Micro 4/3 Using the MC-20 with the Olympus 60mm macro lens

1of1images

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I have posted a few different posts specifying how I do this across the World Wide Web (especially with the MC-14), but I wanted a single post about the process that makes it possible for the MC-20.

First off, the way this was made possible originally was through the PIXCO extension tubes that are found in various spots online.

1. First way, and easiest is to buy one set of the tubes, and hook up the 10mm first to the protruding lens side of the MC-20, then the 16mm that will connect to the Olympus 60mm macro lens.

This setup works fine, but there is a tad more space between the teleconverter lens and the 60mm macro lens than I would prefer. So I initially did the following in #2:

2. Buy two sets of the Pixco extension tubes since they are inexpensive, and use two 10mm extension tubes to attach to the MC-20 teleconverter. Do not use the 16mm one. You will reduce the void space between the teleconverter lens and the 60mm macro lens, providing more light and sharper images.

3. Now, you are wondering why not use the 16mm extension tube with the teleconverter on it's own.....the reason is that the 16mm extension tube has an opening that is too narrow to fit all the way down the shaft of the teleconvter lens. This is why this option can be best....use a sharp knife and just scrape out some of the plastic around the inside of the 16mm extension tube, which will allow the teleconverter to fit inside it all on it's own, providing the tightest fit for your teleconverter to be as close as possible to your 60 macro lens rear glass,

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The electronic connections work perfectly, allowing autofocus to work - but more importantly, the focus bracketing setup to work.

With the third setup, you are right at 2.8x magnification when the camera is set at 1:1. Your distance to subject at 1:1 is at around 77 millimeters - very sufficient for lighting a subject.


I wrote up this above for DPReview back 4-5 years ago. Since then, I’ve found that purchasing the higher end Kenko brand micro 4/3 extension tube set is best. You can use the single 16mm tube to attach the MC-20 to the 60mm macro lens with a FIRM PUSH AND AS YOU PUSH HARD, turn.

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Now, Here's where things get interesting...and the fun begins....
Now that you have a setup that focus bracketing with work with your Olympus camera, teleconverter and macro lens, you can add Raynox lenses to your heart's content.
First, the Raynox 250 - possibly the most famous of the Raynox lenses and probably the sharpest and forgiving.
Using this lens at 1:1 gives you 4.3x magnification, VERY CLOSE to the famous Canon MPE-65...but with something special - the ability to focus bracket and even stack in-camera if the subject doesn't have too much depth. The preference is always to stack outside the camera because the more images you can stack, the better. I always have my focus bracketing set at 1/10 or at most 2/10 when using the teleconverters.
Here's the setup with the Raynox 250

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Now, using the Raynox 202 with the setup instead of the Raynox 250 gives you a field of view of just under 2.5mm width. This is 7x magnification, with the ability to focus bracket in the field - no need for a rail system (just good lighting!) Only 12-14mm or so between you and the subject, but incredible ability to do something no other system is capable of.

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Now, with the Raynox 505 - the field of view is down to an estimated 1.9mm left to right - just under 10x magnification!!! With the ability to focus bracket....this has changed my life in terms of time, trouble, balance, everything....

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Now, people will say how bad the Raynox 505 is, but with this setup it works exceptionally well for the middle 50% of the image which is what I use it for.
 
the Raynox 202 gives you more magnification, allowing you to get the detail of scales on insects, bugs and spiders
Here’s the wing of a Luna Moth, just about 2.5mm field of view

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The side of a mosquito shoulder, at 7.5x magnification
Stack of more than 150 images


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Using the Raynox 505 with the setup you’ll be at 1.9mm field of view for the final image, able to get 9x magnification and details like you’ve never though possible without a microscope. The 60 is a fine piece of glass, PRO in most ways. I use this setup tethered to my computer so that I can use OM Capture to move my focus and start and stop my shots when needed. That’s how I do all my sand macro photography.

The garnets balanced on top of the other sand grains in these images are just 0.2mm to 0.25mm wide. These are stacks of around 175 images each, and then cropped down to around 1mm field of view for each.
 

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Thank you for sharing this. I will fallow down on your footpath for deep macro focus stacking, this is just amazing and incredibly cheap for these kinds of results.
Can you share your light setup and how you manage to illuminate your subject so well at such magnification and short working distances please?
 
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