Lens Suggestions for Extreme Close Ups?

[Nick Morrison]

Look at getting a Canon 180mm f3.5L and using the longer working distance to (1) keep perspective sane, and (2) give yourself some room to light.

What Michael said.

 

[Werner Jauch]

An unsung low-cost hero in this quest might be a Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5. Breathing when pulling focus might be defined as cruel-bad. These lenses were apparently used for photo-reducing early IC designs to chip size so the resolution was probably good.

One painful knuckle in the doorgap might be the overhang of the aperture (iris) ring which may not play nice with modern Nikon mounts made after Nikon camera model FM2. The earlier Nikon F-Mounts had a clearance shoulder behind the flange face of about 1.7mm. The modern mounts have only about 0.7mm and a very slightly wider diameter, just enough to foul the inner circumferential surface of the overhang in some examples.

The older lenses which foul may be pre-AI models. I do not know enough to assure anyone. Advisers like Optitek or Duclos would know best about F-Mounts on cameras like RED.

Some third-party F-Mounts have the older profile. Some patterned after the more recent five-screw style of genuine Nikon F-Mount may not. The older Nikon F-Mount lenses may therefore foul the modern mount with the aperture ring overhang and may be forced off-flange and off focus altogether or on one edge of the image, although they will mount with difficulty

I second that the Nikkor 55mm f3.5 AI works well on Dragon with a cheap eBay Nikon to EF adapter. The newer 55mm f2.8 AIS is also supposed to be good. I got my Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 (with the matching Nikon extension tube to get to 1:1 which I never used) for about $120 on eBay. Sharp lens. At 55mm you will however need to get close to that eyeball for ECU

 

[Levi Arnold]

With an 18-35mm lens and an extension tub, you can focus on the dust specs on the front of the lens.

 

[Martin Konrad]

Remember you loose quite a bit of light if you go Macro so working with 180mm or longer will give you more space to put lights
otherwise you quickly get the camera, lens or monitor tho throw shadows.
You also risk seeing the lens and camera in the eye if to close.
A very good option is the Canon FD 200mm Macro f4, the do come up converted to EF or PL but if you only
use it for Macro you can just buy a cheap lens-less mount adapter (infinity will be lost)