85mm PC-E and extension tubes?

[Jorgen Udvang]

Even though I'm not considering the D850, it's always nice to stay informed about the consequences should I, against all odds, change my mind. Since I'm doing some product and macro photography that involves the use of movements, an 85mm PC-E (or the older 85mm PC) would be an interesting option.

However, the magnification of that lens is just 1:2, not always enough for my needs. Although I do have other lenses that would cater for that need (OM Zuiko macro lenses), it would be interesting to know how far the abilities of the Nikkor 85mm can be extended.

Does anybody here have experience using any of the two lenses with extension tubes or with bellows even?

 

[fotophil]

Tubes might work if no shifting or swinging was required - perhaps a good question for Nikon.

 

[f6cvalkyrie]

Jorgen, have you considered a Nikon PB-4 and just a standard macrolens ?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Jorgen, have you considered a Nikon PB-4 and just a standard macrolens ?

I have bought a PB-4 and an adapter to use OM lenses with it (the OM bellows don't swing or tilt), but I would like to have a tilt option for travel and field use, and if I could combine that with a lens for bellows/extension tubes... maybe I'm trying to kill to many flies with one swat here. Manual macro lenses aren't terribly expensive anyway.

 

[Jack]

IIRC, the 85 PC-E also accepts the teleconverters, so a 2x will get you to 1:1 while keeping the working distance

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

IIRC, the 85 PC-E also accepts the teleconverters, so a 2x will get you to 1:1 while keeping the working distance

Do you know if they will stop down the aperture according to the aperture ring when not connected to a Nikon camera?

 

[Vivek]

The older PC Nikkor 85/2.8 will stop down according to the aperture in the ring when the plunger (in the lens) is pressed. You can use dumb adapters as spacers to get higher mags as well.

 

[Jack]

Do you know if they will stop down the aperture according to the aperture ring when not connected to a Nikon camera?

Not positive on the "E" version, and I don't own it now so can't check for you. I DO remember using it on my Sony A7r with the Metabones adapter, but that adapter also had a manual stop-down ring.

 

[garybrook]

I have the older 85/2.8 PC, mainly used as a 1:2 macro lens, and have used it with the PN-11 with TC-14EII and TC20EIII converter combinations, with stop down metering. It has worked very well with my 12Mp bodies but I haven't challenged it with higher resolution sensors. I have a Contax bellows system with swing and shift adjustemnts but it can't separate the two functions, or it is even difficult to support on ball heads in vertical actions through the weight. It can be done but I've never attached the Nikon PC on the front of the Contax bellows as I don't have the adapter. The best combination on the bellow may be C/Y 60/2.8 AE, 100/2.8 MM Makro-Planar or 100/4 S-Planar but weight is still an issue. One of the lighter and more flexible macro-bellows was converted and shortened Nikon PB-4 with enlarger and microscope adapted lenses in John Shaw's Close-Ups in Nature book. If you want any combinations of what I have, or think I had, let me know and I'll try or borrow friends adapters.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I have the older 85/2.8 PC, mainly used as a 1:2 macro lens, and have used it with the PN-11 with TC-14EII and TC20EIII converter combinations, with stop down metering. It has worked very well with my 12Mp bodies but I haven't challenged it with higher resolution sensors. I have a Contax bellows system with swing and shift adjustemnts but it can't separate the two functions, or it is even difficult to support on ball heads in vertical actions through the weight. It can be done but I've never attached the Nikon PC on the front of the Contax bellows as I don't have the adapter. The best combination on the bellow may be C/Y 60/2.8 AE, 100/2.8 MM Makro-Planar or 100/4 S-Planar but weight is still an issue. One of the lighter and more flexible macro-bellows was converted and shortened Nikon PB-4 with enlarger and microscope adapted lenses in John Shaw's Close-Ups in Nature book. If you want any combinations of what I have, or think I had, let me know and I'll try or borrow friends adapters.

Thank you Gary. I have the PB-4 and I'm modifying an OM to F-mount adapter to use it with Zuiko bellows lenses. I also have a Mamiya 645 bellows with more movements (tilt, swing and shift on the front standard) that needs even more modifications to satisfy my needs. The 85mm PC would mainly be for location shoots and when I need a quick setup. It would also be interesting to adapt it to a micro 4/3 body, which needs a much smaller image circle. There are other tilt/shift solutions available for m4/3, but user experiences indicate strongly that none of them work very well.