need help, Nikon D60 macro, new problem

[Alan F.]

Hi, if you wish to retain the functions of the lens I would recommend a set of auto extension tubes ($100 or so on eBay). They fit between the lens and the body and enable you to focus much closer. Using the longer end of the zoom range increases the working distance so you can get the lighting in, but decreases the depth of field, a smaller aperture will help here. On the other hand, if the lens will adjust manually (Nikon lenses are usually constructed so they will) and you wish to do this, an adapter that enables the lens to be reversed can be obtained fairly cheaply and means that the optical corrections are better (a lens is designed to work best with a long distance to the subject and a short distance to the image, using it as a macro lens reverses this setup so if you can reverse the lens the corrections work better). Tripod and remote release also sound advice.

[Alan F.]

I have just had a play with a friends Nikon 18-55 mm lens. It has neither focusing scale (you won't need this as you will be focusing in real time) nor aperture scale. So it looks like auto extension tubes are your only option. Talk to your camera store assistant, if they are any good they will show you how they fit and are used.

[loydb]

I have had mixed results with extension tubes with my Nikkor 105mm. Sometimes the camera would decide that there was no lens attached. Thinking about it, it was with my D200, I haven't tried it yet with my D5300. Anyway, if you can find a store that stocks that kind of thing, take your camera with you and try first.

[Alan F.]

I have had no problems with either the 55 mm or 105 mm macro lenses, mind you, I usually turn off the auto everything and set the camera myself (then if anything goes wrong I know who to blame). I keep careful notes of what settings I use and find this much more accurate than letting the camera guess.

[nickatnight]

I just got a set of 3 extension tubes, no name brand, they fit and seem well made. All aluminum with matte black finish, probably anodized. But when I put any combination of tubes on the camera I get this array thru the viewfinder. Doesnt matter if its turned on or not, doesnt matter what I aim it at, its always there. It still takes pics fine, but rather hard to focus with this in the way. There is a center dot, always red, surrounded by 6 white dots, then the rest kind of grey/bluish. All in a perfect honeycomb pattern. It only shows up with the ext. tubes, with either one of my 2 lenses. The lens mount ring is the only thing I can think of causing the problem as it has a shiny plated lens mount, just like the one on the camera. Is this causing some kind of reflection affecting the sensors? You can see its reflecting on the inside of the ring in the photo.

I will stop rambling now and wait for some hopefully professional advice from you guys and girls.

Nick, Stuck in SC



Here is a pic I took of my 18mm sunstone. First try. It takes good pics, I just cant focus on smaller stones as its really hard to see past that pattern. It blurs what I can see, but not the picture it takes.

HELP! I am so close now.

[loydb]

If you can't dial in a perfect focus, sneak up on it. Start with just the front edge in focus, shoot, then move the focus dial as little as you possibly can, shoot. Repeat until the focus plane has moved beyond the stone. This would suck with a film camera, but with digital, go nuts.

Now you have a couple options. First, you can just pick the best of the pics and use it. Or, you can load *all* the images into software that treats them like a stacked focus, and composite it to a single pic in perfect focus (I use Photoshop for this, but there are many other programs that do it as well.)

I generally take 3-5 shots at different focus targets and composite them.

[nickatnight]

Thanks loydb. Did you read my last reply just before yours? I cant focus well because of the funky image in the viewfinder. It blurs everything.

[nickatnight]

after further playing around, that pattern seems to be a multiple reflection of the aperture opening. Now I am really confused.

[loydb]

Yes, I read it. By bracketing it, you aren't really relying on the image for anything but approximate focus as the start and end of the series.

Here's my slightly informed male-answer-syndrome guess as to what is going on: In printing, when you overlap two screens, you get a moire pattern caused by interference between the two. I'm guessing something similar is going on with the coating on the tube filter and your regular lens. Can you remove the lens filter on the macro before attaching the tube extension?

[nickatnight]

"Can you remove the lens filter on the macro before attaching the tube extension?"

Not sure what you mean.
I am using an 18-55 lens. Nothing macro.
There is no lens filter anywhere.
The extensions are just tubes, no lenses.
Autofocus works fine but it is turned off.
Command dial set on M.
Using the center sensor.
i have fiddled with it for a long time. Nothing I do makes the slightest difference.

[Alan F.]

The photo of the tubes look like they are manual only, if you are using a Nikon 18 - 55 mm lens you need a set of auto rings as the 18 - 55 lens has no aperture ring and has to be set through the camera (auto rings have a set of 8 contacts front and back and a moving lever to stop the lens down, I can't see these on your photo). A smaller aperture might also help with the patterning you see.

[nickatnight]

Yes, I have reached that conclusion. One thing puzzles me, well 2 things. What are these rings made for? Is there a manual lens that fits my camera? And how the heck can they sell me a set for $9 postpaid? That is the buy it now price. Theres 4 pieces that are anodized plus a cast alum insert and the band springs. and misc screws and springs. As a machinist I can say there is some top notch work here. Not much profit margin

[Alan F.]

Most SLR and DSLR lenses are made so that the lens is always wide open and is stopped down by the camera when the shutter is actuated. Nikon chose a different route, with them, the lens stops down to the set aperture and is opened for focusing by the camera. This means that if you are going to use the lens manually no expensive contacts or actuating levers are needed and the rings work fine. They are also simple and cheap to make. With the kit you have, however, auto rings are essential, it seems that Nikon were trying to make an all-in-one camera with the D60/18-55 mm combo. It has few of the manual options useful for out of the ordinary situations. So, for practical advice, I would recommend a set of auto tubes, set the camera to "M" (manual) adjust the aperture to f12 or f16, adjust the shutter speed until the camera thinks the exposure is right, focus carefully and shoot. Bracket the exposures until you get one that looks right and print.
Let me know how you get on.

[gembug]

Nick, it might help if you can connect to your laptop/pc and use something like ControlMyNikon that allows you to see the focus through the sensor.

http://www.controlmynikon.com/

Ive been using this software for a number of years with good results. It's astoundingly cheap compared to the official Nikon Camera Control product and does much more.

It definitely saves my eyes looking through the eyepiece!

-Allan

[nickatnight]

problem solved... I didnt know that I needed auto extension tubes. Or that they existed. Got some now and they work, with about 2 inches to try and get light on the crown.