nex5n macro (still and video) example

[stargost]

Hi all lucky nex5n owners!
Does any one has some good example of macro shots (still but also video) taken with the 18-55 + the nauticam 67mm adapter and the inon UCL-165 CU lens ?

I tried the camera at the shop and it doesnt seem to focus so well when close, but the conditions were not great and didnt spend enough time understanding the settings.
Getting the 30mm lens is extra cost, less flexibility and i'm not sure it's that much faster.

thanks a lot

 

[Mark Derail]

I have one, and the included lens isn't the best for macro, when the subject moves around. Practiced with my fish in my aquarium.

Focus is better when using the touchscreen to 'focus' the camera on a particular area, that when moves, the focus follows. Impossible for UW use.

I have a 30mm on order since mid-December 2011, it's BO'ed by Sony, my retailer (biggest in Montreal) contacted Sony and asked for a date. None given.

The 30mm is one F-stop faster than the included lens.

 

[bfowles]

I have a lot of still shots using the 18-55mm and an inon UCL-165 lens have a look at all the small critters in my Lembeh 2011 - a set on Flickr
I tried some video but I had trouble with the camera keeping the subject in focus (especially on night dives where all the worms are attracted to your lights). The UCL-165 is fairly high quality but there will be some CA and edge sharpness issues. The edge sharpness will not be too much of an issue with really small critters as you will probably want to crop the image anyway and the CA can be removed in lightroom or photoshop.
I just purchased the reefnet subsee +10 diopter so hopefully I can try that out this weekend.

 

[bvanant]

A dime shown below is about 19 mm in diameter. The sony nex-5 sensor is 23.5 x 16.5 mm so the dime at 1:1 should take about 80% of the horizontal dimension. With the kit lens at 55 mm focal length this is about as big as you can get and still get focus lock.


The max magnification of the kit lens is stated at 0.3 x and that is about right for this pix. If I add the Dyron +7 lens to the front of the port (67 mm screw in) you can get to here.

If you measure this you see that the dime is about 52% of the horizontal dimension of the pic suggesting that the total magnification is about 0.65 or twice the standard lens. Not bad (but tough to light).
More on the 30 macro when I can figure out where it is hiding.
Bill

 

[stargost]

Thanks Bill. Looks like really a decent compromise. However, wouldnt the focus distance degrade underwater then (I assumed your picture are dry!)

As I'm trying to catch two fishes at once here, would it be fair that you can achieve the same focus distance for video (assuming you get the object centered) ?
I'm really trying to find some good example of nex5n video for macro and havent found anything yet - only not too encouraging comments like bfowles above.

A dime shown below is about 19 mm in diameter. The sony nex-5 sensor is 23.5 x 16.5 mm so the dime at 1:1 should take about 80% of the horizontal dimension. With the kit lens at 55 mm focal length this is about as big as you can get and still get focus lock.
View attachment 115944

The max magnification of the kit lens is stated at 0.3 x and that is about right for this pix. If I add the Dyron +7 lens to the front of the port (67 mm screw in) you can get to here.
View attachment 115946
If you measure this you see that the dime is about 52% of the horizontal dimension of the pic suggesting that the total magnification is about 0.65 or twice the standard lens. Not bad (but tough to light).
More on the 30 macro when I can figure out where it is hiding.
Bill

 

[bvanant]

The 55 without the add on lens focuses at like 8 inches, while with the lens it focuses at about 4 inches. If you want to shoot macro video with autofocus (check out our website) get a video camera. Wide angle video with still cameras is quite good. Macro and super macro not so much; it will get better but now it is compose, focus, shoot, then recompose, refocus and reshoot. Auto focus on macro subjects with pretty much any slr type camera is still not near as good as with a video camera.
Bill

 

[bfowles]

I took some three shots with my 18-55mm with different diopter configurations.

1) No diopter


2) Subsee +10


3) Subsee +10 with inon 165 stacked (approx +17 on land +16 underwater)


With the diopters on the focus distance was around an inch from the tape measure.

Byron

 

[stargost]

Well, this is indeed the debate: nex5n vs canon hfg10 with bluefin. Different rigs. You are lucky to have both ! I'll have to proceed in steps ;-)
I am/was still hoping that the nex5n was getting close enough on video - no need nor expectation to do any pro stuff, but we like to get some good still and video, without the bulks that both a full dslr rig or the bluefin would be.
Conclusion is still pending. The comments and pictures here have been very helpful.

Thanks !

The 55 without the add on lens focuses at like 8 inches, while with the lens it focuses at about 4 inches. If you want to shoot macro video with autofocus (check out our website) get a video camera. Wide angle video with still cameras is quite good. Macro and super macro not so much; it will get better but now it is compose, focus, shoot, then recompose, refocus and reshoot. Auto focus on macro subjects with pretty much any slr type camera is still not near as good as with a video camera.
Bill

 

[bvanant]

If you have tried the Bluefin taking still shots, I think the conclusion is that the stills from the Bluefin are better as stills than the macro video (not wide angle ) from the 5N is as video (if that makes sense). There are of course two of us, and my wife's video is better than my stills but that is not a camera issue but rather the guy holding the camera
Bill

 

[alien]

Byron
What do you think of the Subsee +10 is it easy enough to use/ Did you buy the adapter or just the straight diopter to screw on to the port?