubes, Sigma EM-140 DG flash. All manual.

1899 Penny. Normal, 12, 20 and 36mm tubes, Sigma EM-140 DG flash (TTL). Manual Focus. 

Build Quality ★★★★★

High quality plastic with metal mounts and other components. Pristine fit and finish.

Compatibility ★★★★★

Works with with manual focus, AF or AF-S lenses.

Optical Quality ★★★★★

No optical elements mean no degradation in image quality. Period.

Value ★★★★★

This set can turn so many lenses into macro lenses, You’ll spend more time having fun than thinking about the money you saved on a dedicated macro lens.

Specifications

You can view Kenko’s Specifications for this product by visiting their website.

Highly Recommended!

How to use Modeling Flash as an AF Assist Lamp

Macro photography can present lighting challenges, which also means focusing challenges. The large heads of macro or ring flashes, or the close proximity of the subject to the front of the lens may block the AF assist lamp of your camera. If your flash is equipped with a modeling feature, you can use that to assist you in focusing. Here’s how:

1. Set your camera’s auto focus to Single Servo or Continuous mode.
2. Set your flash to use Modeling flash.
3. Compose your shot, and press the shutter button halfway to begin the focusing process.
4. Fire the modeling flash by pressing the “Test” or other button; the camera will focus.
5. If the camera doesn’t achieve focus right away, press the Test button a second time. The camera will continue to focus until focus is achieved.
6. When the focus confirmation lamp lights, press the shutter button fully to take the picture.

Single Servo mode locks the focus once it is achieved; if you move the camera in and out, you may lose focus due to the extremely narrow depth of field in macro photography. The shutter will not trip until focus is achieved.

Continuous mode will attempt to maintain focus even if you move; however, you may lose audible focus confirmation. The shutter will trip regardless of whether the focus is accurate or not.

Use whichever mode works best for you.

Removing Those Stubborn Rings

For those times when filters and step-up rings just won’t budge, you need the assistance of a “rubber husband”. That’s how my wife refers to those sheets of textured rubber used to remove stubborn jar lids.

Read more >




First Impressions: Sigma EM-140 DG Macro Ring Flash

Santa was generous this year, and brought me this welcome addition to my macro outfit.

Read more >




Some choose a simpler path…

First Impressions: AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

This superb little lens was so popular this holiday season, that it sold out completely and was no where to be found. So you can imagine my amazement when I found one quite by accident at my local Best Buy store.

Read more >




First Impressions: Nikon SB-28DX Speedlight

I was in the market for a speedlight for my N80, but it’s not as simple as just ordering the current model. Film bodies require D-TTL, the original through-the-lens flash technology released in the mid 8o’s, and with the discontinuation of the SB-600, Nikon no longer supports D-TTL.

Read more >




Timeline Update

I finally finalized the Canon camera timeline, only I decided to combine it with the Nikon, and also add Olympus. So what we have now is basically a timeline of top SLR/Rangefinder cameras from 1935 to present. It made more sense to do this, as it allows you to see how each of these companies would leapfrog off one another in releasing new models. I will be updating this regularly with new information as I find it, and I’ll probably add additional cameras as well. Each section will be in alphabetical order.

Most of this information appears in the main timeline, but it will be a little easier to decipher in this format.

Camera Timeline 1932 to Present

1932

• Voigtländer Brilliant (120 pseudo TLR)

1935

• Hansa Canon

1936

• Olympus Semi-Olympus Model I (120 bellows)
• Olympus Semi-Olympus Model II (120 bellows)

1937

• Olympus Standard (127)

1938

• Voigtländer Focusing Brilliant (120 TLR)

1939

• Canon S (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus Six (120 bellows)
• Voigtländer VITO (35mm viewfinder)

1945

• Canon S-I (35mm rangefinder)

1946

• Canon J-II (35mm rangefinder)

1948

• Nikon I (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus Chrome Six I (120 bellows)
• Olympus Chrome Six II (120 bellows)
• Olympus 35 I (35mm)

1949

• Nikon M
• Olympus 35 II (35mm)
• Olympus 35 III (35mm)
• Olympus 35 IIV (35mm)

1950

• Olympus Chrome Six III (120 bellows)
• Voigtländer Prominent (35mm rangefinder)

1951

• Nikon S

1953

• Olympus Flex B II (120 TLR)
• Olympus 35 IVa (35mm)

1954

• Leica M3 (35mm rangefinder)
• Nikon S2
• Olympus Chrome Six IVa (120 bellows)
• Olympus Chrome Six IVb (120 bellows)
• Olympus Flex A 3.5 (120 TLR)
• Olympus 35 IVb (35mm)

1955

• Olympus Chrome Six V (120 bellows)
• Olympus Chrome Six RII (120 bellows)
• Olympus Flex A 2.8 (120 TLR)
• Olympus 35 Va (35mm)
• Olympus 35 b (35mm)
• Olympus 35 Wide (35mm)

1956

• Olympus Flex A 3.5 II (120 TLR)

1957

• Nikon SP
• Olympus Wide E (35mm)
• Olympus Wide S (35mm)
• Voigtländer Vitessa T (35mm interchangeable-lens rangefinder)

1958

• Canon P (35mm rangefinder)
• Leica M2 (35mm budget rangefinder)
• Nikon S3
• Olympus ACE (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus ACE-E (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus Auto (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus Eyeflex A (120 TLR)
• Olympus Eyeflex B (120 TLR)
• Olympus Wide I (35mm)

1959

• Canonflex (35mm SLR)
• Nikon F series (1959–1972, known in Germany for legal reasons as the Nikkor F)
• Nikon FTN (35mm SLR)
• Nikon S4 (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus PEN (half-frame 35mm)
• Olympus Auto B (35mm rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessamatic (35mm SLR)
• Voigtländer ZOOMAR (35mm interchangeable lens)

1960

• Nikkorex series (1960–1964)
• Nikon S3M (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus PEN S 2.8
• Olympus Auto Eye (35mm rangefinder)

1961

• Canon 7 (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus PEN EE

1962

• Olympus PEN EE-S
• Olympus PEN D
• Olympus Electro Set (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus Auto Eye II (35mm rangefinder)

1963

• Nikonos I (underwater scale-focus, originally known in France as the Calypso/Nikkor)
• Olympus PEN F (half-frame 35mm SLR)
• Olympus CdS (35mm rangefinder)

1964

• Olympus PEN W
• Olympus PEN D-2

1965

• Canon Pellix (35mm Pellicle-Mirror SLR)
• Canon 7s (Rangefinder)
• Nikkormat FT series (1965–1977, known in Japan as the Nikomat FT)
• Olympus PEN S 3.5
• Olympus PEN EM
• Olympus PEN Rapid EE-D
• Olympus PEN Rapid EE-S
• Olympus PEN D-3
• Olympus 35LE (programmable electronic shutter)

1966

• Canon FTQL (35mm SLR)
• Olympus PEN EE-EL
• Olympus PEN EES-EL
• Olympus PEN FT (half-frame 35mm SLR)
• Olympus PEN FT Black (half-frame 35mm SLR)
• Olympus PEN FV

1967

• Canon 7sZ (35mm rangefinder)
• Leica M4 (35mm rangefinder)
• Olympus PEN EE-D
• Olympus Trip 35

1968

• Nikonos II (underwater scale-focus)
• Olympus PEN EE-S2
• Olympus PEN EE-2
• Olympus PEN F Microscope

1969

• Olympus PEN FT Microscope
• Olympus 35SP (spot metering)
• Olympus 35EC (long exposure)

1970

• Olympus FTL
• Olympus 35RC

1971

• Canon F-1 (35mm SLR)
• Nikon F2 series (1971–1980)

1972

• Canon F-1 High Speed (35mm SLR)
• Canon OD F-1 (35mm SLR)
• Nikkormat EL series (1972–1977, known in Japan as the Nikomat EL)
• Olympus M-1 (35mm SLR)

1973

• Leica CL (35mm compact rangefinder)
• Olympus OM-1 (35mm SLR)
• Olympus PEN EE-3

1974

• Olympus OM-1 MD

1975

• Nikonos III (underwater scale-focus)
• Olympus OM-2

1976

• Canon F-1n
• Canon F-1n (Montreal Olympics) 
• Canon AE-1

1977

• Nikon EL2
• Nikon FM

1978

• Canon A-1
• Canon AT-1

1979

• Canon AV-1
• Nikon EM
• Olympus OM-1N
• Olympus OM-2N
• Olympus OM-10

1980

• Canon F-1n (Lake Placid)
• Nikon F3 series (1980–1997)
• Nikonos IV-A (underwater scale-focus)

1981

• Canon AE-1 Program
• Olympus PEN EF

1982

• Canon New F-1
• Canon AL-1
• Nikon FG
• Nikon FM2 series (1982–2000)

1983

• Canon T-50
• Nikon FE2
• Nikon FA
• Nikon F3AF (modified F3 body with Autofocus Finder DX-1)
• Olympus OM-3
• Olympus OM-20
• Olympus OM-30

1984

• Canon New F-1 High Speed Motor Drive
• Canon New F-1 US Navy Model
• Canon T-70
• Nikon FG-20
• Nikonos V (underwater scale-focus)
• Olympus OM-2 SP
• Olympus OM-4
• Olympus OM-10 QD

1985

• Canon T-80 (35mm SLR)
• Nikon F-301 (known in North America as the N2000)
• Olympus OM-40

1986

• Canon T-90 (35mm SLR) (last of the Canon FD-Mount SLRs)
• Nikon F-501 (autofocus SLR, known in North America as the N2020)
• Olympus OM-707 AF

1987

• Canon EOS-620 (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS-650 (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon F-401 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N4004)
• Olympus OM-4T

1988

• Canon EOS-750QD
• Canon EOS-850QD
• Nikon F4 (autofocus SLR)
• Nikon F-801 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N8008)
• Olympus OM-101PF

1989

• Canon EOS-1
• Canon EOS-630QD
• Canon EOS-RT
• Canon EOS-700 QD
• Nikon F-401S (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N4004S)

1990

• Canon T-60 (35mm SLR) (by Cosina)
• Canon EOS-10sQD (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS-Rebel II
• Canon EOS-Rebel II QD
• Canon EOS-Rebel SII
• Canon EOS-Rebel SII QD
• Nikon F-601M (known in North America as the N6000)
• Nikon F-601 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N6006)
• Olympus OM-4Ti

1991

• Canon EF-M (35mm SLR) (EF Mount, manual focus)
• Canon EOS-10S (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS Elan (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon F-401X (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N5005)
• Nikon F-801S (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N8008S)

1992

• Canon EOS-A2 (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS-A2E (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon F90 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N90)
• Nikonos RS (underwater SLR)

1993

• Canon EOS Rebel X (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS Rebel XS (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon AC-2E Data Link System (autofocus SLR)

1994

• Canon EOS-1N (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon F50 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N50)
• Nikon F70 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N70)
• Nikon F90X (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N90S)

1995

• Canon EOS-1N RS (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS Elan II (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS Elan IIE (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS DCS 1 (DSLR)
• Canon EOS DCS 3 (DSLR)
• Nikon FM10
• Olympus OM-3Ti

1996

• Canon EOS Rebel G (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon FE10
• Nikon Pronea 600i / Pronea 6i (APS SLR)
• Nikon F5 (autofocus SLR)

1997

• Nikon Pronea S (APS SLR)
• Olympus OM-2000 (Cosina)

1998

• Canon EOS-3 (35mm autofocus SLR)
• Canon EOS D6000 (DSLR)
• Canon EOS D2000 (DSLR)

1999

• Canon EOS 3000 (35mm AF SLR)
• Canon EOS Rebel 2000 (35mm AF SLR)
• Nikon F60 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N60)
• Nikon F100 (autofocus SLR)
• Nikon D1 (APS-C Digital SLR)
• Voigtländer Bessa L (35mm finderless camera, known as the Cosina 107-SW in Japan)

2000

• Nikon F65 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N65)
• Nikon F80 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N80)
• Nikon S3 2000 (35mm rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R (35mm rangefinder)

2001

• Nikon FM3A
• Nikon D1X (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D1H (APS-C digital SLR)
• Voigtländer Bessa T (35mm viewfinderless rangefinder)

2002

• Canon EOS-3000N (35mm SLR)
• Canon EOS-300V (35mm SLR)
• Canon EOS-1D (digital SLR)
• Canon EOS-1Ds (digital SLR)
• Canon EOS-D60 (digital SLR)
• Nikon F55 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N55)
• Nikon D100 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon SB-80DX (Speedlight)
• Rollei 35 RF (35mm rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R2 (35mm rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R2S (35mm Nikon S-mount rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R2C (35mm Contax C-mount rangefinder)

2003

• Canon EOS-300V (35mm SLR)
• Canon EOS-10D (APS-C digital SLR)
• Canon EOS Digita Rebel (DSLR)
• Nikon F75 (autofocus SLR, known in the U.S. as the N75)
• Nikon D2H (APS-C digital SLR)
• Olympus E-P1 (FT digital SLR)

2004

• Canon EOS-1D Mark II
• Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
• Canon EOS-20D
• Nikon F6 (autofocus SLR)
• Nikon D2X (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D70 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon SB-600 (Speedlight)
• Olympus E-300 (FT digital SLR)
• Voigtländer Bessa R2A (35mm auto-exposure rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R3A (35mm auto-exposure rangefinder)

2005

• Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
• Canon EOS-5D
• Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
• Canon EOS-20Da (Japan)
• Nikon SP Limited Edition (35mm rangefinder)
• Nikon D2HS (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D200 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D70S (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D50 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Olympus E-500 (FT digital SLR)

2006

• Canon EOS-30D
• Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
• Leica M8 (18x27mm digital rangefinder)
• Nikon D2XS (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D80 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D40 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Olympus E-400 (FT digital SLR)
• Olympus E-330 (FT digital SLR)
• Voigtländer Bessa R2M (35mm manual rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R3M (35mm manual rangefinder)

2007

• Canon EOS-1D Mark III
• Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
• Canon EOS-40D
• Nikon D3 (full-frame digital SLR)
• Nikon D300 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D300 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D40X (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon Coolpix P5000 (digital “Bridge” Camera)
• Nikon Coolpix P5100 (digital “Bridge” Camera)
• Olympus E-3 (FT digital SLR)
• Olympus E-510 (FT digital SLR)
• Olympus E-410 (FT digital SLR)

2008

• Canon EOS-5D Mark II
• Canon EOS-50D
• Canon EOS Digital Revel XS
• Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi
• Nikon D3X (full-frame digital SLR)
• Nikon D700 (full-frame digital SLR)
• Nikon D90 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D60 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon Coolpix P6000 (digital “Bridge” Camera)
• Nikon SB-900 (Speedlight)
• Olympus E-30 (FT digital SLR)
• Olympus E-520 (FT digital SLR)
• Olympus E-420 (FT digital SLR)

2009

• Canon EOS-7D
• Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
• Canon EOS Rebel T1i
• Leica M9 (full-frame digital rangefinder)
• Nikon D3S (full-frame digital SLR)
• Nikon D300S (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D5000 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D3000 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Olympus E-620 (FT digital SLR)
• Olympus E-450 (FT digital SLR)
• Voigtländer Bessa R4A (35mm wide-angle rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa R4M (35mm wide-angle rangefinder)
• Voigtländer Bessa III (120 folding rangefinder)

2010

• Canon EOS-60D
• Canon EOS Rebel T2i
• Nikon D7000 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon D3100 (APS-C digital SLR)
• Nikon Coolpix P7000 (digital “Bridge” Camera)
• Nikon SB-700 (Speedlight)
• Olympus E-5 (FT digital SLR)

2011

• Olympus PEN E-PL2 (MFT digital camera)

The NIKKOR 20mm f/2.8 in Action

My daughter’s school was having a concert at a local mall today, where she played violin. Naturally my wife and I were there to take pictures, her with her new D3100, and me with my D90. Since she had everything covered with the mighty AF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 zoom, I decided to take along the AF NIKKOR 20mm f/2.8D.

It was a large space, and I was able to get the whole assembly in from different angles. I never felt constrained. If I needed to get a close up, I had to literally get into the space, which might be a problem. But because I was forced to get into the space, the lens put me right at the heart of the action. There was an intimacy that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve with a longer lens, and with a zoom I simply would have caved.

Autofocus was hit or miss, proof that it’s not the end-all, be-all solution. I would have been better off using the hyperfocal scale with manual focus. There was simply so much information, the camera did not know what to focus on. Experimenting with different focus modes will help me find the optimal mode for this lens, so that’s high on my list. The naked, on-board flash was fine for these distance shots, giving me a little extra range than I would have had with a diffuser. But when I did get up close, the distance information provided by this D-lens helped achieve perfect exposures.

Nikon Changes its Body Cap

I know, I know. This Earth-shattering piece of news is going to keep you up all night. But while searching for a Nikon-branded baseball cap, body caps popped up and what did I find? The words “discontinued by Nikon” beneath a photo of a BF-1A. And internally I said to myself, “WTF!”.

Read more >




Review: Samyang 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye Lens

It’s hard to get really wide on a DX camera without spending a lot. The AF NIKKOR 14mm f/2.8D ED which lists for $1,894.95 will get you to 21mm, and the AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED will get you from 15mm to 36mm for $899.95. But the Samyang/ProOptic 8mm f/3.5 lens is a great way to get REALLY wide on a budget.

Fisheyes are not for everyone, but properly used they can be fun and very creative. The advantage of this lens however is its full-frame, stereoscopic projection, which to tends to minimize the curved distortion inherent in other fisheye lenses. And at such a bargain price, with an impeccable build quality and optical performance, it’s a purchase that will bring many years of joy.

Build Quality ★★★★★

Solid, metal construction with black, speckle-paint finish which matches current Nikon bodies and G-series lenses. Etched metal focusing ring with paint-filled markings and rubberized grip. Satin-chrome metal mount.

Compatibility ★★★★

This lens is designed for DX cameras, but will also work with DX and 35mm film cameras where the lens hood visible around the periphery of the image. However, this is easily cropped out. Metering capability and available auto exposure modes varying depending on the body used, but it works in manual mode on practically every Nikon made since 1959. Although it also comes in mounts for Canon, Minolta/Sony, Nikon and Pentax, the Nikon works best due to mechanical auto-diaphragm coupling.

Focusing ★★★★★

Silky-smooth, perfectly damped manual focus. Of all the lenses, fisheyes are the least likely to need autofocus due to their enormous depth of field. You need only focus for close ups wide open, and the minimum focus distance is 1 foot.

Optical Quality ★★★★★

Has a unique and rather pleasing “stereoscopic” projection which produces less curvature than a regular fisheye. At f/5.6, center sharpness is as good as it gets, with very good border sharpness. At f/3.5, center sharpness drops off to “very good” levels, and corners become borderline “good”. Chromatic aberrations are in line with fisheye lenses, and minimize at f/11. Shoot at f/8 when you can for the best balance of sharpness with minimal CAs.

Value ★★★★★

At substantially less than half the price of the AF DX Fisheye-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED, this lens offers a great value for those wishing to explore fisheye photography. Many also prefer this lens’ stereoscopic projection to that of the Nikon’s standard projection.

Diaphragm
Six curved blades.

Filters

Does not accept filters.

Hood

Built-in and non-removable. Some users have modified this lens as a semi-circular fisheye for use with an FX or 35mm camera by “shaving off” the lens hood.

Specifications

You can view Samyang’s Specifications for this lens by visiting their website.

Operation
In manual operation, the aperture is controlled by the aperture ring on the lens, rather than the command-dial on the camera. However, you compose your shot at full aperture like any other lens, and it stops down automatically when you take the picture.

Some cameras may allow you to meter, and may even allow you to use one or more of the auto exposure modes, with the aperture controlled by the camera’s command dial. If not, set your camera to manual mode, select the aperture on the lens, and select a shutter speed via the command dial on the camera based on experience or an external meter reading. Take a test shot and Chimp (CHeck IMage Preview). Your histogram and a test shot are actually better than any meter.

With flash, again your camera may or may not meter, which will determine whether or not you can use TTL flash. If it can’t, set the on-board flash to manual at half power, set the aperture to f/8, take a test shot and Chimp. You can readjust the power to give you a good range, and use the aperture ring as you shoot to fine-tune the exposure, just like the good ol’ days. If you use an external flash, things are simplified because you can use the auto aperture mode; once you set the aperture, the flash’s intensity adjusts automatically.

Flash coverage is tricky with fisheye lenses because they are so wide. External flash helps the situation but if you are using the camera’s on-board flash, use a flash diffuser such as the Gary Fong puffer or Janco pop up diffuser; they help tremendously in distributing the light pattern for greater coverage.

Auto focus and VR offer little advantage on a fisheye lens, which has such great depth of field and amplifies camera movement very little. Shoot at f/11, set the focus to infinity and everything from 1 foot on will be in focus.

Sample Images

Panoramic image with approximately 150° angle of view
created by geometrically correcting and cropping. 

How To Convert the AF NIKKOR 20mm f/2.8 to a Macro Lens

With a few accessories, you can turn any prime or zoom lens into a powerful macro lens by simply reverse mounting it to the camera.

Lenses gather the image in front of the camera and reduce it to fit on the sensor or film frame. Telephoto lenses also reduce the image, simply by a lesser degree. But the greatest amount of reduction occurs with a wide angle lens. By reversing the lens, it magnifies the image it projects onto the sensor or film frame larger than life size. And the wider the field of view, the greater the magnification.

The AF NIKKOR 20mm f/2.8 is a particularly good candidate for reversal, as its additional width offers a higher degree of magnification, and its speed makes it easy to work with, as does its aperture ring.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Fotodiox 62mm Macro Reverse Ring
Nikon BR-6 Auto Diaphragm Adapter

or

Nikon BR-2A 52mm Macro Reverse Ring (see note below for advantages to using this)
Fotodiox 62-52mm step-down ring
Nikon BR-6 Auto Diaphragm Adapter

Setup:

1. Attach the reverse lens mount adapter to the filter threads of the lens. Do not over-tighten. (If using the BR-2A, first attach the 62-52mm step down ring to the lens.
2. Attach the Nikon BR-6 to the mount end of the lens.
3. Turn the lens around and screw its front filter threads into the adapter.

Operation:

1. Set the camera to exposure mode.
2. Set the focus ring of the lens to the infinity mark.
3. Be sure the aperture lever on the BR-6 is pulled out, and allow it to return to its normal position.
4. Set the aperture as desired; wide open gives the least depth of field, fully stopped down introduces the softening effects of diffraction. f/11 is a good starting point.
5. Set the shutter speed to 1/60 sec.
6. Move the camera closer to or farther away from the subject to focus.
7. Slide the aperture lever on the BR-6 to stop down to the selected aperture.
8. Take a test shot, and chimp (CHeck IMage Preview).
9. Adjust exposure if necessary, and take the shot.

The fast f/2.8 aperture of the AF NIKKOR 20mm makes handheld shots possible, but using a tripod will make focusing easier, and allow slower shutter speeds for wider apertures and thus greater depth of field.

When using a tripod, you may find focusing easier if you use a Macro Focusing Rail. This is an accessory which mounts between the camera and the tripod to allow precise movement in and out to assist in focusing, rather than repositioning the tripod each time. Some tripods may include a similar feature built in.

The BR-2A Advantage
The advantage to using Nikon’s Macro Reverse ring is that it has three mounting positions, which make it easier to position the index mark closer to the top for ease of use. It’s also made of chrome-plated brass as opposed to the black anodized aluminum of the Fotodiox. It’s considerably more expensive than the Fotodiox, but keep in mind that you only need one, it uses the most popular thread size, and you only need to purchase an inexpensive step-up or step-down ring to make it work with another lens.

The BR-6 Advantage
You can use a reverse-mounted lens without the BR-6, but there is no aperture control (other than stopping down fully by sliding the aperture control lever), and the mount size of the lens is left exposed. With the BR-6, you can protect the lens with a 52mm filter, and have full aperture control.

Using Other Lenses
Normal (50mm) lenses also work well, but keep in mind that the wider the lens, the greater the magnification. Longer lenses work better by mounting them conventionally with an extension tube.
Standard and wide-angle zoom lenses work well too, where the zoom will let you dial in the degree of magnification and aid in focusing.

Operation with G Lenses
With the addition of a locking cable release, you can also use G lenses which do not have aperture rings.

1. Be sure the aperture lever on the BR-6 is pulled out, and allow it to return to its normal position.
2. Attach the cable release to the BR-6.
3. Focus with the aperture wide open as normal.
4. Stop down to the desired taking aperture by pushing in the plunger and locking the cable release.
5. Take a test shot, and chimp (CHeck IMage Preview).
6. Adjust exposure if necessary, and take the shot.