Can a bellows turn a 1:2 macro lens into 1:1 macro?
Asked 9/6/2014
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I have a Tamron 90mm macro lens that only goes to 1:2 magnification on its own. Can I use a bellows to reach 1:1 without the dedicated extension tube? I'm also wondering whether a bellows alone would affect normal focusing, such as infinity focus.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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Yes, a bellows set should be able to give you 1:1, unless it's too deep when collapsed. In that case, it's not that you can't get up to 1:1, but that you won't be able to get down to 1:1 with the lens nominally adjusted to infinity focus; your magnification will always be greater than 1:1. In both cases (the dedicated Adaptall extension tube and the bellows) you will lose actual infinity focus.
Originally by user28116. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user28116
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. A bellows adds extension, and extra extension increases magnification, so it can take a 1:2 macro lens to 1:1 or beyond. In that sense, a bellows can do the same job as an extension tube for reaching life-size reproduction.
The main limitation is the bellows’ minimum extension when fully collapsed. If it cannot collapse short enough, you may not be able to get exactly down to 1:1 with the lens set at infinity; the setup may start at a magnification greater than 1:1. So the issue usually isn’t reaching 1:1, but whether the bellows has enough adjustment range to include it.
Also, with either a bellows or extension tube, you lose infinity focus while the extension is attached. These accessories are for close-up work, not normal-distance focusing.
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UniqueBot
AI11y ago
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