Some Olympus 90mm Macro Shots

[GuinnessDrnkr]

Gorgeous. I would love to spend a few weeks there with a macro set up

Compared to the 60 mm how much further away can you get with the 90 mm (say for example on that last nudibranch?)

It took me a few days to adjust distances compared to the 60mm. I was always too close to the subject at the start and had to back off a few inches. The focus limiter options on the lens are also a huge boon.

At the infinity setting, closest is about 9.5" from the lens and actually allows for portrait/ID shots. The challenge there is that silty conditions mean a lot of hunting for the AF. If I was swimming around looking for something I would leave the lens on this setting, "just in case" something came out of nowhere and the camera managed to focus on the subject and not particulate matter in the water. I was surprised at how well it worked (when it worked) and would have loved for some clear conditions to really see what it could do.

The super macro was where I spent 90% of my time given the visibility challenges. Distance for that is maybe an extra inch or two compared to the 60mm. Rough estimate is that I was typically 4-6" away. Holding still is always the challenge, but when it all works the clarity and magnification is amazing.

My usual process was to start at the infinity limit and if the subject let me, I would drop to the .25m - .5m focus limit and creep in. If it was a slow-mover I would typically immediately jump to super macro.

Now that I'm more familiar with the lens I'll try manual focus next time. It's an either/or option for this lens given the clutch.

 

[rmorgan]

The MFT 90mm is indeed nice for getting a bit more working distance for high magnification captures. It can be taxing acquiring and following subjects though, and definitely don't try it for "blackwater" unless you're masochistic!

The 90mm seemed to have a bit more trouble with autofocus at short working distances, compared to other lenses. Unless it's just the one I was using. Frequent excessive and exaggerated focus hunting, despite obvious subjects and the range limiter It was so prone to this that I resorted to doing focus bracketing instead a few times, or just using it in manual focus mode. Anyone else notice this?

Definitely not for blackwater--nor, in my view, is the 60. The 30 is pretty widely accepted for blackwater, but I have found the 12-40 to be excellent; it has the sharpness to allow cropping if needed, and the wider FOV allows captures of larger subjects, e.g. salp chains.

As to subject acquisition with the 90, I've found the lens to be terrific on an OM-1 body--faster than the 60, I think, although of course there could be a bit of confirmation bias there. I rarely use the manual focus knob, although I'm glad it's there. I am generally on either single point or center-cross focus, with bird or animal eye activated. I do rely on a focus light; there is a cold shoe at the front of the Nauticam port which makes it easy to light the subject and acquire focus. The extra working distances vs the 60 makes it easier to light the little things. (The focus light I use is the Kraken 1500 WSR--compact, "cheap" at $179, flood, spot, and red-light modes, good battery life, compact, and detects the strobe.)

 

[BoltSnap]

The focus light I use is the Kraken 1500 WSR

Does it turn itself off when the strobes goes off? Does it work reliability? Any criticism of this light? I have been working on macro subjects that are living under dark ledges or in crevices with the 60mm lens and getting the lens to focus quickly is an issue because it is dark with lots of backscatter after storms.

 

[bvanant]

Yeah, I took the 90 on a black water dive (for fun, we were doing them every night in Komodo) and came back with 1 shot that is acceptable. Far better to use the 30 and keep the 90 for things that you can see and that are not moving so much. Here is a nice little Unidentia allie, named after our friend Alicia Hermosillo. Shot with the 90 and an Athena Ring Flash

 

[rmorgan]

Does it turn itself off when the strobes goes off? Does it work reliability? Any criticism of this light? I have been working on macro subjects that are living under dark ledges or in crevices with the 60mm lens and getting the lens to focus quickly is an issue because it is dark with lots of backscatter after storms.

Yes, yes, and frankly, no. For anything skittish, think little crabs or even fish, I use the red mode, and the strobes shorts it down so there’s no color bleed. With either the 60 or the 90, it’s a huge help, and great for night-dive macro. It has three (as I recall) beam strengths. It comes with a removable 1” ball, so it can also be used as a hand-held light. Full props.

Yeah, I took the 90 on a black water dive (for fun, we were doing them every night in Komodo) and came back with 1 shot that is acceptable. Far better to use the 30 and keep the 90 for things that you can see and that are not moving so much. Here is a nice little Unidentia allie, named after our friend Alicia Hermosillo. Shot with the 90 and an Athena Ring Flash

It must’ve driven you a little nuts, but that’s a terrific capture!