"Reversing" a lens

[airshaq20]

How do i do this? Got interested in macro - but been reading a lot about reversed lens, how do i attach a reversed lens? tape? or is there an adaptor that i can buy. tia.

[nitefrogger]

Good question- I'm waiting for the answer too. Also are there any advantages over a 50 or 100 mm macro?

[sirsloop]

you can get adapters to reverse mount a 52mm filter thread lens for 11 shipped on ebay.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=239915

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270045381006&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=017

[sirsloop]

Good question- I'm waiting for the answer too. Also are there any advantages over a 50 or 100 mm macro?

as far as reversing goes... wide andle lenses provide the most magnification. A 50mm lens will get you an entire nickel in full frame... 28mm puts about 1/3rd of a penny in frame.

[GTV681]

in this topic i describe my budget set up,as i say it is budget,a proper reversing ring would probably be better.
i am yet to try reversing straight to the camera body.
cheers good luck with it.
Adam.....

oh yeah the link oops
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=240013

[sumptimwong]

Wow, never knew we could do this until I stumbled upon this thread. Thanks for sharing!

I just flipped my 28-80mm around the other way, holding it onto the camera body with my fingers. sirsloop is exactly right, the smaller focal lengths enable more magnification. I used a small piece of scotch tape to keep the focal length at 28mm while I played with the focus. Will definitely be looking into buying a $15 adapter from ebay as a budget macro setup.

Does anyone have anything to add about controlling DOF with this method? I played around with it a bit, and I couldnt come to any conclusive results. Had to keep my D50 in Manual mode to control the shutter speed.

[Patrick S]

Wow, never knew we could do this until I stumbled upon this thread. Thanks for sharing!

I just flipped my 28-80mm around the other way, holding it onto the camera body with my fingers. sirsloop is exactly right, the smaller focal lengths enable more magnification. I used a small piece of scotch tape to keep the focal length at 28mm while I played with the focus. Will definitely be looking into buying a $15 adapter from ebay as a budget macro setup.

Does anyone have anything to add about controlling DOF with this method? I played around with it a bit, and I couldnt come to any conclusive results. Had to keep my D50 in Manual mode to control the shutter speed.

To adjust the aperture, you have to press the DOF preview button, and hold it down, as you take off the lens. Otherwise, all your shots will be at the lens' largest aperture and the DOF will be extremely shallow. The problem of course is that if you have the lens at f8 or higher, the lens is so dark you have to practically be on the surface of the sun to see your subject.

[sirsloop]

Take a look at that thread I posted about up top. It helps A LOT to have manual aperture controls (FD mount or similar lens)...and I explain wny.

[Patrick S]

Take a look at that thread I posted about up top. It helps A LOT to have manual aperture controls (FD mount or similar lens)...and I explain wny.

I've never used a lens with manual aperture, so could you explain how that work when shooting macro?

[sirsloop]

well on the FD mount lenses you take the caps off, put the FD locking machanism back to "lock", then rotate the little dial on the lens to set your aperture, and then you can push that piece of metal sticking out of the back of the lens to manually control the aperture. It works nicely because you can focus with a nice bright f/2.8 lens and put the sweet spot right where you want it, then flip the aperture and hit the shutter.

[BillsBayou]

Whoa. Hold on a minute. You're telling me I have a use for my old FD lenses on my 5D camera?

[sirsloop]

ya man... dust those suckers off