# Reversed lens macro



## goooner (Feb 10, 2017)

So I finally sold my Canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens, and got a reverse ring, and a couple of Kenko macro rings for my Nikon, so much cheaper than a dedicated Macro lens. 

My 50/1:1.4 lens is the only lens I own where I can manually set the aperture, so I reversed it and took this shot of a USB stick. No cropping. Is quite tricky, but I think I'm going to like this. Think this was at f11, ss 250 with an SB800 flash to add some light-hand held.


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## waday (Feb 10, 2017)

goooner said:


> My 50/1:1.4 lens is the only lens I own where I can manually set the aperture


I can't set the aperture manually on any of my lenses, but there's a trick to it. Set the aperture you want, press and hold the DOF preview button. With the aperture set using the DOF preview, turn off the camera. The aperture will stay. Take off the lens and reverse. Voila.  (This works with Canon, not sure on Nikon?)


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## goooner (Feb 10, 2017)

Cool, thanks for the tip. I did get a 67mm ring as well, for my 18-140...


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## petrochemist (Feb 10, 2017)

If you reverse your 50mm in front of the 18-140 you should have a very useful range of magnifications available. I suspect the wider end of the zoom will give you significant vignetting, but you might have a usable range from ~ 0.75x to nearly 3x...


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## Derrel (Feb 10, 2017)

waday said:


> goooner said:
> 
> 
> > My 50/1:1.4 lens is the only lens I own where I can manually set the aperture
> ...



yes, this trick does work with Canon lenses, but it does not work with Nikon G-series lenses (which are like Canon, in that they have no on-lens f/stop controller ring). The "hack" for Nikon is using tape or gum puckeys or something similar to manually "catch" t*he mechanical aperture actuator* and to one way or another, tape it open, or block it open, to the desired f/stop when a G-series or other type of F-mount lens is reversed.


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## 480sparky (Feb 10, 2017)

Derrel said:


> ....... The "hack" for Nikon is using tape or gum puckeys or something similar to manually "catch" t*he mechanical aperture actuator* and to one way or another, tape it open, or block it open, ...........



You don't need to adjust the aperture of a lens that's reversed-mounted onto another one.  It only needs to be held open.

Another 'hack' is to get a Nikon BR-6.


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## Derrel (Feb 10, 2017)

480sparky said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > ....... The "hack" for Nikon is using tape or gum puckeys or something similar to manually "catch" t*he mechanical aperture actuator* and to one way or another, tape it open, or block it open, ...........
> ...



Holding it open--that amounts to "adjusting" the aperture...otherwise it will be closed down to minimum aperture...ergo, "*holding it open*" amounts to the user's actions>>>adjusting the aperture.


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