Close-Up Lens Recommendations For A Nikon D80?

No problem, Ray. I was trying to sort through that problem and held off on buying. Thanks for confirming my suspicions. Based our your recommendations here are my purchases so far:

Rodenstock 75mm 1:4.5 El Omegar;
El-Nikkor 75mm f4 (your 2011 tests came up with this);
M42-M42 Mount Focusing Helicoid Ring Adapter 17-31mm (fine focus)
M42 Lens to NIKON Adapter Ring For D80
M39 to M42 Step Up Ring

I am also looking into getting
Macro AF Confirm M42 Screw Lens to Nikon F Mount Adapter Black D610 D750 D800

or for about $30 there is a AF Confirm adapter (with glass) that includes the D80 among the list of supported cameras.

or there is also a chipset adaptor with glass for about $50 (also good for the D80) that has a Dandelion chipset that will prompt for focus confirmation, enable metering, and give some flex on aperture and FL (with a flexible calibration for focus confirmation)

But here I have a bit of confusion:

The AF confirm adapters seem to be intended for mounting the adapter directly to the camera body. In that arrangement the pin configuration can do something.

BUT While I am impressed by all this, I can't figure out what, if any, of these functions will work if the bellows has no pins at the camera mount.

I recognize that an enlarger lens is not going to have any of the auto functions, and that the pins are supposed to merely allow the Aperture priority settings. But they can do that if they are mounted to the bellows down where the lens is.

I can't quite get the sense of it.

This was part of the problem I was having with the 60mm Micro Nikkor. I had to use tubes which allowed less extension than the bellows minimum, and my shooting distance put me too close for lighting control.

But even if we opt for full manual control, and eliminate most of the additions to the stack, it would seem a longer lens will be necessary to get me what I need. So, for enlarger lens should I be looking at a 105mm or even a 150? Any recommendation?

I have picked up a couple of 75mm enlarging lenses for flexibility and backup, but I am not averse to adding a longer lens if that is what it will take. I just need to figure out the optimum length for my setup.





On the matter of the final lens adapter, which you are calling "M42-M39 adapter," I am having trouble being sure about some of the odd descriptions.

Skip the rant if you wish ----------------------------

My understanding of the convention was that the "up" or "down" was always in the direction of receptacle to attachment. In this case that is: camera to lens, 42 to 39, requiring an adapter with threads 42/male to 39/female.

One vender referred to an adapter attaching an M39 lens to an M42 mount camera as a "step-up ring."
("M39-M42 Metal Step Up Ring Adapter for Leica M39 lens to M42 Camera")
Another called the same arrangement a "step down ring" - with a big price difference.
(42mm-39mm step down ring adapter
PENTAX M42 BODY to LEICA M39 LENS)

In terms of function both of the above seemed to be describing the same thing, but with poor illustrations. I bought the first one based on price; 76 cents shipped. Big deal.
Sorry for the rant. Much ado about nothing, at least not in dollars, but....
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With all the turnaround among the sellers I think/hope I bought the right one, or I have that much more down time.

I don't want to make a mistake on this so I will ask:





Far and away the majority of the ancients I will be photographing are going to range in size between that of a US quarter and 3/4-the-size-of-a-dime. There is a large group of provincial bronzes that measure about the size of a half dollar. Beyond that, the occasions are infrequent to say the least.

The mainstay of the shooting will be in bronze or silver, in a narrow range of diameters between a quarter and a nickel.

For that use a 90?
or a 105?
I have neither. For the bellows stack we have been discussing, if I have to pick ONE, which one?

I would expect the 75mm will work for up to a Quarter even with the extra extension due to adapters. I'd recommend waiting to try the 75mm lens(es) before going for the 90mm or 105mm. If you do want to take the plunge, then go for the Amar or similar cheap 105mm.

One thing we have not touched on is how you are holding your bellows. I am recommending the 105mm based on the assumption you will have enough working distance to use it. If your setup is compact, then your focal length is more constrained. What are you using for a copy stand?

In that case the 105mm lens is the way to go for larger coins and such. 75mm should be fine for smaller coins.

For me, lighting is still hit-or-miss. I usually have to try out several ways of lighting each coin, and then settle for the way that has the fewest problems.

This means I need to rapidly try out several light configurations (one Jansjo, two Jansjos, high angle, lower angle, more diffuse, less diffuse, asymmetric combinations of the above, etc., etc.) For this, I have the diffuser attached to the lens, and shine the Jansjo lights onto it from various positions/angles/distances, etc.

Thanks for the tip, Ray. Apparently Amazon isn't handling it now if ever again, and nothing comes up for ebay. I found a few vendors that carry it but most insist on selling you a 10 pack. Okay.

Once I have it, how do I get it to do what I want? That is, how do I get it to hold the position and distance I want?. I noticed in your 2nd camera configuration that you have some mounted by the lens and it appears to be lying flat. Even at a paper weight of 110 lbs, doesn't that require some kind of frame?

Not looking for trade secrets, but color me clueless.