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During the pandemic, many camera dealers are reporting that sales of macro lenses are booming. Bought new, they can be expensive but there is a much less costly option, a vintage used model. With macro photography, autofocus can be more of a hindrance than an aid and it is usually best to mount the lens on a tripod and focus manually. Manaul focus macro lenses typically have a long throw on the focussing ring which makes it easier to fine tune the point of focus.

The optical design of longer lenses tends to be simpler than wide-angle, so even a classic lens from a few decades ago will likely be a decent performer. Being primes helps as well, as there are fewer design compromises than with a zoom. Besides, it is usually preferable to stop down when shooting in macro to increase depth of field and that has the benefit of maximising image quality. Whatever their provenance, most lenses will perform similarly at f/8. A significant reason why some lenses cost more than others is that they are more capable of giving good results at their wider apertures.

Adapting older lenses to modern cameras is straightforward these days, especially with mirrorless cameras but a DSLR with live view is a workable option. Adapters typically cost a few pounds, so older glass really is a good way into macro photography.

There is a short YouTube video which is a useful introduction:

https://youtu.be/hRnKYkiE9cE

Following on from my previous post on this thread, I thought that I pass on a couple of tips for using macro lenses in less than ideal conditions. In other words, outside handheld trying to get in close to obtain a sharp image when the subject is, invariably, swaying about in the breeze. This is challenging even when autofocus and image stabilisation are available.

My first shot was taken using a modern camera and lens combination. The lens is the Fujifilm XF 80 mm f/2.8 macro mounted on a X-H1. I got the lens last Xmas when it was substantially discounted in a one day lightning sale*. I have been playing with this camera and lens combination for a while and keep discovering different features which help improve the success rate. First step was to set the camera to continuous focus, the lens focus limiter to 0.25-0.5 metre and stabilisation on. I also use continuous shooting as sometimes the lens can snap into focus after the first shot and it can help to counteract movement. Both on the part of the subject and the photographer. Another setting is to set the camera release priority to focus, rather than shutter.

The X-H1 also has a couple of features which are not on many cameras from other manufacturers. The first is a performance boost mode which speeds up autofocus, improves shutter response and increases the EVF refresh rate at the cost of draining the battery faster. Another is the Pre-AF function which focusses the lens without the shutter release being depressed. While I would not classifty the X-H1 autofocus as being poor, to my mind Fujifilm has been playing catch-up for the past few years. These two functions do help address that shortcoming.

While there are still a number of failures, inevitably, overall I can achieve a good number of technically successful shots. Getting the aesthetics right is another matter entirely. The shot below is an example of the former taken with the Fuji gear. YMMV might vary in respect of the latter. In my next post, I will examine what is possible using an inexpensive manual focus macro lens.



* Annoying as they are to receive on a daily basis or even more frequently, it is worthwhile subscribing to retailers' newsletters as they can occasionally alert you to short lived bargains which might otherwise be missed. Along with a substantial discount, with cashback the Fuji lens cost less than the used price. And the dealer chucked in a "free" 32 GB SD memory card for good measure.

One setting which I omitted to mention in my previous post was shutter speed. Air is rarely completely still, so when shooting outside whether the camera is handheld or on a tripod it is advisable to use a fast shutter speed. On the X-H1 I had the auto ISO settings configured for a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 and a maximum ISO of 3200. The face of the sunflower, as well as being dark, was also in the shade and stopping down to f/11 to increase depth of field, I ended up with a shutter speed of 1/210. I would have gone to f/16 or even risked diffraction at f/22 if conditions had allowed, so f/11 was definitely a compromise.

Onto the main subject of this post, which is options for using a manual focus macro lens. The one I chose is a Vivitar 55 f/2.8 macro with an Olympus OM mount. It has a good reputation for being sharp, which is well deserved, and has the benefit of being a true macro with 1:1 reproduction. Many stop at 1:2 and require extension tubes to get closer. Those qualities do reflect in the price some vendors ask, with eBay being particularly prone to gouging/optimism. It is usually preferable to buy from a dealer as not only is there a warranty, but the gear is more likely to have been checked by someone who knows what they are doing* and value is often better.

At the time of writing, Cameraworld has a good looking used example of the Vivitar lens with the Canon FD mount for £75, which is the price I paid for my copy a couple of years ago. Last time I looked, eBay had nothing under £100. Add in P&P and a few pounds for an adapter, it is possible to have a good quality macro setup for around £100.

https://www.cameraworld.co.uk/product/u ... 11948.html

For those interested in what the lens can do, this review - with one vital exception - reflects my experience.

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/vivi ... view-32163

Incidentally, Vivitar along with others such as Soligor never manufactured anything themselves and always subcontracted production to third parties. In this case, the lens was made by Komine and there are a number of brands with the same design. Even companies with their own manufacturing facilities did not necessarily make everything with their name on it themselves. A practice which continues to this day. The Yashica 55 f/2.8 macro looks very similar to the Vivitar version, for example.

In my next post, I will describe a technique for shooting when the subject is moving and give an example using the same subject as in my previous post. I will also discuss a shortcoming which I found with the lens, although it only occurs under certain conditions.

* A well known dealer of used camera equipment once sent me a lens with obvious signs of fungus. They were very apologetic, as well they should have been, and replaced it by return. Since I have otherwise always had good service from the shop, I will not name it but cannot wholeheartedly make a recommendation either.

The only other time I have received a lens with fungus was an eBay purchase from a charity which claimed that the optics were clear. When I queried this with them, they said the lens had been checked by one of their "experts". Hmmm. It seems to me that every time I look at lenses which charities sell on eBay, invariably the description includes the dreaded f-word. It would appear that they only end up with those which people cannot easily dispose of elsewhere. In my case, the lens had cost so little (P&P was more), I did not bother sending it back.