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New SIGMA-SA macro tube......

G

Guest .

Banned
Hi All,

would it not be a good thing to be able to use an OS-system in the MACRO-range of SLR-photography?!

I had this idea and discussed it with Uwe (Netzuser) some tima ago.....

Well we do have several SIGMA-SA OS-lenses available. None of them is really capable of being used for real macro purposes.

The SIGMA 18-200 OS /SIGMA 18-125mm OS come closest to the macro range but .... well let us have a closer look at the 18-200mm DC OS, I own myself...

Minimum focus is 45cm ... 1.48ft. So its maximum magnification is restrected to 3.9:1 .

More ... better said ... "Less" is not possible:

sample 9.jpg

It is no real macro-range shot but nice ... 1/13s (freehanded) shutter speed (@ 200mm focal length) is no miracle ... its real here! :)

So, why not use the fantastic OS within the macro range?!

Well, we already do have our SIGMA-SA
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-construction .... :)

The crucial point then is, that it would be ideal, to have this lens in particular closer to the camera, than any bellows can allow it even if folded down to minimum length.

What Uwe did now is to develop a short spacer ring, that is optimised to the 18-200 OS-lens (though it surely works with any other SIGMA-SA lens!)

(Shot with polaroid X530!)

sample 5.jpg

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Data: (in combination with the 18-200mm DC OS-lens)

Macro Tube SIGMA-SA Mount:

Flange to film distance-extension 18mm

Possible focal lengths for macro use ... 45mm - 200mm

Range of focus: (front-lens up to largest 3.5m / 10ft @200mm ... increasing with focal lenght!)

max. magnification: ca. 2:1
------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, let us enter the macro range using OS-power .... :)

sample 10.jpg

This now is maximum magnification using the macro tube. It remains half way constant over the range of focal lengths. The longer the focal lengths you adjust, the more distant you can go with your cam.

After all, I would really like to come up with some considerable test-macros.
Due to the fact, that I really do not have any proper light here (black clouds and rain all day long this Sunday) I can only offer some NO-LIGHT ISO 800 test-shots from my garden. Neither is this the nicest macro season now.:)

....give me a minute ....
 
G

Guest .

Banned
sample 1.jpg sample 3.jpg

sample 4.jpg sample 6.jpg

sample 7.jpg

All shots freehanded of course ... making use of the lens' OS. Fairly long shutter speeds became necessary.

The bud (pic 3) is 1/13s.

See you with nice pictures

Klaus
 
G

Guest .

Banned
Hi Uwe,

not only working perfectly ... even very nice looking!

SD14 + macro-tube + SIGMA 18-200mm DC OS

sample 1.jpg

See you with nice pictures

Klaus
 
N

netzuser

Banned
Hi yukoner,
basicly it is a DIY-project.
All you need is a mirrorhousing from a canibalized SAxxx camera,a bayonet from a Sigma SA lens and plastic ring 65mm outerØ and 50mm innerØ.
You also need 5 pices of thin cable ~2cm long.
Cut the squere part off the mirror housing and grind it flat.
From the plasticring cut out a bit to get room for the contacts and the flatcable.
Glue the ring centric to the flattend side of the mirror housing,solder the cables 1:1 to the contact block of the lens bayonet,align the lens bayonet and screw it to the plasticring.That´s it.:)
Regards
Uwe
 
foveonfan

foveonfan

Well-Known Member
Seeing I have a spare (broken) SD14 AND a spare (broken) 10 - 20mm lens, I'm considering making my own extension tube.

Seeing there are a few "techno experts" amongst us here, suggestions for my project would be graciously accepted. ;)

Sincere regards, Jim R
 
N

netzuser

Banned
Hello Jim,
looks like you got most of the parts needed on hand.
The mirrorhousing of the SD14 should be ok as well,although it is different
from the SD10 and the models before.
I have not digged into the SD14 that deep.
The next thing is the contactblock from the 10-20mm lens.It has 10 contacts
instead of 7 which older lenses have.But you can leave 3 contacts open,
or NC (not connected). :)
I´ll take some pictures to show more detail when I work on the next one.
Regards
Uwe
 
tc95

tc95

Well-Known Member
Very nice....

Klaus

You need talk to Luis...about milling the parts....and selling them on this forum....even if it was not AF I would buy a set to work with my additional lenses.....

Tony C.
 
G

Guest .

Banned
Uwe's (Netzuser's) Invention!!!

Hi All,

I have to point out here, that the macro tube is Uwe's invention. He built the one, I am presenting above. :)

I just did the test shots.

Uwe is a real genius with such nice projects! :z04_TUjXSMUS: He was the first who put a
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into practice.

Further, it was his idea to do a
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with SIGMA-lenses.

Later then it was my idea, to do a
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for macro use.

Well, as soon as you have the raw-materials i.e. both bajonet-rings (camera and lens) it is not all that difficult to do these accessories.
Normal technical skills and the ability to do some radio/micro-soldering should do!

Serial production is difficult because of a shortage of bajonet raw-material.
If it was possible to produce it in larger quantities, you would not need old cameras and lenses for each piece.

See you with nice pictures

Klaus
 
G

Guest .

Banned
Additional 45mm Macro Tube

Hi All,

nobody can stop me! ;)

I built an aditional 45mm macro-tube. Sure, that it can be combined with the above mentioned 20mm-tube from Uwe's production.

The making was a lot of work (took me about 4hs!) but it is no magic to do.
45mm you simply reach using the complete light-case of an old SIGMA SA300.
The only problem then is, to have both bajonettes arranged half way centric, since the light-case is designed asymmetrically.

To have it impermeable to light, I simply used some insulating tape.

The elecric wiring is the same as with our bellows ... just compare
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.

sample 9.jpg

Let's have a look! :)

SIGMA 18-200mm OS

All that goes without macro-aid: ......................... / ...........................Both tubes fitted

sample 10.jpg sample 11.jpg

Findings:

1) The OS works beautifully within macro range! The macro is done freehanded (ellbows supported on the table) at 1/4s!! shutter-speed 173mm focal length and ISO 400. I used a dim 40W desk lamp on purpose, since we are talking about AL-OS-macros!

2) Image quality is considerably well with the lens on open aperture!

3) The depth of field runs towards zero (as you can see!)

4) The loss of light is something around one aperture value (you can live with that!)

5) As I indicated above ... the bigger macro-tubes can only be used with the longer focal lengthes of the lens although magnification can be increased visibly to an estimated 1:1 ratio ... therefore, Uwe's 20mm tube is the best match with the 18-200mm DC OS lens.

Summing it up .....

The more I am concerned with macro-shooting, the more I go for using flash-lights. Using a flash is the only way to have enough light for slowing down aperture to an extent that ensures a broad DOF-range, frequently needed for insects.

I am very much looking forward to make new experiences with the new macro-tubes (combined with OS-power) as soon as I have acceptable light.

Well, I do not like test-shots all that much ... therefore I did all in my power to have a considerable macro at hands for illustrating the above mentioned devices. This was a difficult thing to do, because of very little light available in the garden.

Exposure: ISO400 / .....1/30s.... / F:5.6 / 115mm

At least I managed this one this afternoon .... a very little moss-plant carrying a water-drop.

sample 12.jpg

See you with nice pictures

Klaus
 
N

netzuser

Banned
Hi Klaus,
thanks for this informative posting.
Very interesting to read your findings and reccomandations.
Hopefully some users will participate.
Regards
Uwe
 
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