Photoclubalpha

AFAIK, there are no alpha mount bellows and am not sure if there's going to be any (hope I'm wrong), so are we restricted to use only with adapters, i.e. Alpha to M42 screw mount, then the bellows and then a non-alpha-mount lens.
I use a M42 screw mount bellows (soviet made, el-cheapo...) and the lens should be M42 mount if not reversed. In case of mounting the lens reversely, then you should try to find an adapter from M42 to the filter size mount on that specific lens...
And if it's an A-mount lens, then you should stick something in the rear of the lens in order to open the diaphragm...
and so forth
Is there another decent way of doing it? Sometimes you really need beyond 1:1 magnification.

Dr. Harout wrote:AFAIK, there are no Alpha mount bellows ...

I am not aware of any ... fortunately we don't need them anyway.

Dr. Harout wrote:... so are we restricted to use only with adapters, i. e. Alpha to M42 screw mount, then the bellows and then a non-Alpha-mount lens.

Exactly. Alpha-mount lenses are not very useful on a bellows anyway because they don't have aperture rings.

My solution is to use the macro equipment from the Minolta SR system. As an adapter to the Alpha mount, I am using one of those infamous MF-to-AF adapters that use a glass element (two elements actually) to maintain infinity focus and thus also act as a 1.25× tele converter. I permanently removed the glass from mine (which was poor quality anyway) and widened the diameter of the hole with a file; it now serves as a 9.5 mm extension tube with Minolta SR mount on the front end and Alpha mount on the rear end.

Of course, you may just as well use M42 equipment on an M42-to-Alpha adapter.

Dr. Harout wrote:I use a M42 screw-mount bellows [...] and the lens should be M42 mount if not reversed.

And you have quite a collection of M42 lenses, haven't you? Some of them even are really high-quality, I think. Anyway, at magnifications beyond 1×, you're hardly ever using 'normal' lenses mounted via their regular mount. Instead, you're using 'normal' lenses in reverse mount on a retro adapter or lens heads with RMS mount on an RMS adapter ('normal' in this context is supposed to mean, lens designed for long focus distances, not for macro use).

Dr. Harout wrote:In case of mounting the lens reversely, then you should try to find an adapter from M42 to the filter size mount on that specific lens ...

Exactly. These adapters are not hard to find. For example, Heliopan makes them; an E55-to-M42 retro ring currently is EUR 21.00. And you don't need one retro adapter for each filter size; instead you can use filter step-up or step-down rings. For regular use (i. e. to adapt filters), step-down rings often don't work well as they may cause vignetting. For macro use, you can step down seriously without being afraid of vignetting.

Dr. Harout wrote:And if it's an A-mount lens, then you should stick something in the rear of the lens in order to open the diaphragm ...

No. Just don't use Alpha-mount lenses in reversed mode, as simple as that. For use on a bellows in reversed mode you can buy cheap manual-focus lenses with aperture rings off eBay or at local swap-meets any day for just a few bucks ... the best are plain standard lenses, enlarger lenses, and moderate wide-angle lenses (the latter for really large magnifications beyond, say, 4×).

Dr. Harout wrote:Is there another decent way of doing it?

Errr ... you may try finding a Minolta AF Macro 3× - 1× lens ... but that's very rare, very sought-after, and very expensive.

Regards,
Olaf

The Novoflex Auto Macro Bellows BALMIN-AF is a fully coupled automatic bellows with electrical contacts and also a system of extending aperture control rods - quite an engineering feat. I have used one only on test, and did not buy it, as I felt the £250 asked was a bit steep.

More fool me, I guess - they now cost about $900.

David

01af wrote:

Dr. Harout wrote:AFAIK, there are no Alpha mount bellows ...

I am not aware of any ...

David Kilpatrick wrote:The Novoflex Auto Macro Bellows BALMIN-AF is a fully coupled automatic bellows with electrical contacts and also a system of extending aperture control rods - quite an engineering feat.

Oh yes, the Novoflex BALMIN-AF ... didn't think of that one. Here in Germany, it's EUR 519.00; it's available for Nikon F mount, Canon EF mount, Alpha mount, and Minolta SR mount (and maybe more but the "Brenner Foto-Zeitung" lists only those).

Anyway, I think it's an inane item. Sure, it does allow mounting Alpha lenses without adapters and maintains auto-aperture control ... but only when the lens gets mounted in normal mode. On a bellows, however, lenses usually must be mounted in reversed mode, and then the expensive Alpha mount with all those electrical contacts and auto-aperture transmission rods becomes just useless. So you may just as well use a simple fully manual bellows for SR bayonet or M42 screw mount (or whatever) with an adapter and save your pennies.

It would be nice to have the Alpha-mount equivalent of the Minolta Auto Bellows III, with a rotating front standard. However in order to be able to drive the aperture in normal as well as in reversed position it would need to have a little step motor built in ... that would be ridiculously expensive I'm afraid.

-- Olaf

Thanks Olaf and David.
I'm afraid I'll stick to what I have for the moment.
At least this topic became active

Dr. Harout wrote: Sometimes you really need beyond 1:1 magnification.

Ha. Remember when you said, Brian, I think you have "lens fever"

And now you want bellows H?

bonneville wrote: Ha. Remember when you said, Brian, I think you have "lens fever"

And now you want bellows H?

Well, you know how it is
I do have a bellows but a cheapo

Dr. Harout wrote: Sometimes you really need beyond 1:1 magnification.

You could try one approach which I have adopted and that is to use an old but good MC/MD standard lens, my old SRT101 50mm f1.7 standard comes in handy here, fitted face to face with a macro or macro-zoom.

One could glue the two together but my engineering background made me wince at this idea and instead used two Cokin filter rings and a specially designed, by myself, connecting manacle clamp (years of working with aircraft engine fuel and airframe hydraulic systems made such things familiar). As I no longer have access to machine tools a brother-in-law who does did the honours of manufacture.

Here is the set up on a Dynax 7 using a Minolta 100mm Macro D:



Depth of field is very restricted and light can be an issue. I have manufactured another adaptor to allow the fitting of the twin flash support ring of the Twin Flash 2400 system to hold the flash arms so that they can be directed closely on a subject.

It does take considerable patience to get the range and focus correct and if the subject is moving that adds a magnitude or two of difficulty.

Attached is an image of a very small bee on a Sedum flower-head that I sent up to the Photo Club Alpha gallery (the one no longer available) some time ago taken with an Alpha 100 the flower spikes are only about three millimeters long.

I have also had success with a second hand purchase of a Sigma 70-300mm 1:4-5:8 APO MACRO. I was about to pass this lens on again when I discovered how useful it was for this purpose.

Hmmm, thanks Omega892.
I'll try your method with my SAL50M28 along with a Super Takumar or an Industar.

I just miss and e-bay buy of on old MD bellows. I figured I could use and adapter sans element (it would just give a bit more extension) and all my old MD mount lenses.

I'll have to be a bit more vigilant bidding next time.

Dusty

Dusty that set up works well. try and find one with a focus rail though it makes things a lot easier.

This is mine. I've had it for a while (I put my SRT on it) for the pic. I use a 50mm normal MD prime and a 100MM macro (bellows lens) which is on the bellows in the pic. Another attachment that comes with these usually is a slide and negative adaptor. I've never tried it myself but I've seen the results and they are quite good.



This is a shot with the 50mm at full magnification. I'm guessing that it's around 4:1 . this stamen is only about 3mm and it looks to be about 80% of the frame height (16mm). (this is full uncropped or edited at all)

Hehe, nice one Javelin.