Ultra Proxer — Recycled from Old zoom lens

Proxer is an old name to call Close-up lens which attach on front of the lens.  

The lens I’m talking here is a front lens element  I’ve scavenged from an old zoom lens 85~210 mm F 3.8,  sold under many different names —– the photo was in the previous post (first photo, Front lens was near the left end).

Most of the close-up lens consist simple convex, single meniscus lens mounted on a filter frame.   Same idea to put a magnifier before camera lens and take close-up  photo.  It was convenient to have a small adapter lens to take closer picture, as in the old days there was no such things like a macro setting on the Primary lens (Standard lens).  

—– To make a high-performance Proxer,  I did some cut and bonding works with epoxy glue, which was worthwhile to create a treasure out of junk.  🙂 

Photo left :  Don’t hesitate to hack-saw a lens barrel.  Once disassembled and the glass was removed, even a precision optical device, is a piece of metal.   = What it used to be is only in your mind.  On this moment you are dealing the work to create something new.  What required here is a careful but very simple and boring push and pull work.  😀  

Center photo :  To the front lens, hack-sawed front barrel (which got 58mm  filter screw )  was screwed back and a filter ring was bonded to its rear side with epoxy glue.  

Photo right :  The finished close-up lend was attached on the front of the Canon EF 100 mm  Macro lens, which also has  58 mm filter size.

You might be wondering,  while having macro lens already, and having a skill to use the lens in reverse etc.  = all sorts of close-up trick, why do I need to have yet  another close-up lens. —– well, all of my Macro lenses were down to the life-size, in other words, they take a picture of  36mm x 24mm is the closest.  I simply wanted to close a bit more.  (My attention tend to go rather small things.  🙂 )

—– And a real intention was to have much more exaggerated out of focus Bokhe.  (I’m tired with clear images which is everywhere and too easy to come by today.)     

Photo left :   With this close-up lens, when the master lens,  100 mm Macro lens was set to the infinity,   a small dole (36 mm tall) looks like this. (taken F 2.8)

Center Photo :  With close-up lens, when the Master Macro lens was set to the life-size, it produces  x2 larger image (dole’s head is 10mm).   Have look the Bokhe in F 2.8 = max open).  (This Bokhe is quite close to the Olympus Zuiko 50 mm F 2 Macro lens ! )  

Photo right :  A small beetle who happen to came to my room (it’s too hot these days,  the window was fully open) this photo was taken with a bounced flash-light with F 11.

Unlike most of the Proxer, this home-made close-up lens has double lens chromatic structure,  and fully coated. = Think, a cost of common cheap Proxer, and a Front lens which is the most crucial part of the lens structure in a  zoom lens.  

= Difference of quality is obvious.     As you can see it in those sample photos.  

A photo of a moth parched on the wall in my room, taken by EF 100 mm Macro with the handmade Proxer. = With F 2.8 the depth of focus is really shallow still, in the focused area, the image is very sharp.

This is a test shot of the screen of a Tablet (a photo of my umbrella).  This close-up lens maintained very high quality of the image = Very even, corner to corner.  And this is at F 2.8 ! (See details, by click it, and again)

Left photo is Macro lens alone and about  1/2 size.   Right photo is, with close-up lens but Master lens was set to Infinity.   Hence this combination can take photo from infinity to  1/1  and with this Proxer to  x2.  (By the way, Canon 5D mk-III has dreadful red-color cast when ISO was set to 6400.   In AWB and in any setting.  Though, at  ISO 100 much better.  = See the photos below)

(Photo left :  5D but Mk-II.   Photo Right :  The ISO setting was  100  = Much better !)(Those are hand-held photos = only for Color reference.)  To be fair,  I show you the photos by Nikon D810’s color  in similar setting.

(Photo Left :  Nikon D810 — ISO 3600    Photo Right :  Same but ISO 100   Both with Micro Nikkor 55mm F3.5 — 1/2 )

Higher ISO setting mean, very low out-put of image sensor has to be amplified electronically to its limit.    While amplifying to such extent, still linearity has to be maintained, while the out-put of each BGR may not having exactly the same character.

= Can of warm is opened.  🙂   In the same time, higher amplification also amplify the noise as well.  

—– I admire and praise  the people who managed it and brought the benefit of very high ISO setting even if it was not (yet) perfect.

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Junk Lens — How to recycle ?

After digital revolution,  analogue age old lenses become almost a junk. 

Simply,  the camera  and the lens today are too different from their predecessor.

As the lens has to work with the camera which got so many functions therefore

the lens also needs to function such as auto focus, electronically position controlled

F-aperture, distance-coded focus not mention high zoom ratio, of which the zoom

position was also electronically coded. (Those code were used to control Flash-light)

= In order to deal with all those electronics, the lens having its own microchip and

able to communicate with camera’s main CPU.  

Without having those electronics, lens couldn’t be used on the camera —– except 

Canon EOS   (It can take any lens include a Pinhole in AV-Mode,  of course with

manual mode as well.  — But,  Nikon couldn’t make even a single image out of pinhole,  

without giving quite  complicated procedure to set-up the camera side. )  

Though, don’t misunderstand,  even today,  the optics is still optics, it works on the 

same principal,  hence  if you get a convex lens and concave lens scavenged out of old

camera lens, it would make a telescope for a kids to experiment.  Or use them to project

an image or focus LED light etc etc. 

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The lens design has also changed a lot such as the use of aspherical lens  (in fact most

of them are a so-called Compound lens,  aspherically moulded plastic was stacked on

a glass lens) —– nevertheless, I admit, today’s lens is very well designed in deed.

(Though, why they became so big and heavy ? — considering, how compact camera

became so small and light, while able to take more or less the same picture.    😀 ) 

In those aspects,  may be there is no point to give a damn to the old lens though, still,

such as  F-aperture diaphragm has changed almost nothing (only driving mechanism

may have changed to motor etc.   And the front lens is still, good achromatic lens.  

Not mention the focusing helicoid which is impossible to make by ourselves,  still

having lots of use, not only in the photography.

= We can scavenge a lots out of such old lens.  —– As a matter of fact, good old 

non-plastic lens is far easier to disassemble and Re-use.   (Plastic built lenses were

NOT designed to be serviced as they were built by snap fit or heat-weld.)  

(Lens above is a Canon TV lens, it must had a price of many thousands of pounds. )

The best thing is,  we can find those old lens in a camera shop’s junk box,

with a price of couple of pounds, if not free. 

 To disassemble those lens, there may not need to have more than small

+ AND – screw drivers.  (but need to use the brain a lot = it is a puzzling game) 

In coming posts, I’ll show you what I’m going to do with those “Components”

saved from old lens.

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Heavy Assignment — Winding Grip for Hasselblad

When I mentioned my “One hand Shooting” somebody accused me saying that I’m

bluffing such as Hasselbrad couldn’t be used by one hand. —– On that post, I didn’t

go into the details as the post was talking about the flash-light.  

Well, the photo above is the set-up of my “Mid grade shooting”. (I used to make a

joke  “Photo job is just like a set menu = ingredients and the price is accordingly,  

(in Japanese expression, 松, 竹, 梅 定食 / Pine, Bamboo, Plum set).  Pine set uses

either 5″x4″ or Pentax 6×7  with two or three studio flashes, heaviest tripod and an

assistant, therefore the charge would be in the order of thousand+,  Plum set would

be hand-held Pentax 6×7 or 6×6 Hasselblad with may be two lenses. (it depends —)   

Bamboo set is by 35mm camera with Agfa Flash-light — still with umbrella.    🙂

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I’ve been using my Hasselblad with modified winding grip.  Hence, right hand alone

can wind and click the camera.  Left hand having the flash though, this flash (with

umbrella) can be instantly joined to the camera bracket hence free the left hand to

adjust the focus, or with the aid of focusing handle, even right-hand holding the grip, 

stretched finger can easily adjust the focus.  (Shutter speed and F-setting will

be done on the beginning as the flash has an auto control, and the lighting in the

room or in the event is more or less constant )

—– Once get used, there was no problem.

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 This winding grip was originally for the Bronica camera and I modified it for

Hasselblad.  (in order to couple with grip’s mechanism,  wind-up nob of Hasselblad

was also modified)  

And in the photo, the Prism Finder which looks a bit odd, was originally for Cowa SIX

camera. (I put Flash-light Ready-indicator to this Prism Finder through Hot-Shoe as

well —– click a camera before the flash-light was ready, and loose one frame is not

a joke, considering 120-6×6 film gives only 12 frames / 220 Film gives 24 frames )

——– (Photo above :  Olympus T45 with 70cm Umbrella to use on a light-stand)

—– As long as it works reliably, it is enough for my use.   Cosmetics is out of scope.

Though, to use a camera in such arrangement  (Flash-light is Olympus T45, the most

powerful and quick-charged flush then) is literally deadly heavy to the hand. 

= It was a price to pay for the quality, but it also justify the charge.  (Trouble of the boss

in the Japanese companies are, they themselves got pretty expensive camera such as

top Nikon or Leica, still they never seen the monster like this = it makes them to

convince that the professional is totally different,  and to pay for its quality.)  😀

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To put some effort to make everyday’s work more comfortable and to improve the

quality, it is what Buddhist calls  [Mindfulness]  to be a life in photographer.  

And those modification work, by hand-tool is a bit by bit work, rather simple manual

work = typical Zen Buddhist’s practice.     So, I would say, it’s better than to spend the

time than to watch useless TV program (anyhow I don’t have a TV  🙂 ) or drinking in

a Pub (neither I drink alcohol or fizzy drink).  = This is the Zen attitude to the life.

Still, I wouldn’t say I’ve achieved something much more than watching TV though,

for me it was a better fun, actually able to see a tangible results.   😉

—– By the way, this Hasselblad was internally half modified, hence I couldn’t sell,

since remained in my hand, together with an EL Body, 250mm lens and 5 of 70mm

film-magazines etc. which nobody wanted to buy — now I got nice antic collection,

starting from Red bellows Kodak Folding No.1 etc, hundred of the antic cameras.  😀

—– it’s mean, some Zennist still got bad habit = collecting junks !  —– I think, to pay

respect to the inventor of each cameras and to guess how those people found the

way to design, and its thinking process  is a very interesting mind-game. 

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Flying Angel — Wire Figure

This is my Angel,  yet another wire-figure I made on 2007.  (So, those photos were

taken by that old Kodak camera, and the photos were clopped —- hence, pretty low

quality photos)  But not PSed, the figure was really in the air (hanged from the tree).

When I brought this to a gathering of Dorkbot, the figure made a well known artist

Anne Bean, frozen 5 min—– ( I was frightened, such good artist can memorize all the

structure and able to make identical copy  🙂 )  

Strangely you may found, this lady has no neck.   Her right hand holding the head.  🙂

Wire used was  1.6mm garden wire,  and I was planned to make it x5 size, it’s mean

life-size,  by 8mm copper tube though, I realized that, if I made this in my room,

I can’t take it out  😀

—– One day, when I got big studio, I’ll do it (though, seemingly never happen  😀 )

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Development of Foetus

Well, I meant not a baby but wire-Figure in Foetus Posture. 

Unlike a body posture spreading limbs, Foetus posture might be more awkward to

make sense, because it might become just like a pill of wire.  —– So, I tested how it

could be made simple and still convincingly looks like a human-figure.  — The first

study above was made its back and the legs separately, so each did look “likely” shape.

(I found, in Foetus posture, it doesn’t need to have a head —- We think head was

buried between the shoulder.   🙂 )

Then, the second attempt was how to reconcile the joint of upper-body and the legs.

—– This one was not successful or smart enough though.

The head was accommodated in the third model.

Looks not yet streamlined enough —– though,

so far this is the final piece called Foetus.

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Handmade Flash System (3) — Macro Flash

In the close-up photography, the exposure was a headache before the TTL metering was invented.    Still, the use of flash-light remained yet another headache —– until TTL auto flash-light was developed.    (When the lens was close-focused, effective F-aperture changes logarithmically (= life-size shot darken 2 F-stop, unless the lens was designed using internal flow focusing system) and the flash-light intensity changes in distance also logarithmically ( = brightness on 0.5m is x4 brighter than it was in 1m distance)  Yet still, in practice, even those TTL flash-light was not necessary convenient to use for the close-ups, as they were not designed to be used in such close distance.

In the other hand, lens has been well advanced to have even extreme close-up, almost to the lens front though, in such close-up position, the big lens front block the light to the very subject.

= flash head has to be positioned, close to the subject.

[]As a matter of fact, close-up photography and its equipments are the cash-cow of the camera manufacturer. = The most of the people who “need” to do the close-up photography is the public institutes,  doing scientific research or even police forensic photography etc.

Therefore, they pay the equipments what they were asked —– anyhow it’s not their money.  (hence, they are so expensive, and creating so much profit.)

And in those scientific photographic front, the use of flash-light was much more preffered over other light-source such as tungsten light, because of the flash-light has no heat problem, and the xenon flash-light contain much more UV or near UV light which is often used for fluorescent effect of certain chemical, hence extremely important for forensic and medical photography.

[]But for a poor man on the street, those Macro Light from camera manufacturer is too expensive, even though, structurally they are not so special. =

So here, yet again, comes the same motto, WHY NOT make it ourselves.

(Though, here is a very strong WARNING !   Electronic flash is a Hi-Voltage  lethal device, even if it was powered by batteries, some of the parts, inside are having more than 300V. And in operation, when it was triggered, some of the lines carries 3~4000V ! = Unless, you are very experienced in Hi-voltage circuit, I wouldn’t recommend you even open the housing of flash.

—– before handle, the capacitors has to be completely discharged through 1K, 5W register) ( I got many experiences of repairing studio-type flash, up to 5000WS, which discharges 1200V and handmade 600WS studio flash for my use. —– I’ll show it to you in another post.)

[]This macro flash was made with an easiest straight approach.

Just take the flash-head out and devised it to mount on the lens front that all.

Still, it rotates (and fixed) any position on front of the lens, and the head also rotates in two axis hence it enable the flash-head aiming to the subject, or rotate it upward and a paper stack to its head would make more natural diffused light as well.

The base of this modification was Nikon SB18 hence it works perfect as a TTL Macro Flash with old F3, FEII, F801 etc. etc. though, as Nikon changed the design of their flash control system in their digital camera, this one doesn’t work with such as latest D810.(so, the photo above may be misleading. 😉 ) May be I should make the same using their latest and cheapest flash. (in fact, structure of the flash head is all same, only 3 cables connected to the tube, I can connect this head even to a Canon flash.)  ( So that, the photo above is just an illustration of mechanically “how it was constructed” and no sample photo of how this Macro Light works 😉 )

[]Funny story of this was, when I showed this to the Nikon (UK), their boss Mr. Obara was annoying so much and said “How come, you buy such cheap flash!” but their engineer was burst into a laughing  “Yes, this is what all about the Macro Flash in deed” and said “You got far better skill than our prototyping engineer” —– though, it was 1986, just before my trouble started. Then I gave-up my photography, and most of my possessions were gone to storage if not sold, hence, there was even a single photo done by this flash ever existed. So that, when I found this in the bottom of cartoon box, I felt a bit of amazement and the sadness.  —– One’s life has all sorts of twist and turns in deed.

(Yet still, I’m glad, my fun loving creativity and the skill on my hand didn’t die with it.)

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Handmade Flash System (2) — Light Bender

As a matter of fact, this is my first Digital Camera. It was a broken Kodak DC215 Digital Zoom camera

which was given by my friend as its battery chamber has been smashed.

So, he gave it for me to play with. Lens was x2 zoom (29~58mm equiv) and Image sensor was 1.5 MP.

( In today’s standard, it is a toy camera level though, 10 years ago, it was rather expensive good

camera 😉 )      Since the camera has been dropped and a corner of it has been smashed, I was not

sure whether it was repairable even if I get spare parts from Kodak. Still, with internal check, the

suspension mechanism of Zoom and Focus was not broken, I tested it with external power supply

—– it was functioning !    So that, not just repair the battery chamber, instead, I made an

additional battery housing attached to the bottom of the camera to use it with

5 rechargeable batteries. (Originally, 1.5V x 4 = 6V —-> 1.2V x 5).

Camera has its built-in Flash and it was working though, as I wrote before, I don’t like this kind of

direct flash lighting.    So that, I made a Light reflecting adapter to bend the light upward.

Then with a hand held white paper this light was reflected again toward the subject

therefore able to create more natural lighting with soft shadow. (photos below)

(Left: By camera’s built-in Flash.   Center: with the reflecting adapter and a paper.  

Right: (the same)—- the difference is obvious. (This is what the Photography is)

To have a modification of existing flash system, there could be tens of different approaches,

each having pros and cons.    Without a heavy internal modification, put a cover on the existing

flash with light sensor to trigger another flash-light is a viable alternative.  —– In fact, you can

test a small reflector like this, Just use a small piece of  baking-foil, stacked 45 degree on front of

your camera’s flash.  —– If you got a camera, which is no longer in use, why not to try.

There isn’t much mystery in the camera design, if it was designed by a human-being,

why not possible to modified by others.   Just do it.   It’s a fun.   :-)

And it would be a start of ACTIVE creative photography to play with light  !    

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Handmade Flash System (1) — Flash with Umbrella

Among my flash system, this is the one I’ve been using the most.

Most (not exactly all) of the photos of table-top shot kind in this blog such as

cooking samples has been photographed using this flash system.

And some party shot such as Capricorn Party was shot by this as well.

The base of this system is an Agfa 383CS flash-light (but actually it was made by Japanese Nisshin)

which takes SCA300 camera interface adapter (so, I used to use the adapter for Nikon, Canon, Contax

etc etc. for TTL compatible type, AF compatible type etc etc.) though, as the camera evolved so rapidly

and their control system became too complicated, hence, those system became obsolete in mid 80s.

—– still, this flash itself has External Auto as well, and of cause the full out-put manual and minimal

(somewhat 1/20^th) for rapid fire.    And on top of this, it got additional front flash to give

“Catch-light in Eyes” when used with bounce-light !

The rotating head has rotating diffuser as well which spread the light coverage from 35mm lens to

24mm lens. —– Almost everything what most of the user needs.

(As far as I know, this is the most well thought-out flash, ever made.

And after nearly 30 years use, it is still in full working order = its reliability is remarkable ! )

But, unless the subjects are more than 5m away, to take picture with a straight

flash-light mounted on camera —– is what I don’t do.    If a light was placed next to

the eyes, similar to Head-lamp, there will be no shadow on the subject.

It is the most unnatural lighting. —– For the most of the subject I needed to work with,

(think, a portrait kind in an interview situation, or to capture a dining scene in a restaurant) is

about 1~2m distance.    Other shot such as whole room, restaurant, shop etc will be covered by

another more powerful flash(s) or even studio type flash-light placed somewhere in the side.

Therefore, to photograph the subject in talking-distance, I modified my flash-light

to take an umbrella reflector.

Thence, I could create a photo, looks more natural 45 degree lighting, top lighting etc

with just a swing of my hand —– it’s mean, to operate the camera by right hand only = (before

camera was fully automatised with Auto-focus, it was a bit of special skill. —- think about, such as

Pentax 6×7 or Hasselbrad in one-hand operation with almost studio quality lighting, without the

cost of assistant. 😀 —– and that was how I nearly monopolized Japanese business here.   😉 )

The modification of the flash-light was just done by a simple cut and put-together

aluminium piece kind of work which you can see from the photos.

—– May be the most peculiar part must be the Umbrella.

This is the umbrella only one in the world = specially hand made by a craftsman who has been

making studio flash umbrella for such as Kishin Shinoyama etc.     The craftsman had happened to

have his family business, selling and repairing the umbrella in Roppongi of  Tokyo, where many

photo-studio situated.     Since the photographer who brought back an umbrella from the west asked

him to repair or even to make the same, he became the only Craftsman catering those needs in Tokyo.

For him, my requirement to make such small (diameter 50cm) umbrella was, of cause first ever

funny request.    Nevertheless, I got the one what I wanted = literally pocket size Umbrella.  😀

(You may find 70cm size which is using child umbrella frame) —– (In fact, I’ve experimented to

make small one, such as using only half of collapsible umbrella or toy umbrella etc.)

—– the reason is obvious, if you got to move around with umbrella, it catch or hit anything =

the smaller the better though, if it is too small, it wouldn’t work as a diffuser.

The size has to be the same size of the spread of light from flash in its distance. )

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Most of the Umbrella adopter for a small Flash, fix the umbrella  facing straight to the flash.

My design aiming the flash from the bottom, hence some light escape from the umbrella still,

the light intensity is only 2 F-stop drop.  Considering the diffused ligh covering

almost Fish-eye lens, the efficiency is not too bad at all !

(In fact the escaped light is bounced back from the ceiling, also contribute some good effect  🙂 )

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With the age of very advanced DSLR, which got ISO speed even 25,000,  it is easy to produce

the photo only with available light and it looks natural of cause.  But in the other hand the skill

to manipulate the image, intentionally hide something in the dark, kind is all left to

the after process of PS.  Though the trouble is, PS often looks too unnatural.

Resorting natural light still end-up unnatural image is not very funny. 😀

Because of the shadow, we know the significance and the meaning of the Light.

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Photos in Tone

Nature has its own tone, under rather subdued light, it’s shows subtle shade.  

Shape and its 3D structure may not as clear like the image under the direct light though,

we are not necessary need to see such detail.  

Subtle shade seemed to show more of what they are as it is.

Just see and appreciate as they are, without imposing my view is in fact less tiring and

able to relax.  After all, the photos here are not for any scientific or reference purpose.  

They are just what they are today as I’m here on this moment.

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Cuckoo’s Spit

I think the plant is Lavender, and every year, it seems a lots of Cuckoo came here

and have a spit fight.   (Some says it was not Cuckoo but a snake  🙂 )

Still, inside, the nymphs of  Frog-hopper ( Cercopoidea)  called Spittlebugs are growing

while sucking the sup from the plant, and making a bubble foam to hide. 

May be strong taste of Lavender repel another insects.    The photo, center shows a

Frog-hopper  just left a froth home, then the body color darken.  (right photo)

This insect is, despite its minute size, ( you believe or not) a cousin of  Cicada, hence

they are a miniature version of their cousin, and having the same habit to suck a sup.  

(Though, I don’t know how this insect coming back next year —- egg stays somewhere

(inside of plant ?) or the female pass over a winter ? —– Does anybody know ? )

Nature’s system and it’s life cycle always fascinates me.  — Even such minute fragile life

has their own system to weather the element and manage the continuation of species

—– for millions of years !   Has they got wisdom let alone a brain ?   Or all in their GENE ?  

How those GENE has been programmed ?

—–  So, the Buddhist calls it the Dharma.   System and the governing rules.

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