Super Macro

[Rooster]

These are some test shots taken with a Nikon F-100 in an Aquatica housing. What's new is that I installed a Kenko Pro 3X teleconverter on my 105mm Macro lens. This makes it a 315mm lens that still focuses down to 12 inches! You can get 3:1 with this set up. The Bumble Bee shrimp and the nudibranch are about a 1/4 inch long, those are sea urchin spines the shrimp is hiding in. I could have gotten closer. These were take on cheap fuji print film. I'll do some Velvia or Provia slide film this week end.

 

[Dee]

WOW! You can see the shrimps pupils! You sure you didn't have a microscope hooked up to that camera?

That is so cool, Rooster!

 

[ttlslave]

Rooster,

Did you use a port extension between your 105 port and the housing ? If so - how big ? 15mm, 25mm, 35mm ???

What focus mode did you use ?

Cheers
ttlslave

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by ttlslave
Rooster,

Did you use a port extension between your 105 port and the housing ? If so - how big ? 15mm, 25mm, 35mm ???

What focus mode did you use ?

Cheers
ttlslave

I'll assume that you don't know anything about my set up, so please forgive me in advance of my ignorance of your knowledge. I'm using a Nikon F-100 in an Aquatica housing. The Aquatica's macro port is designed to be used with the 60mm Micro Nikkor with no extension. To use the 105mm Micro Nikkor you use a 30mm extension with the Macro port. There is also an extension to be used with the 200mm macro lens. The extension for the 200mm macro lens is (aprox) 100mm long. This is the extension that I am using with the 3X teleconverter/ 105mm combo, and it fits real nice. I have also used this same set up for a 2X/105mm combo, but it is a little long. It still works, but it's longer than necessary. Of the two combos the 2X/105 is easier to use. Not just because of the focal length (210mm vs 315mm), but because the 2x/105 will actually Auto focus lock. The 3X/105 will only focus lock if there is plenty of light, and very good contrast. Most of the time it searches endlessly. With the F-100 I can still use Auto Focus (single servo mode) to get it "close" then switch to manual. Than I move the housing in and out to get the final focus (not an easy task). It can be frustrating, but it is a lot of fun. You could use the manual focus gear, but you would have to fashion a support for the lens or it flexes too much. The 200mm port extension comes with a support for the 200mm lens. I was going to modify it to work with 3X/105mm, but decided to go sans gears. The hardest part of using this set up is finding good "tiny" subjects.
Hope this helps,
Rooster

 

[DivingGal]

I can only hope that I can take pictures that good! Wow. I just started "playing" with pics last year.

 

[livestodive]

Those were beautiful. Thanks for letting us see them. Truly amazing how close you were able to get.