Using two step up rings to adapt a Raynox DCR-250 macro lens on a camcorder

[dllavaneras]

I love doing macro photography, and have done it for a couple of years now. I just got a new camcorder with a 30mm thread, and would like to attach my Raynox DCR-250 lens on it, which has a 43 mm rear thread. There's no 30mm to 43mm step up ring, so would it be ok if I use two of them? A 30mm to 37mm ring, attach a 37mm to 43mm ring on top of that and finally attach the lens?

I'm basically worried that the increased distance from the camera's lens (about 1.5 cm) might have a negative effect. I'm not too worried about vignetting, since I'll probably never use the lens at a wide setting. Anything else I should keep in mind?

 

[DPA]

Your basically using two adapters on a camera. This could have a (very) negative affect on the picture or it could be ok. I wouldn't advise trying it and if you do make sure the camera and lenses are on a flat surface and are well supported because the weight of the lens may be to heavy for two adapters to handle and could bend the metal or crack the plastic and metal were it connects.

 

[dllavaneras]

Well, I had these two rings in mind: 1, 2.

I don't think the lens weight will be a problem, since it's really not that big or heavy. Look at the attached pic. I could be totally wrong, though. Any thoughts?

 

[DPA]

You are totally not wrong. I had different rings in mind. More like adapters. You should be fine. Just be careful until you feel comfortable that the lens isn't going to fall off.

Happy New Year (a couple more hours for me),
David

 

[ppc_michael]

That'll be fine. You might get a little vignetting or chromatic aberration around the sides when fully zoomed out, since you're moving the macro glass away from the lens with the double rings, but really that'll be fine I'm sure.

 

[dllavaneras]

That'll be fine. You might get a little vignetting or chromatic aberration around the sides when fully zoomed out, since you're moving the macro glass away from the lens with the double rings, but really that'll be fine I'm sure.

That shouldn't be a problem, since to use the macro lens you zoom in. What that little lens does is allow the full 34x zoom to focus at a distance of about 15 cm. The magnification is awesome!

By the way, I just did a very, very basic super-macro test. No time to set up good light or anything, so this is basically the camera, the built in light and me holding the Raynox lens to the camera's lens. Full 34x optical zoom, manual focus. Sorry for the jitter, it's hard to hold the macro lens steady while filming.

The subject is the eye of a Katydid, measuring about 1.2 mm across. Yes, that's 1.2 millimeters!

Unedited video. (Just imported in FCE and saved as a .mov file) 9 sec, 30 Mb.

I'm pretty happy with the results, considering that these were less than optimal shooting conditions. I'm looking forward to those step-up rings so I can shoot in the field!