Experimenting with macro close-ups (Doritaenopsis)

[tropterrarium]

Originally Posted by golforchid

My last acquisition, before purchasing the Fujifilm Finepix HS30 EXR, was the German Zeiss 70-210 Telemacro which permits macro throughout the entire range. The fellow, from whom I purchased it, was using it on a Canon and it came with the adapter. At some point I will upgrade to a DSLR as I have been learning to photograph wildlife, specifically birds, and am seeing some of the limitations of my current camera with both ends of its range. Still exploring all the various menus and settings with the Fuji, which overall, is great when I'm trekking around the cloud forest as it's light and I don't have to change lenses. Once I opt for the DSLR will then have to decide whether I want one with 35 mm equivalent sensor or with CMOS. Until then I guess I'll hang on to my Zeiss film glass.

Re the 70-210 Macro, there are a number of flavors of this lens, including the Zeiss Oberkochern and the Zeiss Jena versions, the latter being inferior. I have not looked at the data sheet, but in general, "Macro"zooms go to about 1:3-1:4 magnification, while true macro lenses go to 1:1-1:2. Zoom lenses have intrinsically worse optical quality than primes, so the 70-210 is inferior to the 60 MP.

Re DSLR, 35 mm equivalent is not a contrast to CMOS.
35 mm equivalent is just the physical size of the sensor (24 x 36 mm). The advantages are lager pixels at same MP count, so better signal to noise ratio = cleaner images. The various flavors of APS ("Advanced" Photo System is a serious misnomer), have smaller sensors, so worse signal to noise ratios. If you want to use Zeiss lenses, they are mostly calculated for full size sensors and the focal length/angle of view is with respect to the full size sensor. With smaller sensors, you will get a more narrow field of view. In general, full frame cameras are in the upper market segment, and those cameras tend to have better quality and more high-end features.
CMOS is a type of sensor used by Canon, while Nikon uses (afaik) CCDs, and there are also the Foveon type chips (Sigma). The pros and cons of those sensors have been debated ad nauseum; bottom line, all can provide good images, all can be produced in various sizes.

[golforchid]

Originally Posted by tropterrarium

Re the 70-210 Macro, there are a number of flavors of this lens, including the Zeiss Oberkochern and the Zeiss Jena versions, the latter being inferior. I have not looked at the data sheet, but in general, "Macro"zooms go to about 1:3-1:4 magnification, while true macro lenses go to 1:1-1:2. Zoom lenses have intrinsically worse optical quality than primes, so the 70-210 is inferior to the 60 MP.

Re DSLR, 35 mm equivalent is not a contrast to CMOS.
35 mm equivalent is just the physical size of the sensor (24 x 36 mm). The advantages are lager pixels at same MP count, so better signal to noise ratio = cleaner images. The various flavors of APS ("Advanced" Photo System is a serious misnomer), have smaller sensors, so worse signal to noise ratios. If you want to use Zeiss lenses, they are mostly calculated for full size sensors and the focal length/angle of view is with respect to the full size sensor. With smaller sensors, you will get a more narrow field of view. In general, full frame cameras are in the upper market segment, and those cameras tend to have better quality and more high-end features.
CMOS is a type of sensor used by Canon, while Nikon uses (afaik) CCDs, and there are also the Foveon type chips (Sigma). The pros and cons of those sensors have been debated ad nauseum; bottom line, all can provide good images, all can be produced in various sizes.

Mine is the original German lens, not the Jena

[silken]

Actually newer Nikons now use CMOS sensors also. I bought one recently with a CMOS sensor.

[CandiMc]

Very cool! I love anything macro!