Raynox dcr 250 macro conversion lens

millymoo

millymoo

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Hi all,
Anyone got one of these? I'm not sure how to set this up with my camera..a Sony Alpha 200 which I have only recently had. I've got the standard kit lens and a zoom with macro facility 135-28. Should I switch auto focus off, leave steady shot on, ensure built in flash is off and do everything manually. Ive got a tripod.
There were very few instructions with the thing - seems a bit flimsy but comes in a nice box!! I paid £35.
Cant afford a proper macro lens yet. What kind of results can I expect?
 
Soooooooooooooooo many threads on this lately!

I got one recently, really like it, although the DOF really is amazingly shallow. You have to get it absolutely perfect.

I use it like this: Nikon 70-300mm lens, around F22 (still has a REALLY shallow DOF), I've used with and without flash, worked well both ways. I leave AF on M/A so that I can let it get a rough idea and then re-focus myself. I assume 'steady shot' is the equivalent of VR, turn this off if you'll be using a tripod.

Only had a couple of times to use it, but here's a couple I've got so far:

another lifetime by fresheyedea, on Flickr


Dandelion by fresheyedea, on Flickr


Dandelion by fresheyedea, on Flickr
 
Wow Bill!!,
Your shots are lovely. They are of just the simple natural things from around the garden arent they? but so crisp. Ive just bought the lens for £38 on E bay, from where I also had my camera recently. My Minolta lenses are saved from my old 35mm film camera. I have checked the Raynox lens will fit. Cant wait to go play.
Will my 135-28 lens do the job? Its my only zoom - your must have a super lens with a far more powerful zoom which gives a longer focal length. I am so impressed with your shots, I love the dandelion clock just discarded on a bench.
Ive found some more postings, people seem to like this little piece of kit.
 
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millymoo said:
Wow Bill!!,
Your shots are lovely. They are of just the simple natural things from around the garden arent they? but so crisp. Ive just bought the lens for £38 on E bay, from where I also had my camera recently. My Minolta lenses are saved from my old 35mm film camera. I have checked the Raynox lens will fit. Cant wait to go play.
Will my 135-28 lens do the job? Its my only zoom - your must have a super lens with a far more powerful zoom which gives a longer focal length. I am so impressed with your shots, I love the dandelion clock just discarded on a bench.
Ive found some more postings, people seem to like this little piece of kit.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the nice comments! :)

That's what I like, I don't always have time to trek miles to find the perfect spot like so many do on here, it makes me appreciate the detail in the finer things whilst still feeding my hunger for nice shots! :)

This might come as a surprise to you, but the snail and the large dandelion were taken at 70mm, the dandelion on the bench was 35mm!

You'd be well within reach of all of the shots taken so you won't have any concerns there.

It seems like a really handy, useful and enjoyable bit of kit for the price tag. I need to play about a bit more at the longer focal lengths, but I found it hard to get larger things in focus (the dandelion was too big for even 70mm as you can see, so I had no chance with 300mm!)

All practise and patience though, it's worth it in the end! I hope you have a decent tripod, each mm of movement can throw you in or out of focus!

Good luck, and enjoy it!
 
Don't forget continuous shooting either. Always worth while especially if the subject (or you) are moving slight because even the slightest movement will throw the focus out.

I use my raynox on my 50mm prime. Seems to work quite well, but it should be better on the end of a longish zoom. And like Bill, the majority of my macro shots are taken in my back garden.
 
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I have a Raynox 150 (chose that as it has less magnification but more depth of field to work with). I found (for me) it worked best with a 50mm prime lens and a 35-70 zoom at the 70mm end. These are both manual focus lenses (Minolta MD) so no AF - best way I found to focus was to get within the focus zone and then sway back and forward very slightly using the burst mode to fire off your shots - then go through them and hopefully some will be bang on and just delete the rest. :)

So yes, I would switch auto focus off, leave steady shot on (unless using a tripod). I have not experimented much with flash yet. I did try the Raynox on longer lenses (135mm prime and a 45-200 zoom) but found my hit rate was much lower. On the zoom I also tried AF but it went a bit nuts trying to find focus so I gave up. :D

I now also have a Sony 30mm macro which is is very good for the price (£130) and AF works fine most of the time. Working distance is way too short for most insects though, but good for flowers etc. Also works well as a general purpose 30mm prime lens. http://www.wilkinson.co.uk/sony-a-dt-af-30mm-f2-8-macro-sam.html
 
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