LX3 Macro

Panasonic LX3 Macro

This subject can get large so this page will break out into multi pages. Meanwhile until I get myself organised to make my own pages here's a macro technique kindly sent to me by Richard Beal. Macro Page 2

Latest addition is using the Raynox DCR-250 macro lens on the LX3, down below.

First up a chart of what zoom setting versus subject frame width and working distance subject to lens front.

Focal Length mm	35mm Equivalent Focal Length mm	Subject captured, frame width at 3:2 aspect ratio	Working distance subject to lens front.
5.1	24	25mm	6mm
5.4	26	25mm	8mm
5.9	28	40mm	23mm
6.3	30	40mm	24mm
6.8	32	49mm	39mm
7.4	35	46mm	39mm
7.9	37	68mm	69mm
8.8	41	64mm	72mm
9.3	44	93mm	114mm
10.2	48	100mm	135mm
11.1	52	140mm	210mm
12.1	57	140mm	210mm
12.8	60	140mm	210mm

In general the macro is poor because the maximum magnification is at wide and then the lens is way too close to the subject causing lighting problems and nervous insects just stay nervous. If macro is your main interest then look elsewhere, or below foir a Raynox possible solution. Ricoh cameras being highly recommended for good macro at all zoom settings and that would make life easier.

Using the Raynox DCR-250 macro lens on the LX3

This will add convenience and enable the 60mm end of the tele to be more useful for closeups, it certainly does not work miracles but makes life easier to get sensible working distance and makes it easier to get light onto the subject. First a reference to the Raynox lens, see it here.

To get some actual images that might make sense I did a table top experiment using (or misusing) my old Nikon PB-4 bellows unit, converted to a macro slider.

Shown here with LX3 and Panasonic adapter tube plus a 46-52mm stepup ring and then the Raynox DCR-250 with its universal attachment. The gents wrist watch is being held on the Nikon PS-4 slide copy attachment. Tidier of course would be to use a 46-43mm stepdown ring to make the Raynox lens unit fit more neatly. That also shows the closest distance of about 65mm that the arrangement can focus when the lens is at 60mm.

Let us start with the LX3 on its own. When the marketing people advertised "1cm macro" distance is used the watch appears like this next image, watch face is 30mm in diameter. I used 16:9 ratio all the way to look for corner vignetting, but in real life macro it makes more sense to use the 4:3 ratio. In doing this I discovered that my watch face gasket is popped out of place.

All shots in manual mode with f/8 and appropriate shutter speeds to match the constantly varying daylight happening on my kitchen table top.

At "1cm macro" (at 24mm equivalent, 5.1mm actual focal length) as per the marketing people tell us....

Crank the manual focus even closer and the lens front ends up about 5mm from the subject....

Note the loose watch face sealing ring, sigh, another job to do. The closeness of the subject makes the lighting nearly impossible to achieve.

Now backed off to get whole 30mm watch face in frame, working distance from lens front to watch about 23mm.......

Next this is the closest we can get with the lens at 60mm equivalent (actual 12.8mm focal length). Distance from lens front to watch is now about 200mm........

It is harder to judge focus when like that, attempting really close macro and it is much easier to judge focus. In both cases of course I lean on the joystick at closest manual focus to get the enlarged view and then move the "carriage" of the bellows unit to attain focus.

Now this is what you get when the Raynox DCR-250 is added and the lens is at 60mm max tele. The working distance from lens front to watch is now about 65mm......

So the summary might be that the Raynox does not make the macro get any more magnified than the LX3 lens can do on its own, but it sure allows you to back off from the subject a bit and allow some light to get in. May also make nervous insects less nervous. Not an essential item to own but quite useful.

Of course its usefulness will be seen when added to superzoom cameras or on DSLR tele zooms where the Raynox works better when the host camera lens is a longer focal length.

Later, I did try the Raynox DCR-250 on the old original 40-150mm tele zoom that came with my Olympus E-300 DSLR. At full tele and closest focus the Raynox makes a fantastic difference, highly recommended in that instance.