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geek-and-nerd-are-not-the-same · 5 years ago

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This looked interesting so would like to share with others too. Here’s what’s available on the link. (Please go to the actual site to see the shots that come from the photographer’s homemade lenses!) “I probably should have called this "Confessions of an Obsessive Lens Maker," because I must admit that I've been more than preoccupied by making lenses. At some point soon I need to actually spend time taking photos. I have no formal training in optics and am far from an expert. However, I thought I'd produce this brain-dump in case it's any use to others who may be starting down the lens-making path. Why make lenses? My real reason is that I love to experiment and I love the challenge, but there's also a practical reason: I want to experiment with certain optical effects that are difficult or extremely expensive to do with commercial lenses: spherical aberration that causes the glow of monocle lenses; non-circular apertures (and I don't mean little hearts) to produce extreme bokeh effects; and my biggest goal, tilt-shift to swing the plane of focus for selective focus and DOF effects. First lens: single element, fixed aperture, fixed focus. Any lens that focuses light (a double convex, plano convex, or positive meniscus) and has a focal length that is at least as long as the flange-to-focal-plane distance for your camera (46.5 mm for my Nikon) can be used as a camera lens. Magnifying glasses, lenses from binoculars, reading glasses, are all potential camera lenses. I got most of my lenses from SurplusShed ( www.surplusshed.com/ ), where lenses typically cost $4.00 to $10.00. Since I wanted to play with a lens with a very fast focal ratio, I ordered a positive meniscus with an advertised focal length of 65 mm and a diameter of 47 mm (price: $6). This should theoretically produce a fast focal ratio of 65/47 or about f/ 1.4. As it turned out, SurplusShed's measurement of the focal length was a bit off. The actual focal length of this lens turned out to be about 45 mm. Interestingly, at a diameter of 47 mm, this lens exactly fits in my Nikon lens mount without falling into the camera. Even so, with a 45 mm focal length, it would not focus to infinity. The maximum focus distance was about 10 feet. On the plus side, a 45 mm focal length meant that this lens was theoretically faster than f/ 1.0. And so, I decided to call this lens the antipinhole. the antipinhole First results: optical aberrations. As I stated, with the lens resting in the lens mount, the focus was fixed at about 10 feet. The images were about a half a stop brighter than my Nikkor 50 mm at f/ 1.4 so I don't think I quite achieved f/ 1.0 but it was measurably faster than f/ 1.4. But the big surprise was low contrast and very large halos around any bright objects. And unlike what you might expect from a lens at about f/ 1.2, there is no thin plane of focus that snaps in. Instead, there seems to be a very broad area from about 7 feet to 14 feet that has nearly the same degree of focus. Of course, the low contrast, halos, and soft focus can all be put to good use as long as you are not looking for the crisp images produced by commercial lenses. home All of the distortions I mentioned above can be largely explained by the spherical aberration in this lens. Parallel rays of light passing through the lens near the center come to focus as expected at the focal length. However, light rays passing through the lens toward the edge focus at a different distance. spherical aberration in the antipinhole This can also be seen in the following photo. The center of the lens magnifies as expected, but notice what happens as you move outward. The field become increasingly blurry and lines that should be parallel are not even close (indicating pincushion distortion). aberrations Spherical aberration is the largest cause of distortion on this lens but it is not the only cause. Color fringing (noticeable as blue and/or red fringes at high contrast transitions between black and white) from chromatic aberration is also present, and is caused by the fact that for a lens like this the focal length for short wavelengths (blue) is different than for long wavelengths (red). Next lens: Using an achromat to address chromatic aberration. Chromatic aberration can be significantly reduced by using achromatic lenses, which are made by combining a convex lens made of crown glass with a concave lens made of flint glass. Fortunately, inexpensive achromats are readily available. In searching for a large diameter achromat with a focal length between 70 and 90 mm (to give me some buffer beyond the 46.5 mm flange-to-focal-plane distance so that I could insure infinity focus), I found one at (you guessed it) Surplus Shed with a focal length of 75 mm and a diameter of 53.5. This time the specs were correct as advertised. Once again, spherical aberration resulted in soft, "glowing" images when the lens was used wide open (f/ 1.5). wide open As the lens was stopped down, the glow was reduced. Here's a shot at f/ 10. closed Mechanics: connection to the camera; adjustable focus; adjustable aperture. The mechanics, or plumbing, involved in making lenses tuned out to be every bit as challenging as the optics. Rather than attaching all my lens components together permanently, I opted for a reusable, interchangeable-parts approach. Fortunately, I already had a set of Nikon K rings. One side of the K2 ring mounts to the camera and the other side has a thread that fits 52 mm filters. This 52 mm thread is a convenient standard to use for quickly connecting multiple lenses, spacers, focusers, and diaphragms into a working lens (and then disassembling it for the next experiment). Here is my 75 mm lens along with some aperture rings. Note that the achromat was friction mounted (thanks to a layer of masking tape) to three 58 mm rings that were recycled from some junk filters. A 52 to 58 mm step up ring allows this lens to fit my 52 mm standard. (By the way, I've found two good sources for step-up/step-down rings and cheap filters to make lens mounts: CameraGear.com and KEH.com) homemade 75 mm lens and paper diaphragms Macro: easy for the DIY lens maker. Macro photography is one area where cheap homemade lenses can compete with expensive commercial ones. Generally, for macro photography, you don’t need or want fast lenses. I find I usually use f/ 16 or higher. Even a simple achromat stopped down to f/ 16 can be pretty sharp. Also, adjustable focus, though certainly nice to have, is not a necessity. Precise focus can be attained by adjusting the distance between the camera and the subject. Finally, extreme close up is not a problem. If you want to get closer, just add another spacer or extension tube. The same 75 mm achromat that produced such soft images wide open, produced this shot at f/ 32. Telephoto: also within reach. You may not be able to make a well-corrected 300 mm f/ 2.8 lens, but a decent telephoto lens in the 150 – 300 mm range is quite doable as long as you don't mind staying above f/ 8. Of course, if you consider aberration a "feature" rather than a defect, then single element lenses as fast as f/ 4 are no problem. Telephoto lenses absolutely need some kind of focuser, and an adjustable diaphragm is certainly a nice feature. Fortunately, building a simple lens with a focal length over 150 mm gives you lots of room between the lens and the mount for these items. I "recycled" a helical focuser from an old junk lens, and found an old iris diaphragm for $3 at a local surplus shop. I attached rings from junk filters to both of these so I could use them in my interchangeable system. I attached these items to a 191 mm achromat ($9 from SurplusShed) and I had a working lens. homemade 191 mm lens And the results of a quick lens test. lens test Time for multiple element lenses. As much as I was enjoying my simple lenses, I wanted more. My next goal was a fast lens (f/ 2 or better) with a focal length of less than 100 mm, complete with a focuser and variable aperture. Such a lens could be used as the basis for a tilt-shift lens. It was time to investigate multi-element lenses. Starting with two positive lenses (double convex, plano convex, positive meniscus, or positive achromat), what focal length results from the combination? For example, what happens when two lenses with focal lengths of 60 mm are combined? The resulting combination has a focal length of approximately 30 mm or half the focal length of one lens. combining two positive lenses The general formula to compute the effective focal length of two lenses is: F = (f1 x f2) / (f1 + f2 - d) Another critical factor for DIY lens makers is the distance from the second lens to the focal plane. This is called the back focal length (BFL). If the BFL is too small, there won't be enough room for the diaphragm, focuser and flange-to-focal-plane distance. On the other hand, if the BFL is too large, the lens may be unmanageably long. The BFL is computed via: BFL = (f2 x (d - f1)) / (d - (f1 + f2)) A camera lens made from two positive lenses doesn't really give us a great advantage over a camera lens made from one positive lens. However, there is one small advantage: The space in between the lenses is a convenient place to put the diaphragm. If you work your calculations carefully, you can save a few precious mm of back focus distance. (By the way, some early lens designs such as the Rapid Rectilinear and the Orthoscopic Doublet were made from two positive achromats with a diaphragm in between.) Adding negative lens elements. The truly interesting thing about the equations above is that the values of f1 and f2 do not need to be positive. Combining a negative lens (double concave, plano concave, negative meniscus, or negative achromat) with a positive lens produces a combination with the focal length greater than the positive lens alone. For example: combining a 100 mm positive lens with a –120 mm negative lens with a distance between them of 60 mm produces: F = (100 x –120) / (100 + -120 – 60) F = 150 mm Note that the order of the lenses does not matter in determining the combined focal length. However, it gets much more interesting when we calculate the BFL. In this case the order matters a great deal. BFL (100, -120) = (-120 x (60 – 100)) / (60 – (100 + -120)) BFL (100, -120) = 60 mm BFL (-120, 100) = (100 x (60 – -120)) / (60 – (-120 + 100)) BFL (-120, 100) = 225 mm Hello! So either way we order the lenses we get a focal length of 150 mm, but if we put the positive lens first we get a back focus distance of 60 mm, and if we put the negative lens first we get a back focus distance of 225 mm. This could be quite handy. In fact the first case (positive then negative) is key to making telephoto lenses that are not unmanageably long, and the second case (negative then positive) is key to making short focal length lenses fit the flange-to-focal-plane distance. Armed with this information, it's time to play. With a goal of producing a lens of intermediate focal length (around 100 mm) with a BFL sufficient for a focuser and/or some tilt-shift device, I pieced together a three lens combination based on parts I had on hand. In this case, that meant a negative achromat (-500 mm), a positive achromat (191 mm), an iris diaphragm recycled from a very old Ilex #4 Syncro shutter, and another positive achromat (165 mm). I think Rube Goldberg would be proud. homemade 6-element, 3-group lens Shorter focal length lenses would have gotten me closer to my goal, however this combination tested out at about 135 mm. The diaphragm allowing me to go from about f/ 2 to f/ 20. The real fun was about to begin because this combination gave me enough room for a tilt-shift "bag" MacGyvered together from black felt, a body cap, a lens back-cap, hot glue and binder clips. It isn't pretty. homemade lens with tilt-shift bag Now the next challenge: shooting with it. I have a long way to go to master the use of the tilt-shift lens. The effect I am most interested in is the lens tilt that swings the plane of focus so it is no longer parallel to the front of the lens. One obvious result is the ability to take a scene with a number of objects all at equal distance from the camera and, by tilting the lens, place the focus on only one of them. This first test shot was my attempt to do just that. tilt test Another tilt effect that I hope to master is the ability to swing the plane of focus such that objects at different distances are sharp. In this shot, the focal plane intersects with a diagonal slice of the table with all other areas out of focus. apple with a twist Next steps: Metering, Autofocus, and Vibration Reduction. Well, maybe I'll leave these for another day.”

#Photography #how to #tutorial

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slrlounge1 · 6 years ago

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6 Must-Have Lenses For Wedding Photography (2019 Update)

Wedding photography is unique in that it encompasses several genres of photography: fashion, portrait, architectural, product, macro, family, and sometimes even travel photography. Few genres demand more from photographers and their gear.

In order to deliver a complete wedding photography product, you’re going to need lenses that allow you to capture each of these aspects with artistry and creativity. In a perfect world, we’d have the finances and manpower to haul every available lens to the venue; in reality, we’re limited to a handful of lenses, each of which needs to be accessible, high-quality, and versatile.

Here is a subjective list of 6 must-have lenses for any given wedding.

ACCESS TO INDUSTRY-LEADING EDUCATION

Let us guide you in your photography journey with the best photography education and resources. Browse our complete, comprehensive solutions below and take the next step in your photography. BROWSE WORKSHOPS

[Check Out: Free Engagement Photography Guide]

1. 70-200mm

This is my favorite lens. It creates a beautiful bokeh (blur) at f/2.8, and the compression you get when you’re zoomed in from 150-200mm gives your image a look that’s hard to achieve with any other lens. It also allows you to get in close to the action without disrupting the moment.

The 70-200mm also allows you to capture candids, from the tears at a wedding ceremony to the laughs at a wedding reception.

Brand Options

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM Lens for Canon EF

Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens for Canon EF

2. 50mm

This is another one of my favorite lenses. The 50mm focal length is great for portraits, and it can save the day when the light starts to drop; the wider aperture allows you to depend less on your flash and it creates a softer, more natural look for your subjects.

The 50mm also allows you to create stunning portraits, as the low aperture creates the shallow depth of field that softens your subjects’ skin and makes them pop off the page.

[Related: Canon RF 50mm F1.2L Lens | Hands-On Review]

Brand Options

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens

Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA Lens

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

3. 24-70mm

The versatility of the 24-70mm zoom lens is critical for smaller spaces. For example, a tea ceremony in a Chinese wedding is commonly held in a living room. The 70-200mm would be too compressed for this situation, and the 50mm would not provide enough versatility, as you typically don’t have much room for movement.

Brand Options

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

Tamron SP 24.-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens for Canon EF

4. 100mm Macro

If your bride and groom are spending thousands of dollars on the details of a wedding, they are sure to appreciate you capturing the event in detail. With the 100mm Macro, you can capture detailed shots with the same quality and detail as product advertisements in magazines. Add your touch of lighting and creativity, and you get ring shots like the one below.

Be sure to check out Wedding Workshop 6 | Photographing The Details for an in-depth overview of how to capture details that get shared and published.

[Free Tutorial: How To Shoot Killer Wedding Details ]

Brand Options

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens

Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens

Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens for Canon EOS

Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD Lens for Canon EF

5. 16-35mm

Sometimes the 24-70mm lens just isn’t wide enough to capture everything you want. The ultra wide angle helps you capture the environment. Venue and landscape shots also provide a great addition to your wedding day coverage, as they set the scene for the day and allow you to take full advantage of the scenery, especially at beautiful venues.

Brand Options

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Lens

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

6. 85mm

When this article was first published in 2009, the 85mm f/1.2 was in our honorable mention category, but we’ve since fallen in love with this focal length. The 85mm lens is a true portrait lens that doesn’t distort the image the way that some wider-angle lenses do (such as the 24mm or 35mm), especially along the edges of the frame. This lens also offers great compression and background bokeh at wider apertures.

Brand Options

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G Lens

Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens for Canon EF

The original article also included the 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens which we no longer use. Funny how quickly trends can change!

What do you think? What are your must-have lenses?

If you haven’t done so already, check out our Lens Wars series, the ultimate visual guide to real world differences between a whole host of Canon professional zoom lenses and primes. In total, we tested 25 Canon lenses valued at over $40,000 dollars starting from 17mm to 300mm focal length.

CREDITS: All photographs by Lin and Jirsa Photography are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

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slrlounge1 · 6 years ago

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6 Must-Have Lenses For Wedding Photography (2019 Update)

Here is a subjective list of 6 must-have lenses for any given wedding.

ACCESS TO INDUSTRY-LEADING EDUCATION

[Check Out: Free Engagement Photography Guide]

1. 70-200mm

The 70-200mm also allows you to capture candids, from the tears at a wedding ceremony to the laughs at a wedding reception.

Brand Options

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM Lens for Canon EF

Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens for Canon EF

2. 50mm

The 50mm also allows you to create stunning portraits, as the low aperture creates the shallow depth of field that softens your subjects’ skin and makes them pop off the page.

[Related: Canon RF 50mm F1.2L Lens | Hands-On Review]

Brand Options

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens

Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA Lens

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

3. 24-70mm

Brand Options

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

Tamron SP 24.-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens for Canon EF

4. 100mm Macro

Be sure to check out Wedding Workshop 6 | Photographing The Details for an in-depth overview of how to capture details that get shared and published.

[Free Tutorial: How To Shoot Killer Wedding Details ]

Brand Options

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens

Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens

Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens for Canon EOS

Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD Lens for Canon EF

5. 16-35mm

Brand Options

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Lens

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

6. 85mm

Brand Options

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G Lens

Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF

Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens for Canon EF

The original article also included the 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens which we no longer use. Funny how quickly trends can change!

What do you think? What are your must-have lenses?

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slrlounge1 · 7 years ago

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10 Christmas Photography Ideas and Tips (Updated)

Photography and Christmas seem to go hand in hand. With all of your family and friends together, you have a chance to create imagery that will be shared online, physically printed out, mailed across the globe and cherished for generations with the power of digital imaging. So, here are 10 Christmas Photography Tips to make sure those photos turn out great.

1) bump your ISO

Find the right ambient-to-flash balance, even if that means bumping the ISO to 1600, 3200 and even 6400 depending on your camera body. On full frame professional cameras, like the Canon 5D Mark IV, Nikon D850, or Sony A9, don’t be afraid to go up to 6400. On entry level cameras like the Canon Rebel or Sony a6500, keep your ISOs at 1600 and below to avoid too much image degradation. The images below were taken at ISO 3200 on Canon 5D Mark IV.

2) Use Lower Apertures

Create beautiful bokeh in your Christmas background lights by dropping your apertures. The image below is shot on a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon 50mm F1.2 Lens at F2.0. Of course, you have to be very accurate with your focus at such shallow depth of fields, but if you can get your subjects sharp, the low apertures will really make your images pop and bring out those beautiful background Christmas lights. If your lens is capable, try staying at f2.8 or below.

3) Use Natural Light (avoid flash)

If you’re looking to create natural, warm and moody images, make sure you turn off your flash for some (if not most) of your photos. This allows the ambient light of the Christmas lights or fireplace to show up in your images and allows parts of the scene to fall off into shadow.

Image Courtesy of Darryl Wong Photography.

4) Use Christmas Props

For Christmas portraits, consider including fun Christmas props like Santa hats and cute holiday outfits. It’s tempting to lounge around in pajamas all day, but a little bit of extra planning will go a very long way. The following image is from a Bokeh Overlay tutorial by Tanya Smith.

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5) Get Close

Putting the subject of your photo closer to the camera can help increase the amount of blur in the out-of-focus parts of the image, which works great for small details like Christmas ornaments. Be sure to keep your apertures low and consider using a macro lens to get in even closer while still being able to focus. Again, consider turning off your flash to maintain the natural, moody feel.

Image Courtesy of Darryl Wong Photography.

6) Use Fun and Silly Poses

The Holiday season is a time of fun and cheer. Be sure to step away from those classic smile-into-the-camera poses and get silly. As the photographer, whether you’re hired professionally to capture a holiday event or you’re simply photographing your family, it’s your job to get great reactions, smiles, and poses from your subjects.

7) Consider a Photobooth

Photobooths are getting easier and easier to set up. There are free Photobooth apps on your iPad as well as a variety of simple, inexpensive Photobooth Software. For large holiday parties, these are a great addition to the festivities; and they even work well for small family gatherings.

8) Stay Active and Ready for Great Reactions

Stay ready and actively anticipate smiles and laughs. Keep your camera up as your family and friends open their gifts and snap away at the reactions. Some of your best shots from Christmas will be the non-posed, in-the-moment images.

9) Consider Creating a GIF

GIFs are great for showing a series of events in a sequence. Combining images from these moments can result in hilarious GIFs that your family will love. See the example below from our recent Lin and Jirsa Holiday Party.

10) Consider Creating a Collage

Rather than posting 10 individual photos, consider creating a collage. In our world of social media, it’s easier to Instagram, Facebook, and Tweet one picture that sums up the party than to clutter up newsfeeds and timelines with multiple images.

11) Use Advanced Techniques like Long Exposures and Composites

To create beautiful starry effects in the Christmas lights, consider using small apertures and long exposures. This conflicts with our first tip of dropping down your aperture, but this tip is used to create an entirely different look. With small apertures, you’re utilizing diffraction to create start bursts. If you’re including people or other moving subjects in your photo, consider merging multiple images in a composite. See this Christmas Composite Tutorial Here.

Christmas Photo Tips Conclusion

The most important rule for Christmas photos is to have fun. It’s a wonderful time to play with the bokeh of Christmas lights and utilize elaborate, festive sets. It’s also a great time to get meaningful family photos, as it seems harder and harder to get all of our loved ones in one place at one time. Be sure to take advantage of this wonderful time of year and please share your results with us below in the comments or over on our Facebook Page.

Please let us know what other tips you might have in the comments below.

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