# Reverse ring for Canon 60D



## mateusbio (Feb 3, 2012)

Hi everyone,
I am new here, although I have been reading a lot of cool stuff and also very good comments and suggestions.
I just purchased a Canon 60D and a Sigma 70mm Macro lenses...right now I would like to get more than 1:1 magnification, so I think I can use this lenses with a reverse ring, am I alright? If so, would you guys please recommend to me so a good reverse ring?

Thanks in advance.

Mateus


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 3, 2012)

You can try it. Reverse rings are cheap, amazon, B&H, Adorama will all have them for under $10.

Personally, I find them hard to use, lighting is difficult when you are a inch from the subject, and you need a tripod and macro rack to focus. If you are trying to capture a image of a live creature, it would be pretty frustrating.


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## mateusbio (Feb 3, 2012)

Ok. I understand that. I want to try it. I hope one day to have the chance to buy a Canon MP-E 65, but for now I will try the reverse ring. My doubt is about the reverse ring itself...i found several models under 6 bucks on ebay, but I do not want to scratch or use some cheap stuff that can damage my body or lenses...

Anyway, thanks so much for your comments. Have you already tried using a reverse ring??

Abraços,

Mateus


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 3, 2012)

Yes, I have a reverse ring and sets of step up / step down rings, and have tried it with several different lenses. I use a fotodiox. They are cheap, and quality is reasonable. 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=canon+reverse+ring


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## mateusbio (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks Mt Spokane.
I think I will buy one of those bad boys from Fotodiox and try it. I have a 35-80mm "common" lenses and also a Sigma macro 70mm 2.8...maybe you can help me out one more time: does the sharpness of an inverted lenses depend on the quality of the glass? Seems like a dumb question, but I am not sure if I should use a cheap lenses or a little expensive one for testing...

Abraços


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 4, 2012)

I have found reversed zooms to be terrible, but old 50mm primes seem to work fine. I suspect your 70mm macro will be good, let us know and show some images.

One of the neat things about a reverse ring is that you can reverse pretty much any old lens, as long as it has filter threads and is not too big or heavy to be held by them. There are lots of lesser known brands of ~ 50mm lenses that are fully manual and can be had for $10 used. 

A fully manual lens is far easier to use, since it has a adjustable aperture. One with a electrically operated aperture must be stopped down on the camera, say to f/8, f/11, or even f/16, and removed while stopped down. It will remain at f/8 (at least Canon lenses will) until you remount it.

You do want a small aperture for most macro shots.


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## archangelrichard (Feb 4, 2012)

Let me second that emphatically, you do not use reversing rings on zoom lenses - that is not what the zoom was designed for and it will work against you

I use one on old M42 screw mount lenses (50mm 1.4, 135 2.8) - after all you aren't using the mount end so even FD and Minolta MD, etc. lenses that can't be converted easily will work for this and a good 135 f2.8 was still 4 pieces of glass -- M42 adapters also start at under $10

Your aperture numbers are useless when reversed as they relate to where the cone of light is and it isn't where the aperture wants it so that 135 f 2.8 really becomes something like a 6.3 when reversed, your lenses will vary

If you want to play, a bellows is a better choice (and again you can adapt a M42 bellows and lens much cheaper than trying a auto bellows and then a 100mm or so lens; you would get a lot more use out of something like this combination


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## mateusbio (Feb 4, 2012)

Ok Guys, now I am understanding....
With the reverse ring I will not be able to chance the aperture of the lenses...so I should buy a manual one, in order to have the option to change the aperture. Arcangelrichard, I must confess that I would like to try a bellows instead, but the prices are very high around here (in Brazil)...I think I will try to find a good option on eBay. So guy, the best option, if I understood is: manual fixed lenses and a reverse ring or a bellows...is that right?

Thank you so much, I am almost an expertise now...LOL! Have a great weekend!


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## D.Sim (Feb 6, 2012)

you don't necessarily need to buy a lens with an aperture ring, you just need to set it accurately ahead of time - since you're using a 70mm macro though, wouldn't an extension tube be something to try as well? Dont even need to get a Canon one, a Kenko one or something could work - at a cheaper rate

The Canon 25mm and 12mm tubes aren't overly expensive themselves, and used together you'd be getting about 0.53x additional magnification over the macro... 

Something else to consider, perhaps?


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## archangelrichard (Apr 20, 2012)

Re Read what Mt Spokane said about cheap (used) lenses

You might find a M42 / pentax / practika / Yashica / Mamiys-sekor / Ricoh / etc. Screw thread (and aftermarket Vivitar, soligor, etc.) lens cheap (the better ones will be 40 - 100 for pentax) -- in fact you may get the whole camera for that much

Then buy a M42 adapter for the canon (you can get basic ones from china / hong kong for $5 US on ebay or ones with a focus confirm chip that has the camera BEEP when in focus for about $15 US on ebay

Then (for about $25 US) you can find a M42 etc mount bellows

You need to have the lens to find out what size you want the reversing ring (assuming you still want one

No, for quality the bellows are a better choice, as are extension tubes (again cheaper for the M42 screw thread but you CAN go AUTO aperture with (expensive) Genuine Canon)

NOTE you will find, in general, that longer lenses (100 is a good size) Macro give you more room between the subject and the camera; more room for LIGHT to get on the subject (a minor detail, i realize; getting some kind of light on the subject .....)

For moving, outside, etc. You might want to look into (again for your prime) Diopters (essentially magnifying filters, usually available in a set of +1, +2, +4 and +10 for around $25 - 30 on ebay -- look for brand names you know or have heard of --- these are the easiest way to increase your magnification / Macro and carry it around, second easiest would be extension tubes; bellows you would want a tripod

Then again you can buy a 100mm macro (expensive) ......... (NOTE: The Canon 50 mm Macro (f 2.5) has a matching "extension" to make it 100mm long


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