Ultra heavy Proxer — Close-up Lens from TV Zoom
Those photos were taken by Zeiss 85 mm F 1.4 lens, with my handmade Proxer was
attached to it. The Proxer = Close-up lens was in fact, a front element of a Canon
TV-Zoom lens which I’ve cannibalized from a broken lens. (hence cost nothing 😉 )
As the original lens was a very expensive TV lens, it has a very high-quality
Achromatic lens. ( Even ED glass may have used in its construction.)
In most of the case, it is not very difficult to disassemble the lens —– in this case,
after unscrew 14 small screws, the front Lens was disengaged from its focusing helicoid.
—– then it was glued to a 67 mm filter ring. (filter glass was removed beforehand)
Front-element of this lens works as a close-up lens, hence with 85 mm lens it act like
a life-size Macro converter. —– And with large 1.4 F-aperture, it gives very shallow
depth of field. (and very big Bokhe ! — Still, the focused image itself is quite sharp ! )
——(Metric ruler was shot in 45 degree. Left: F1.4 / Center: F2.8 / Right: F5.6)
Though, this 3 cm thick solid glass in a solid metal helicoid is really heavy, almost
the same weight of 85 mm lens itself. 😀
(The photo above : Left was taken F1.4, but Right photo was F5.6 )
(In those photos, look at how the single hair of fluff was captured on F 1.4
= Please click and enlarge twice)
As you can see from the photos above, off-focused Bokhe is a bit too much for
most of the people’s taste though, that is what I’ve been after.
(This effect couldn’t be mimicked by PS ! )
—– to get this effect, I tried many Soft Focus lenses, Filters, Pinhole Photo,
Double-density Pinhole, even Double Focus in Double exposure.
But there is no sharp core in a Pinhole photo, and the Double exposure has
the trouble to keep the subject exactly in the same position etc etc.
= After many many years of attempt, now I think, I got what I wanted.
Only a problem is, this TV-Zoom Proxer gives only life-size close-up image.
May be I need to find another lens which got longer focal length. 😀
Still, it’s a start.
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Yoshizen's Blog 
These are great Yoshizen, although it sounds like the balance of the camera would be affecrted by a heavy lens…I would love to use pictures like these with my work.
Thank you Paul.
The weight of all together 3kg is not a worst problem.
But I’m seriously thinking to invent an arm with clip to hold a flower in position.
Blown by the wind, they shake too much. = is the biggest trouble. 😀
You can use the image, and if you want original size, you can copy from the card
when we meet next time though, mind you, to create an image good enough to credit
my name is a tall order. 😉
Absolutely marvelous Yoshi! The images feel like they are melting under a wonderful radiance!
Thank you Elena !
I like those photos have gone beyond What flower was, and created somewhat abstract
image more akin to a stage back-drop or sculpture. —- I like a paradox here, they
are utterly artificial image still, no human can imagine but Nature can.
I think added bottom photo may convince you what I meant.
Very, very good photography, Yoshizen.
Thank you very much Bente.
Disassemble and hacksaw a lens was not necessary a waste of time wasn’t it.
(In fact, this was the one of really successful case —– I’ve tried many before. 😀 )
You know “If you are a bad shooter, shoot a lot = one might hit the enemy”
That sounds like a seriously heavy lens! The photographs are magical, though.
Thank you Karen.
In deed it’s heavy though, it is worthwhile to carry around.
[…] Three photos above were taken by Zeiss 85mm F1.4 with close-up lens. […]
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