My pages on photography
I have a considerable experience in macro- and close-up photography of shells and fossils (over 40 years) and take all pictures for the illustrations in my own scientific publications . In practical terms, this experience amounts to several hundreds of photographs published in international scientific journals and books, and several tens of thousands of photographs in my personal archive, which I use continuously as a source of observations and illustrations for my scientific research . I also used to do my own B&W darkroom work until 2000, when I switched to digital photography.
Besides my use of photography in research, I have an interest in:
macrophotography
nature photography, especially birds
near UV and near IR imaging
optical microscopy of protists, algae and small invertebrates.
These pages are based on my personal experience. Some of them deal with technique, but most with the practical use of equipment and the technology of digital photography. My impressions on equipment are based on a substantial use of these items, although I do not claim to use all their features, or even to make an optimal use of them. In fact, it is entirely possible that I am using some of these items in ways never intended by their designers.
My purpose with these pages is to write my opinions, reviews and recommendations of equipment I own and use. I used Nikon DSLRs in the past. I currently use Micro 4/3 Olympus and OM System cameras and Sony Alpha full-frame cameras, and lenses and accessories that work with these. Therefore, the contents of this site are heavily Nikon- and Micro 4/3-centric, with some information on Sony Alpha full-frame. If you are looking for reviews of other brands, or of the latest models of cameras and lenses, you may be better off checking large photography web sites, like DPreview , or taking your chances with Google search.
At the beginning of 2011, I published a book entitled Digital photography for science: close-up photography, macrophotography and photomacrography
I try to avoid the duplication of contents between this book and my web site. Plenty of information not suitable for the book (e.g., new tests and reviews of equipment), is continuously added to this web site, and some of this information may be more updated than the book contents.
Information on this book is also available in the section on my books .
Links to photography categories on this site
General subjects
Assorted poppycock: macro zooms, format-relative magnification, format-relative focal length, and other nonsensePoppycock 2 : crop-factor equivalencePoppycock 3 : microscope magnificationPoppycock 4 : Mobile phones are as good as "real" camerasMicro 4/3 basic parametersClose-up photography Macro photography and macro lenses Photomacrography Reversed lenses Microphotography Reproduction ratio Specifying the reproduction ratio Depth of field calculator (Java applet is no longer available)Depth of field Depth of field and resolution in close-up, macro photography and photomacrographyImage stabilization in fisheye lenses: a square peg in a round hole?Focal length , angle of view and other lens characteristicsAutofocus Bokeh
"Chipping" an extension ring
Photomacrographic lenses, part 1 Luminar, Milar, Olympus and LomoPhotomacrographic lenses, part 2 Unitron, Luminar and NikonPhotomacrographic lenses, part 3 Shootout at the Zeiss corralPhotomacrographic lenses, part 4 Industrial zoomsPhotomacrographic lenses, part 5 Macro-Nikkor, Luminar, Minolta, Tominon and CanonPhotomacrographic lenses, part 6 Photomacrographic lenses, part 7 Enlarger lenses in photomacrography
Adapting a Micro 4/3 camera to a Zeiss Photomicroscope I
Equipment (general discussions) Macro lenses Extension rings Bellows Close-up lenses T adapters (T2 adapters)Mirror lenses (see also here and here )Focusing racks Focusing jacks Focusing helicoids Viewfinder accessories Remote controls Versions of Zeiss Luminar lenses Luminar, but not Zeiss! Enlarger lenses, from ordinary to unusual Continuous sources of near-UV Building a UV LED lamp MTE UV 301 365 nm battery-operated torch Convoy S2+ 365 nm torch Scanners and scanner lenses Studio strobes Micro 4/3 lens adapters Using lenses, special filters and lens shades of different sizes Peek into my camera bag
Technique Auto ISO and bird photography with the OM-1Live ND on the Olympus OM-1Sensor size: myths and reality IR photography UV photography UV-B photography White balance in UV photography Legacy lenses for UV photography Multispectral photography Focusing in close-up, macro photography Tilt-shift bellows Ultra-short tilt-shift bellows CoastalOpt 60 mm Apo: the hotspot issue (with new solution) Filter packs and replacement windows
Equipment
This is a list of equipment I own and use (and some of the equipment I used in the past). Follow the available links to see a brief description of the items, and my impressions based on use in practical situations. I add links as my time permits.
My cameras and lenses - a brief history OM System OM-1 Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II settings spreadsheet Olympus OM-D E-M1 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Panasonic G3 full spectrumOlympus E-PM2 full spectrum Olympus Pen Lite E-PL6 full spectrumOlympus Tough TG-4 Sony Alpha 7R II Sony Alpha 7 II full spectru)Nikon D70s full-spectrum (also test , other test , performance )Ferrania Condor 1
Canon Macro Photo 35 mm f/2.8 JML 21 mm f/3.5 JML 26 mm f/4.5 Leitz Milar 65mm f/4.5 for bellowsLeitz Photar 25mm f/2 for bellows Leitz Summar 100mm f/4.5 for bellowsMinolta Auto Bellows Macro 100 mm f/4 Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400 Navitar Zoom 6000 (photomacrographic zoom)Nikon Coolscan 4000 scanner lens Nikon Coolscan 8000 scanner lens Nikon Macro-Nikkor 12 cm f/6.3 (and tested )Nikon Macro-Nikkor 19 mm f/2.8 Nikon Macro-Nikkor 35 mm f/4.5 Nikon Macro-Nikkor 65 mm f/4.5 (tests , tests and more tests )Nikon Micro Nikkor 70 mm f/5 (also for UV )Nikon Printing Nikkor 105 mm f/2.8 Olympus 20 mm f/3.5 for bellowsOptem Zoom 70 (photomacrographic zoom) Otamat 20 mm f/2.8 Polaroid Sprintscan 4000 scanner lens test ) Schneider Makro Apo Componon 60 mm f/4 (V-mount)Schneider Xenon-E 50 mm f/2.2 Schneider Xenoplan 26 mm f/5.6 prototype, the lensTomioka Tominon 75 mm f/4.5 (also used for UV)Unitron Zoom 0.7-4.5x (photomacrographic zoom, also here )Zeiss Luminar 25mm f/3.5 "red dot" for bellows (test here )Zeiss Luminar 63mm f/4.5 for bellows
(also here , here , here and here )Zeiss S-Planar 74mm f/4 1:1 copy lens (also test )Zhongyi Mitakon Creator 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro, Mark II Venus Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro Schneider Xenoplan 23 mm f/1.4 stacked on Schneider Componon and Apo Componon lenses in V38 mount
Nikon Plan 2x 0.05 Nikon M 40x 0.5 ELWD Lomo 9X 0.20 (microscope objective with a diaphragm)
for UV )general discussion , in photomicrography and for UV )for UV )in photomicrography and for UV )for UV )in photomacrography , for UV and more UV )in photomacrography , more photomacrography , for UV and more UV )EL-Nikkor 68 mm f/3.5 (multiple tests) general discussion , in photomacrography and for UV )for UV )EL-Nikkor 135 mm f/5.6 EL-Zoom-Nikkor 99-230 mm f/8 Schneider Betavaron (zoom enlarger lens, also here )PZO lenses with built-in colour filters Industar lenses Meopta lens with square diaphragm opening Agfa varifocal lens (for Agfa minilab) Fujinon EFC lenses (for Fuji minilab)
CoastalOpt 60 mm f/4 Apo (also here and here )Laowa 60 mm f/2.8 2x macro lens Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 105 mm f/2.8 Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 60 mm f/2.8 Nikon Micro Nikkor P 50 mm f/3.5 (non-AI) Novoflex Noflexar 35 mm f/3.5 (also for UV)Olympus 30 mm f/3.5 macro lens Olympus 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens OM System 90 mm f/3.5 macro lens Oshiro 60 mm f/2.8 2x macro lens Sony 90 mm f/2.8 G also test here and not designed for macro Sigma Macro 180 mm f/3.5 Apo D DG HSM EX Venus Laowa 100 mm f/2.8 CA-Dreamer Macro 2x
AF Nikkor 70-300 mm F/4-5.6 G Samyang 8 mm f/3.5 fisheye Sigma Apo "Macro" 70-300 mm f/4-5.6 Sigma 100-300 mm f/4 Apo D DG HSM EX Sigma 50-500 mm f/4-6.3 Apo D HSM EX Sigma 600 f/8 R Tamron AF LD 28-300 mm f/3.5-6.3 "Macro "Tamron 300 mm f/2.8 SP AF LD (see
also here )
Samyang 7.5 mm f/3.5 fisheye Olympus 12 mm f/2 Olympus 7-14 mm f/2.8 Pro Olympus 12-40 mm f/2.8 Pro OM System 40-150 mm f/4 Pro Olympus 300 mm f/4 IS Pro Panasonic 100-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 Sigma 19 mm f/2.8 EX DN with notes on UV imagingOlympus Zuiko Digital 50-200 mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD and EC-14 on E-M1OM System 150-600 f/5-6.3
General notes on lens adapters Metabones Nikon F to Micro 4/3 Metabones Nikon F to Micro 4/3 type 2 Metabones C to Micro 4/3 Kipon Nikon F to Micro 4/3 Kipon Icarex 35 to Micro 4/3 Kipon Tilt OM to Micro 4/3 No-brand T2 to Micro 4/3 No-brand M42 to Micro 4/3 No-brand short M42 and C to Micro 4/3 M42 to Micro 4/3 helicoid Nikon to Micro 4/3 helicoid Panasonic DMW-MA1 4/3 to Micro 4/3
Olympus OM-System 600 mm f/6.5 MC Olympus OM-System Zuiko Reflex 500 mm f/8 here )Olympus OM-System Zuiko 50 mm f/1.8
Legacy lenses on full-frame cameras Olympus OM-System 600 mm f/6.5 MC
CoastalOpt 60 mm f/4 Apo (also here and here )EL-Nikkor lenses for UV photography 35 mm lenses for UV photography Filter strip for testing UV lenses UV Rodagon 60mm f/5.6 (visible+UV lens)(also:test 1 , test 2 , mounted for Micro 4/3 and test 3 )Novoflex Noflexar 35 mm f/3.5 (also: UV test and detailed discussion )Petri/Kuribayashi/Kyoei/Acall 35 mm f/3.5 Soligor 35 mm f/3.5 Photax/Paragon/Prinzgalaxy/Unistar/Access 35 mm f/3.5 Prinz Galaxy 35 mm f/3.5 Galaxy 35 mm f/3.5 Hanimex 35 mm f/3.5 Optomax 35 mm f/3.5 Accidental small-format UV lenses Olympus G.Zuiko Auto-W 20 mm f/3.5 Pentax-110 18 mm and 24 mm f/2.8 Sigma 19 mm f/2.8 EX DN for Micro 4/3 Olympus 12 mm f/2 for Micro 4/3 Mir 11 and Vega 7 in a variety of mounts Pentax Super Takumar 28 mm f/3.5, variant 1 and variant 3 Enna Lithagon 24 mm f/4, 28 mm f/3.5, 35 mm f/3.5 Porst 28 mm f/3.5 and 35 mm f/3.5 Soligor 300 mm f/5.5 Nikon AI-S Nikkor 24 mm f/2.8
UV-pass filters for UV photography Schuler UV filter Baader U filter Asahi Spectra XRR340 PrimaLuceLab U filter Hoya U-360 filter Fuji IR 82 filter NIR-pass filters (and some VIS filters)Variable NIR-pass filter Nikon AF-2 filter holder Nikon AF-1 filter holder (also here )
Nikon TC-20E Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 N-AFD 2x Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 N-AFD 1.4x Sigma Apo Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG Olympus MC-14 1.4x teleconverterOlympus MC-20 2x teleconverter with Olympus 300 mm f/4Olympus MC-20 with macro lensesOlympus EC-14 1.4x teleconverter for 4/3 Metabones Speed Booster
Resolution targets both purpose-designed and re-purposed1951 USAF a poor resolution target made in ChinaNBS 1963A a good resolution target from Thorlabs
Godox AD600 Pro Godox AD200 and accessoriesGodox LED64 mini LED panelGodox X1T-O radio master for Olympus/PanasonicGodox X1T-S radio master for SonyGodox X Pro O and X Pro II O radio master for Olympus/PanasonicGodox X Pro-S radio master for SonyGodox X1R-S radio slave for SonyMetz 58 AF-2 for Micro 4/3 Nikon SB-800 Flash extender Flash diffusers , reflectors and soft boxes Homemade flash brackets SC-23 flash cable Boling BL-300 (modified for UV) Lumedyne 800 Ws bulb (modified for UV) Bowens Gemini 500R (modified for UV) Bowens Gemini 1500Pro (modified for UV) Sekonic Flashmate L-308S flash/continuous light meter
here )Leofoto MP-285C monopod Monopods and monopod heads Velbon Neo Pod 6 monopod
3 Legged Thing bracket for OM System OM-1 (II) Arca-compatible brackets for Olympus E-M1 Mark IIArca-compatible clamps and plates Desmond Flip Kit SCV-FK Gitzo G1321 leveling base Kirk bracket for Olympus E-M1 II L-shaped camera brackets Manfrotto 098SHB and Neewer wall-mounted arms Manfrotto #468MG ballhead Manfrotto #501 video head Manfrotto #234 monopod head Manfrotto FF3248 and FF3249 telescopic posts Markins TB-20 platform for Gitzo Series 2 tripodsNeewer Professional 360 gimbal headRosch Feinmechanik tripod shoe for Panasonic 100-300 lensRRS base for Olympus E-M1 II RRS bracket for OM System OM-1 (II) Sunwayfoto DYH-661 leveling head Sunwayfoto XB-52 low-profile ballhead Wimberley MH-100 side gimbal head for monopod
unknown brand and model Pentax focusing rack Velbon Super Mag Slider Olympus OM focusing rack focusing racks salvaged from old equipment focusing jacks iShoot wormscrew macro focusing rack Newport UMR 8.25A industrial micrometer-operated linear stage THK KR20 linear actuator
Mitutoyo FS-60 (modified for focus stacking)Homemade autonomous focus stacker Wild/Leica Photomacroscope M420 Zeiss Tessovar (photomacrographic zoom system)Zeiss Photomicroscope I PZO MSt 130 stereomicroscope Zeiss stereomicroscope III Custom macrophotography stand AmScope 50 W LED fiberoptic illuminator
Micro 4/3 lens adapters (generic and for photomacrography)microscope stage Nikon PB-6 bellows Nikon PB-6E bellows extension Nikon PB-6D bellows spacers Nikon PS-6 slide duplicator Ihagee/Exakta/Topcon bellows Nikon BR2A reversing ring Olympus Telescopic Auto Tube 65-116mm Olympus Auto Bellows
Nikon DK-22 Nikon Diopter
compensation lens Nikon DK-5 Nikon DK-21M Nikon DG-2 Nikon DR-6 Olympus EE-1 red-dot sight
Camera bags Lowepro Primus AW Wisport Caracal with Lowepro insertWisport Sparrow 16 l with Tenba insertWisport Whistler II with Peak Design insertTenba Axis 24 l Tenba Solstice 10 l sling packTenba Solstice v2 16 l sling pack Lens cases , including Tenba lens capsulesPeak Design large Camera Cube and other camera inserts
Wildlife Watching Supplies tripod leg wraps Wildlife Watching Supplies dome hide camouflage tape
Literature, warnings and history of photography
The following items are odds-and-ends related to photographic technique and equipment.
I started this section of my web site in the summer of 2006, and I add or update pages whenever I have something to write about. Therefore, please feel free to re-visit my web site now and then.
