MPE-65?

[Tom Camilleri]

Looking at the MPE-65 because I really do want to get into that whole different, unseen world. Is this a lens that I can carry around and stalk things with or does it need to be on a tripod with focusing rail or bellows?

I have the 100mm and the 50mm compact macro. Is there some way I can get more magnification from either of them? Would a bellows help? Magnifying lens? Extension tubes?
How would these effect min focus distance?

[rick_reno]

i don't own it but have been told yes - and no. No came from a friend who attended one of those Canon sponsored photo events in Hawaii, he asked the instructor about it and was told it's difficult to use outside a studio. I've been looking at the photos in the macro section here for awhile and if those people who use it are moving all those insects/plants into a studio they've been very busy. Based on what I see it here it is absolutely a lens you can stalk things with.

[Martin G.]

it is my "walk around lens"! ha ha

definately, actually, it is probably the most versatile tool for higher mags on the field, I find that it is it's strenght. It is very solid built and you can go from 1:1 to 5:1 very easily.

As Rick mentioned, many people here in the macro section use that lens in the field. I think this is the best testamony to that effect.

You might want to rent one to try it out and see if it is your thing or not.

Martin

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by rick_reno

i don't own it but have been told yes - and no. No came from a friend who attended one of those Canon sponsored photo events in Hawaii, he asked the instructor about it and was told it's difficult to use outside a studio. I've been looking at the photos in the macro section here for awhile and if those people who use it are moving all those insects/plants into a studio they've been very busy. Based on what I see it here it is absolutely a lens you can stalk things with.

Thanks Rick. I've been watching on eBay and saw an excellent price on one so I went ahead and did it out of optimistic impulse a little while ago. I can't say my initial experience will help answer this question (macro will represent a learning curve), but your input is what I was hoping to hear. The seller told me this was a very challenging lens to use and more or less agreed with what you picked up from the event. I'm hoping that with practice and understanding of the variables that it will be usable in a more free form way. I need to look at pictures made by users of this lens and maybe get some tips from them.

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by Martin G.

it is my "walk around lens"! ha ha

definately, actually, it is probably the most versatile tool for higher mags on the field, I find that it is it's strenght. It is very solid built and you can go from 1:1 to 5:1 very easily.

As Rick mentioned, many people here in the macro section use that lens in the field. I think this is the best testamony to that effect.

You might want to rent one to try it out and see if it is your thing or not.

Martin

Thanks Martin. Just purchased one at a good price on eBay so I'm committed to learning it now. Doing so will no doubt increase my general skill level. You use it without tripod and focus rail?

[Martin G.]

congrats on your purchase, it is a great lens, a lot of fun to use.

yes, I use it handheld, although, in winter, when I have nothing to do, I do use it with my automated macro rail.

you might want to read in there:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/....php?t=1212971

I explain how I use it, in case it might be of interest. Of course we all have our own little techniques.

Don't forget to share your pictures once you get your new toy!

Martin

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by Martin G.

congrats on your purchase, it is a great lens, a lot of fun to use.

yes, I use it handheld, although, in winter, when I have nothing to do, I do use it with my automated macro rail.

you might want to read in there:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/....php?t=1212971

I explain how I use it, in case it might be of interest. Of course we all have our own little techniques.

Don't forget to share your pictures once you get your new toy!

Martin

Thanks for the link. Very interesting thread. When I have something that's not too embarrassing I'll post. BTW, do you use a lens hood?

[Martin G.]

no, I do not have the hood for the MP-E

[Larry Weinman]

Originally Posted by Tom Camilleri

Looking at the MPE-65 because I really do want to get into that whole different, unseen world. Is this a lens that I can carry around and stalk things with or does it need to be on a tripod with focusing rail or bellows?

I have the 100mm and the 50mm compact macro. Is there some way I can get more magnification from either of them? Would a bellows help? Magnifying lens? Extension tubes?
How would these effect min focus distance?

You can get more magnification by using extension tubes or by using a reversed lens in front of your macro lens.
As far as handholding the MP-E 65 goes, there are photographers like LordV or orionmystery that handhold with success a good deal of the time. LordV uses a bean pole in one hand partially holding the camera and partially holding the pole to steady thing. I have some success handholding if I am on my stomach and am able to brace my elbows on something, otherwise my hand holding is hit and miss with that lens. Naturally the higher your magnification the harder it is to steady things when using this lens.

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by Larry Weinman

You can get more magnification by using extension tubes or by using a reversed lens in front of your macro lens.
As far as handholding the MP-E 65 goes, there are photographers like LordV or orionmystery that handhold with success a good deal of the time. LordV uses a bean pole in one hand partially holding the camera and partially holding the pole to steady thing. I have some success handholding if I am on my stomach and am able to brace my elbows on something, otherwise my hand holding is hit and miss with that lens. Naturally the higher your magnification the harder it is to steady things when using this lens.

I can see that this will be an interesting endeavor. Sometimes I amaze myself with how steady I am; I feel like a sniper. Other times it seems like I'm shaking like a leaf and the shot might not be blurred but the composition is thrown off. Nerves I think. Does anyone use a monopod or one of those bean bag supports? What amazes me is that people are talking about getting multiple shots in rapid succession by hand holding. Don't the frames need to be perfectly aligned for stacking?

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by Larry Weinman

You can get more magnification by using extension tubes or by using a reversed lens in front of your macro lens.

After I get my feet wet I'll try my extension tubes. If I decide to try a reversed lens I'll look for an old prime with a manual aperture setting. Actually I'll have my hands full for a while just learning the basics.

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by Martin G.

congrats on your purchase, it is a great lens, a lot of fun to use.

yes, I use it handheld, although, in winter, when I have nothing to do, I do use it with my automated macro rail.

you might want to read in there:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/....php?t=1212971

I explain how I use it, in case it might be of interest. Of course we all have our own little techniques.

Don't forget to share your pictures once you get your new toy!

Martin

I plan on getting indoors practice with the lens and software this winter. What kind of macro rail should I get? The automated rail sounds fantastic. Is it a home-brew contraption or a manufactured item? Also, when purchasing a focus rail what degrees of freedom are important and how precisely should one be able to move it?

[Martin G.]

This is what I use, I am not a very handy person, so I went for the already made thing

http://www.cognisys-inc.com/stacksho...0e885287aaThis

works great and also Zerene has interface to interact with the rail.

the specs would depend on how far in magnification you want to go (basically in how small increments it can go between shots, the higher the mag, the shallower the DOF, so you need something very precise, with an MP-E it would not be that much of an issue). I use it with 10x microscope objective and it is more than enough, I think it is precise enough to also work with a 20x, but do not wuote me on that.

Martin

[Tom Camilleri]

Originally Posted by Martin G.

This is what I use, I am not a very handy person, so I went for the already made thing

http://www.cognisys-inc.com/stacksho...0e885287aaThis

works great and also Zerene has interface to interact with the rail.

the specs would depend on how far in magnification you want to go (basically in how small increments it can go between shots, the higher the mag, the shallower the DOF, so you need something very precise, with an MP-E it would not be that much of an issue). I use it with 10x microscope objective and it is more than enough, I think it is precise enough to also work with a 20x, but do not wuote me on that.

Martin

Thanks! Just checked out their web site and now I know what I want for Christmas.

[calypsob]

I cant speak for the mpe but I use a reversed 28mm lens which makes a 2:1 magnification and when its stopped down it can be tricky to get shots. Because my lens is prime I have no need to focus so I keep it at infinity and slowly sway towards and away from my subject, snapping phtos as I pass through the hyperfocal point. I would imagine that it is the same way with the MPE. I can say that if you are using anything greater than 1:1 a flash is going to be mandatory so if you dont already have one figure out a way to squeeze one into the budget.