Re: nikon-digest V4 #236

[Bobby Flippo]

Ross wrote
"would I be better off trying a reversing ring on the 24-50 at 50mm,
or a close-up filter on the 70-300 (at 300?).  What ad/disad would each
one have?"

Hello Ross, I have tried both configurations and would recommend the later. Whenever you reverse mount an AF lens on a Nikon AF camera you loose several features I consider important (like auto focus and matrix metering). Reverse mounting the wide angle will give you greater magnification but for about $40 you can mount a Nikon 6T multi element close up filter and get down to slightly larger than life size and retain all the fantastic features your new Nikon is capable of. The quality of the zoom and the close up filter is not as good as a true micro lens, but it will give you sharp enough images up to 11x14 IMHO. I admit that at the strongest magnification you will get a little softness around the edges of the frame but who will be looking at the edges of your photo when there is this HUMONGOUS butterfly sitting on a huge flower petal chowing down while covered is what appears to be enormous chunks of pollen! Which points out another advantage of the 70-300 + 6T combo which is the really great working distance from your subject which will allow you to shoot that butterfly without scarring him/her away. The reverse mount wide angle will, however greater the magnification, require you to be right on top of your subject. I started out with the old 75-300 AF lens and 6T and it got me hooked on micro! I mainly shoot with a 70-180 now (I am also hooked on zooms).
Bobby Flippo