Turning a 105mm to a 60mm (ish) macro lens

[Fezant Pluckah]

A friend of mine told me that by adding a +2 diopter lens to my 105mm macro I can turn it into an (almost) 60mm macro lens. Can anyone confirm this, as if it is true it means I can take one less lens with me on my holidays...

Thanks in advance.

[Fezant Pluckah]

Bump.

Anyone...?

[Triumph Coupe]

+2 diopter has a focal length of 1/1000 (500mm) if that is any help to you.

I'm not sure why you'd want to do this? Just seems like a way to reduce image quality to me by sticking an optically poor (comparatively) dioptre lens infront of your nice prime lens...

[Fezant Pluckah]

No, it means nothing to me

Basically I want to try an reduce the amount of clobber I take with me when I go away, and if I can take 1 lens instead of 2 I will. But if adding a +2 diopter to a 105 reduces the quality of the image, then I won't bother.

[Triumph Coupe]

Diopters are generally much poorer quality than a dedicated macro. They are generally used for people who don't have a macro lens to be able to focus on tings closer than the working distance of your lens but if you aleady have a macro then you can focus on things inches from the lens. If you use a +2 diopter you can only focus on things 500mm away.

I have never stuck a diopter on a macro lens. I don't really know why anyone would want to.

Why would you need to take a 60mm and a 105mm macro with you on your outing? Just take the 105 and stand a bit further away from your sebject. You will get a slight change in perspective but I would not see this as adequate reason to take 2 macro lenses out with me...

I'm keen to hear other peoples opinions though.

[_dobbo_]

Why take a 65mm and 105mm macro anyway?

I'd say one macro lens is enough, and the focal length between the two isn't sufficiently different to warrant taking both, in my opinion.

[Fezant Pluckah]

I use them for underwater photography. Problem with the 105 I have is when it is stick on my D70 it turns into a c. 160-180 macro (or whatever it becomes) and it just becomes to close up and personal for taking the images I sometimes want to take. I cannot move back from the subject as this puts water and particulates between the camera and the subject, and I need to be as close as possible.

I was really considering things from a weight point of view (dive gear, camera, lenses, housing, stobes, ports etc) comes to 40-45kg. IF I could have somehow reduced a bit of weight by NOT taking a lens with me, I would have liked to have done so. I was told by a friend that adding a +2 diopter to a 105 macro turns it into roughly a 60 macro.

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 23 July 12:09

[Simpo Two]

In that case I'd sell the 105mm and get a 60mm. Are you Nikon? I have the 60mm and might be interested in a p/ex.

[Fezant Pluckah]

YHM Simpo

[_dobbo_]

I get it now - I assumed from what you posted that you already had both...

[Simpo Two]

How to turn a 105mm lens into a 60mm lens.

You will need:

Tape measure
Hacksaw...

[Fezant Pluckah]

I have access to a 60mm, dobbo, but was wondering the best way to avoid taking two lenses if it was practical

[Simpo Two]

Pleased to confirm that the OP has indeed now changed his 105mm lens into 60mm lens

[Fezant Pluckah]

I need a new hacksaw blade, but I did it in the end