Fuji Macro

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Mike
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Hi All.

Just looking for advice/opinions really - have been using a Fuji X-T1 with a 18-135 + Raynox with modest success but have decided I need to go back to a prime (used to shoot Canon with MPE then 100mm)

Options are:

1. New Fuji 80mm prime macro lens - meant to be great but costs around £1k even as an import so it would need to be!
2. Pick up something like a Samyang 100mm - much cheaper but meant to be decent. No autofocus and manual aperture setting but neither is a big deal for macro
3. Maybe some other prime to be fitted with an adapter - should work fine but the adapter sounds like a faff
4. ?? any suggestions?

Thanks for any thoughts or advice :)
 
Can't be much help to you here Mike, other than to suggest an old manual focus Tamron SP 90mm as a possible alternative? It only does half lifesize unless you use the matched converter, but here's a shot I took yesterday when trying it out on my X-T1 at full aperture (f2.5). The adapter I got for the Fuji is to the Tamron Adaptall, so it can be used with all Adaptall 11 lenses.

DSCF5775.jpg
 
I've used one.
I thought it was a big heavy beast.
Costs an arm and a leg. Quality was good, as it should be.
I decided that I couldn't justify having that amount tied up in a lens that I wouldn't be using full time. Got some test shots somewhere.

It's a good lens. Expensive and heavy. If you can justify the expense and use it regularly go for it. However there are excellent legacy alternatives. There is one in classifieds at present. They will cost a fraction. You will loose AF but for macro you will be on manual anyway.
 
Can't be much help to you here Mike, other than to suggest an old manual focus Tamron SP 90mm as a possible alternative? It only does half lifesize unless you use the matched converter, but here's a shot I took yesterday when trying it out on my X-T1 at full aperture (f2.5). The adapter I got for the Fuji is to the Tamron Adaptall, so it can be used with all Adaptall 11 lenses.

View attachment 118531
I've got one of those. Superb lens with TC and extension tubes cost less than a tenth of the Fuji. Quality is easily as good.
 
Fotodiox do a Canon EF adapter that has aperture blades, it works quite well with lenses that don’t have an aperture ring such as the Tamron 90mm.

I happen to have one of each doing nothing if you are interested
 
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Can't be much help to you here Mike, other than to suggest an old manual focus Tamron SP 90mm as a possible alternative? It only does half lifesize unless you use the matched converter, but here's a shot I took yesterday when trying it out on my X-T1 at full aperture (f2.5). The adapter I got for the Fuji is to the Tamron Adaptall, so it can be used with all Adaptall 11 lenses.

View attachment 118531

Thanks Peter - that surely looks sharp enough anyway! I would prefer a 1:1 lens but that definitely looks like an option worth considering :)
 
Thanks Peter - that surely looks sharp enough anyway! I would prefer a 1:1 lens but that definitely looks like an option worth considering :)
The Tamron is 1:2 but with either a TC or extension tubes you get 1:1. There are several examples of both floating around for only £20/30 on everybody's favourite auction site. Lens and one or the other will set you back £100 or so. A lot less than the Fuji if you are not using it regularly.
 
I've used one.
I thought it was a big heavy beast.
Costs an arm and a leg. Quality was good, as it should be.
I decided that I couldn't justify having that amount tied up in a lens that I wouldn't be using full time. Got some test shots somewhere.

It's a good lens. Expensive and heavy. If you can justify the expense and use it regularly go for it. However there are excellent legacy alternatives. There is one in classifieds at present. They will cost a fraction. You will loose AF but for macro you will be on manual anyway.

Thanks - that is useful. I suspect I am leaning more towards the Samyang (sharp, full 1:1, no adapter needed and less than half the price of the Fuji). Manual focus and aperture setting but that's not an issue as you say. It occurs to me that I could pick up an X-T20 (which I fancy) *and* the Samyang for the price of the 80mm! Just doesn't seem worth it...
 
Just a quick play for @dibbly dobbler
An empty whisky box. Just room light, no flash. Manual focus - no slider rail - so a bit hit and miss.
This is the Tamron SP90 with extension tubes to give 1:1.
First one is at f 2.5.
Second is at f 11.
My macro technique has a long way to go!!!
Edit...just measured the letter V in Vibrant and it is 3mm. Images are SOOC

FUJI2854.jpg FUJI2855.jpg
 
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The Tamron is 1:2 but with either a TC or extension tubes you get 1:1. There are several examples of both floating around for only £20/30 on everybody's favourite auction site. Lens and one or the other will set you back £100 or so. A lot less than the Fuji if you are not using it regularly.

It seems there is more than one version, mines the Di model which is 1:1 f2.8.
 
It seems there is more than one version, mines the Di model which is 1:1 f2.8.

The 1:1 f2.8 is an autofocus lens, but not available in a Fuji X mount. The 1:2 f2.5 is a manual lens with an aperture ring and the Adaptall 11 mount, so it can be used with an adapter on the Fuji.
 
Why is an adaptor/tubes a faff? You'll only be using it with Fuji bodies so you put it on and leave it on. A couple of seconds and that's it.
 
The 1:1 f2.8 is an autofocus lens, but not available in a Fuji X mount. The 1:2 f2.5 is a manual lens with an aperture ring and the Adaptall 11 mount, so it can be used with an adapter on the Fuji.

There is also a manual focus version of the 1:1 90mm Adaptall that has an aperture ring. Off the top of my head I think it's the 72B
 
This might be a dumb question (I'm a complete novice) but would the Fuji XF90mm plus extension tubes produce comparable results to the Fuji XF80mm?
 
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This might be a dumb question (I'm a complete novice) but would the Fuji XF90mm plus extension tubes produce comparable results to the Fuji XF90mm?

Hard to say, the XF90 is a good lens, but the 80mm is very quick to focus. If you're using 3rd party tubes you'll probably have to manual focus (which is common with macro). The 80mm also has a focus range switch which allows you to select full, 0.5M-upwards, or 0.25-0.5M (which is a little confusing as I'm sure I can focus closer than 25cm anyway)....
 
Hard to say, the XF90 is a good lens, but the 80mm is very quick to focus. If you're using 3rd party tubes you'll probably have to manual focus (which is common with macro). The 80mm also has a focus range switch which allows you to select full, 0.5M-upwards, or 0.25-0.5M (which is a little confusing as I'm sure I can focus closer than 25cm anyway)....

Thanks.

I'd like the 80mm but it's very pricey!

I already have the Fuji extension tubes so I wondered if the results (in terms of image quality) if I bought myself a 90mm instead would be similar to that of the 80m.

I realise I'd compromise on autofocus speed; but would you also compromise the quality of the image?
 
Thanks.

I'd like the 80mm but it's very pricey!

I already have the Fuji extension tubes so I wondered if the results (in terms of image quality) if I bought myself a 90mm instead would be similar to that of the 80m.

I realise I'd compromise on autofocus speed; but would you also compromise the quality of the image?

I don't believe you would compromise image quality by adding extension tubes but if I was you I would consider adding a Raynox diopter as an alternative - even the least powerful (the DCR-150) would get you to nearly 1:1 mag which is plenty unless you are going after really tiny bugs. You could do both of course (ie tubes and a Raynox) if you wanted to go really mad :)
 
I don't believe you would compromise image quality by adding extension tubes but if I was you I would consider adding a Raynox diopter as an alternative - even the least powerful (the DCR-150) would get you to nearly 1:1 mag which is plenty unless you are going after really tiny bugs. You could do both of course (ie tubes and a Raynox) if you wanted to go really mad :)

Thanks.

I appreciate I could add extension tubes to the XF90mm. It's good to know that I wouldn't compromise the quality of the the 90mm by adding tubes.

The reviews I've seen of the 80mm say that is very sharp. But would adding tubes to the 90mm give images as sharp/good as the 80mm?

Appreciate the suggestion of using the Raynox.
 
If you were to look at some macro shots taken with the 80mm or a 90mm + tubes I'm sure they'd both be excellent and you'd need laboratory tests to get a winner.

Somebody that knows a lot more then me about macro often shoots at min aperture (f22 or whatever) - to look at a chart on a test you'd think the images would be rubbish due to diffraction - far from it they look great! Point being there is lot more to it than absolute sharpness so I would crack on with the 90mm if you are preferring it for price (or other reasons) :)
 
If you were to look at some macro shots taken with the 80mm or a 90mm + tubes I'm sure they'd both be excellent and you'd need laboratory tests to get a winner.

Somebody that knows a lot more then me about macro often shoots at min aperture (f22 or whatever) - to look at a chart on a test you'd think the images would be rubbish due to diffraction - far from it they look great! Point being there is lot more to it than absolute sharpness so I would crack on with the 90mm if you are preferring it for price (or other reasons) :)

Cheers.

Appreciate your thoughts. (y)
 
Hi All.

Just in case anybody is interested I now have a Samyang 100mm to go with my Fuji X-T20! :)

No pictures worth sharing yet but I can report it's a well made chunky beast of a lens - and seems sharp enough. In the limited opportunities I've had so far it's been getting the camera set up correctly that's been the issue rather than any problem with the lens. Hopefully have some shots to share soon.

Slightly tempted by a 60mm (there is one in the classifieds) but unless I have a brainstorm I will persevere with the Samyang for a while (as I usually shoot macro on full manual anyway).
 
Manual focus? (You know what comes next on that too! :) )

I read somewhere once that the definition of true stupidity was trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results... I think I achieved that with my recent macro efforts!

So... I whacked the 18-135 on with the Raynox 250 *with autofocus* and wandered out a couple of hours ago.

Hit after hit after hit! Why was I doing this years ago?! Almost too easy! :D

Seriously - best bit of advice I've ever had on macro.Thanks very much Nick - you have gone even higher in my estimations. If you're ever in Edinburgh there's a pint in it for you :)

The Samyang 100mm will be going back alas but Mrs DD has been very understanding (it was a birthday gift about 3 weeks ago)

Will post up some shots shortly :)
 
I used to have a d3200 but it sort of died, got myself a D750, love it but it's not for macro and my hit rate went down so I got myself a D500, wow what a difference it makes. I've never tried a mirrorless camara, I've not even picked one up.

Thanks Graham - as above I am doing a lot better with autofocus on so no issues with the camera!
 
I read somewhere once that the definition of true stupidity was trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results... I think I achieved that with my recent macro efforts!

So... I whacked the 18-135 on with the Raynox 250 *with autofocus* and wandered out a couple of hours ago.

Hit after hit after hit! Why was I doing this years ago?! Almost too easy! :D

:D Exactly so. That is why I use close-up lenses on telezooms; in my experience autofocus with macro lenses gets progressively more unusable as the magnification increases, and that is just as you get somewhat towards 1:1 - worse thereafter - or simply not even available as an option for example on the MPE-65 or Laowa 60mm 2:1.

I use autofocus at all the magnifications I use, and that includes subjects like this one, which as you know is quite small, and which in addition was in motion when I captured the shot. (Being realistic, I had a pretty low success rate for that subject, but not so low as when I occasionally try that sort of thing using manual focus.)


7 FZ330+R202orR150+250 1254 2 P1360282_DxO 0100RAW01cP SP7 LR6 1300h
by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

Seriously - best bit of advice I've ever had on macro.Thanks very much Nick - you have gone even higher in my estimations. If you're ever in Edinburgh there's a pint in it for you :)

I'm really, really glad it worked for you Mike.

The Samyang 100mm will be going back alas but Mrs DD has been very understanding (it was a birthday gift about 3 weeks ago)

If you are happy, then I'm sure she will be too. :)

Will post up some shots shortly :)

And very good they are too IMO.
 
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