Questions on Mirror Up and Teleconverters

[wasabi8888]

Hi experts

2 questions to ask

1. My D3 has a Mirror up function which is said to be used for macro photography. Can someone explain how this works?

2. I was thinking of buying a 1.4 TC. The minimum focusing distance for my Tamron 180mm is 47cm. Does that mean that a 1.4 TC on a full frame camera fitted with a 180mm lens will make the image bigger by 40% when shot 47cm from the subject or I can stand 40cm further away from the subject and get the same size image compared to shooting 47 cm away without the TC or both?

[Ibn]

1. Use a cord or the wireless remote with mirror up. Requires 3 steps/press. First press lifts the mirror up. Second press, begins the exposure/opens the shutter. Third press closes the shutter. Mirror lock up is used for macro photography most of the time.

2. Teleconverters adds distance to your lenses. It'll take that 180mm lens and convert it to a 252mm lens at the cost of one stop of light. Your minimum focusing distance remains the same. Not sure where you derived the 40cm from.

[luenny]

Ehh, I thought mirror up requires 2 presses only. 1st to lift the mirror and 2nd to open the shutter and as the shutter closes after the timeout the mirror automatically closes as well? At least that's how it works on my D200. Unless you're using bulb - which I haven't tried.

TC adds distance to your lenses. I've got a 2x TC which you can try next time we go shoot. That'll make your 180mm a 360mm. And with D3 2 stops is nothing since you can just pump your ISO higher.

[wasabi8888]

1. Use a cord or the wireless remote with mirror up. Requires 3 steps/press. First press lifts the mirror up. Second press, begins the exposure/opens the shutter. Third press closes the shutter. Mirror lock up is used for macro photography most of the time.

2. Teleconverters adds distance to your lenses. It'll take that 180mm lens and convert it to a 252mm lens at the cost of one stop of light. Your minimum focusing distance remains the same. Not sure where you derived the 40cm from.

Ehh, I thought mirror up requires 2 presses only. 1st to lift the mirror and 2nd to open the shutter and as the shutter closes after the timeout the mirror automatically closes as well? At least that's how it works on my D200. Unless you're using bulb - which I haven't tried.

TC adds distance to your lenses. I've got a 2x TC which you can try next time we go shoot. That'll make your 180mm a 360mm. And with D3 2 stops is nothing since you can just pump your ISO higher.

so in other words, assuming distance from lens to subject is the same, if I shoot with 1.4 TC, the image will be bigger compared to a shoot without the TC?

The reason why I am asking is some butts are really small, about 1cm in height, and I want to get it bigger in my image so that I want to stay away from cropping.

[hwchoy]

1. Use a cord or the wireless remote with mirror up. Requires 3 steps/press. First press lifts the mirror up. Second press, begins the exposure/opens the shutter. Third press closes the shutter. Mirror lock up is used for macro photography most of the time.

mirror up simply refers to the step that lifts the mirror before shutter release is triggered manually. it reduces vibration of the camera due to mirror slap.

what Ibn described is actually bulb mode. you can also have the shutter close automatically after trigger via the exposure program.

[benetay]

I've not come across butt shooting with mirror up or using the long exposure mode. Normally it's done with tripod with a wired shutter release. Use that for long exposure 3-4hours to get results like star trails.

Star trails are really beautiful properly taken.

Jeff, if you want a bigger magnification of the butterflies, have you considered the MP-E5 which allows you to X 5 the size of subject. It's only available for Canon cameras.

Yes 180mm x 2 is 360mm So imagine if you're standing 90cm from the butt , the normal 180mm might allow you to get that(-------) size on your cmos sensor but slap on the x2 or x1.4 you are able to reach further at the same standing point. Meaning when you see through your viewfinder, the butt looks bigger(----------------). <= we have been complaining about reach.

Experts is this the correct analogy?

My 2 cts worth on understanding.

IBN: the minimum focusing distance of the 180mm tamron is 47cm from the specifications.

[benny]

47 cm should be from the subject to the CMOS. Actual distance from subject to front glass element should be around 10 cm or slightly less if I recall correctly.

Cheers,

[Simon]

Jeff, even the smallest butterfly can still fill up 30&#37; of the frame.

MPE-65 is one of the most difficult lens to use and you need a focusing rail setup to make your life easy. I know 4/5 nikon butterfly photographers who got themselves a canon because of the MPE-65, so not impossible for jeff

[benny]

Yeah. It's true jeff. You need the Canon MP-E 65 mm for real magnification. There is no real alternative for that lens except for some obsolete gear previously offered on the FD mount.

Cheers,

[Simon]

show Jeff your bellow setup

[benetay]

Jeff why don't you switch over to Canon to satisfy your needs once and for all. It has almost everything that you can think of.

Oh okay so it's CMOS to subject.

Tamron wins Canon focusing distance by 1cm at 47cm.

Does the number of blades matters? Tamron got a weird 7 blades configuration.

[luenny]

Wah you guys are getting more and more poisonous every moment. But seriously speaking since the MPE-65 is so hard to use is it of any real pratical usage in the field - non-studio setup? Any of the butt shooters actually use MPE-65 to shoot?

[Simon]

Luenny, not in the field but at home. They use the lens for the life cycle process for a particular species

[benetay]

So that also can mean, butt shooters can also shoot indoor, anytime, any day, anywhere.

[luenny]

I see. I thought it would be too cumbersome to bring out but who knows some people are just extreme.

[benny]

I use it to shoot fish too! Not too bad.

Cheers,

[hwchoy]

Yes 180mm x 2 is 360mm So imagine if you're standing 90cm from the butt , the normal 180mm might allow you to get that(-------) size on your cmos sensor but slap on the x2 or x1.4 you are able to reach further at the same standing point. Meaning when you see through your viewfinder, the butt looks bigger(----------------). <= we have been complaining about reach.

I think the correct "analogy" is simply that the TC has converted the focal length of the stock lens from 180mm to 360mm (towards the tele-end, hence it is call a tele-converter).

a longer lens produces a larger magnification vs a shorter lens, AT THE SAME FOCUSING DISTANCE. so since you are still focusing at 47cm, you will get a larger magnified image. However I am not sure if you get twice the magnification, I doubt.

[benetay]

Yes Choy, thats what i'm trying to say , the butterfly look bigger meaning larger magnified image.

and same standing point means same focusing distance.

Shame on my English.

[hwchoy]

yes I just want to be more precise.

[Ibn]

Thanks for the correction. That is indeed the bulb mode/manual shooting that I use.