Can a 105mm macro lens be used as a tube lens for a Nikon 10x infinity microscope objective?
Asked 4/26/2016
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I’d like to use a Nikon CFI Plan 10x infinity-corrected microscope objective for extreme macro. Can my Nikon 105mm f/2.8 macro lens serve as the tube lens, or are macro lenses a poor choice for this? I’m also wondering about likely issues such as vignetting, front-element position, and how using a 105mm lens would affect the final magnification compared with the objective’s rated 10x.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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Yes, you can use a Macro lens as long as you are able to attach the Nikon CFI Plan 10x microscope objective to the front filter threads and have it close to the front element.
If the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 macro has a recessed front element, it may not be possible to get good results.
There will be no vignetting with lenses that 100mm or more.
Source: Extreme Macro
An infinity objective is a model objective that is designed to be used in connection with another lens, a tube lens, also known as relay lens. For extreme macro, a tube lens can be a standard non macro telephoto lens: macro lenses tend to be optimised for nearby focus and can have quite far recessed front lenses. Zooms also work but use them at the long end. Dedicated tube lenses are also available.
When used this way, the Nikon CFI 10x objective will still cover an APSC-sized sensor, but the Mitutoyo will not. Both objectives cover APSC on a 135mm tube, and give 6.75:1. You don't want to go under 100mm for a tube lens as this may give vignetting in the corners.
Originally by user39427. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user39427
10y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — a 105mm macro lens can work as a tube lens if you can mount the microscope objective close to the lens’s front element and keep the camera lens focused at infinity.
A few caveats:
- Macro lenses are not ideal tube lenses because they’re optimized for close focus, and some have recessed front elements that can hurt performance or make mounting difficult.
- A 105mm tube lens will not give the objective’s full rated 10x magnification. Nikon’s 10x infinity objectives are typically specified for a 200mm tube lens, so with 105mm you’d get about 105/20 ≈ 5.25x effective magnification.
- Vignetting is possible. Some users report lenses around 100mm or longer can work reasonably well, but results depend on the exact lens/objective combination.
So: it’s worth trying if you already own the 105mm, but for a dedicated long-term setup, a standard non-macro telephoto or a proper 200mm tube lens is usually a better choice.
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