Specs:
FL Mount
1-3x lifesize magnification
Mfg. 1980
Manufacturer: Canon, Inc. (Japan)

It was bound to happen, as I shoot medical devices, there's always the need to shoot some really small objects. Such as the head of the needle, or maybe the tip of a guidewire. While in my case, such was the norm, and usually doable with a 100mm macro as shown below:

EF100mm f2.8 macro on 40d shooting small gauge needle. Uncropped result below.

There are times when one needs to shoot small things, I mean really small, and reveal even smaller details. Such as the bevel of a sharpened needle, or a small knot in a suture not much larger than a human hair. Couple that will having a need to fill the whole frame for a sizeable print, and well, it's time to break out the big guns -including the bank, or is it?

Macro Bellows, such as the Canon FL bellows below are nothing new, and in fact, since the 80's, when canon switched to the new EF mount, production ceased. However, the need for tight shots of really small objects is still a very real issue today.

Canon FL Bellows, Canon 40d via EF/FD adaptor and FL50mm f3.5 macro lens.

Now there are alternatives, such as a stronger macro lens (Canons 60mm MPE with 1-5x magnification), or a jewelers scope with a camera attachment. Both can be quite expensive for one-off or occasional use, and in practice, not very creative as with using a bellows.

There are other cost effective solutions, and with varying degrees of result, such as using close-up lenses. These you can screw-on the lens, as shown below, and they are stackable, thus increasing the magnification factor.

However, the results are rather lacking as these tend to alter the lens' formula, increasing diffraction and chromatic aberration (CA, or purple fringing). Things you don't want as they tend to wipe out the finer details you need to begin with.

1x,2x, and 3x closeup lenses for 6x on FD100mm f2.8. (shot at f8 1/250th sec). 100% crop is right.

A similiar device in application to screw on lenses, but with more features is the Tiffen Vari-Close-Up lens.

It has two elements and a focusing helicoil, and under the right conditions, does a better job, and merits it's own review. Read it here.

A well known alternative is to use metal extension tubes (or macro tubes) these, like the bellows, push the lens away from the film or sensor plane to increase the magnification.

Life-size adapter (hollow tube) left, mounted on FL 50mm f3.5 macro, right.

However, they are not very convenient with regards to making micro adjustments and focus. Not to mention all those tubes one has to screw on and off in a hunt to find the right framing.

Result: FD 50mm f3.5 macro on tripod, f8, 1/250th, left. With 1:1 adaptor right.

Another trick is to use a lens reversal ring to basically mount the lens on backwards to the camera. This has the benefit of increasing magnification as the lens' barrel becomes it's own macro tube, and it also helps to limit diffraction. The drawback is that this makes any autofocus lens useless as it no longer communicates with the camera, which is required for the aperture to stop down. Such is not an issue with a manual lenses, and if you just want to turn your normal lens into a macro, a $20 reversal ring is a quick fix.

One other issue with mounting the lens backwards is the lack of proper focus, which cannot be done via the lens, and requires the photographer having to move the camera back and forth to find the sweet spot. Even so, it's extra effort with little return when one is trying to get greater than 1:1 (life size) magnification.

However, there's no reason why a reversal ring can't be used on the bellows, as the bellows will allow for precision focusing as moves along it's rack:

FL50mm f3.5 macro on bellows via lens reversing ring. The ring uses the lenses filter threads.

So, what does the bellows do? Well, it does all the above, and has one very important feature: very precise control over framing and focus. To give you an idea of what I mean by precise, imagine a depth of field so shallow that when you shift your weight, breath on the object, or even touch the tripod, it can make a difference between a sharp and not so sharp shot. Razor thin? Yes.

The above might not matter to you with regards to the flying insect, a 5x7 print, or a post to the web. But when tasked with using all 10-20 megapixels (depending on your camera), and needing to make a six-foot poster! You get the idea, "Nobody breath!" Click.

Now when dealing with this particular bellows, the Canon Macro FL Bellows, I found it to be a gem. Purchased at KEH.com for around $130, it looks practically new! In fact, you know the sound you get when you crack open a new factory pressed book? Yup, that's the sound I got when I first stretched out this bellows... ("Wow. No way.").

Second point. Having an FL mount required and EF to FD adaptor (fortunately I have one), and if you've read my article regarding the use of FD lenses on EOS cameras, you would learn that these adaptors require a weak multiplier to correct the focal plane in order to establish infinity focus. That such glass, just like the close-up lenses I spoke of above, can alter the host lens' formula and introduce detail robbing diffraction and CA.

However, when using FD lenses for macro applications, infinity focus no longer matters. In this case, you can remove the glass multiplier from the adaptor, which it just becomes a simple tube. Thus all the original qualities of the well know FD glass are now at your disposal.

Canon EF/FD adaptor, left, with magnifying element removed, center.

Canon 40d on FL Bellows via adaptor, Left. 1Ds on Right, note the need to use an extension tube and having to mount upside-down to clear the bellows frame. Akward.

Third. While it's possible to use any lens on the bellows, you are actually limited to just a few lenses covering a range from 35mm to 100mm (for a 1.6x crop sensor camera). As the focal length of the lens decreases, so does the working distance from the lens to the object. Now we could do the math, but as I'm on my second beer, let's just post some images to show you what I mean:

We'll start with an FD135mm f2.5. A gem of a lens, regarded as one of Canon's best FD portrait lenses (only second to the legendary FD85 f1.2 L). Below, and fully extend on the bellows at 3x, we can see that there is plenty of working distance from the lens to the object, at around nine inches. However, the results tell us that it's no better than a stack of cheap closeup lenses!

FD135mm f2.5 on bellows, 3x mag.


FD135mm f2.5 results, full frame, left. 100% crop on right. Hmmmm.

Actually, what is happening here is that we forcing the lens to work beyond it's intended limits and diffraction and CA come into play. A good lens for portraits, bad for macro.

Now lets hit the other extreme, and when I mean hit, I mean "hit". When using a lens with a focal length of 35mm, it reduces the working distance to mere fractions of a inch, and one has to be carefull to avoid running the lens into the object! A costly mistake.

While this lens, an FL35mm f3.5, at $30 is a bargain, in comparison to it's more expensive cousin, the 135 f2.5, it's renders an incredibly sharp and distortion free image! In fact, our sharp needle isn't looking sharp at all, resembling a crudely cut and severely pitted metal tube, (but trust me, it is - I was reminded once during this shoot).

FL35mm f3.5 lens on bellows, full extent, 3x. Needle on right full, 100% crop below.

Fourth and final. One item we need cover and that is one of lighting. When adding tubes, bellows or such, you are also decreasing the amount of light that reaches the sensor. Below we have the 35mm f3.5 at 1:1, and 3:1 using the same level of lighting. Extending the bellows a few inches can make for drastic results.

FL35mm f2.5, f8, 1/250th sec. 1:1 on left, 3:1 on right.

With regards to ISO 100, out goes hand-holding, and in comes the need for some really strong lights. While in the studio having 3200 w/s strobes can meet the challenge. In the field you need something more specific such as a macro strobe. A ring light that is fitted to the front of the lens to immerse the object. Now while you could just crank up the ISO, you risk introducing noise into your image and losing the finer details.

Actually, I lied. There's a fifth issue. One of movement. At 3x magnification, the world becomes a scary and unstable place. Air circulating from the overhead ventilators, the heavy footsteps trodding nearby and even simply touching the shutter button will make your object or camera move several pixels in an instant and it's blurry city for anything less than 1/250th! Yes, it if shows up at 100% magnification on the monitor, it will show up on your prints.

Below is a 6-0 suture and line, about 3-times the width of a human hair. The first shot on the right was a perfect match as the entire sutures profile fit within the DOF plane. It took several patient tries on that one, and nearly impossible hand-held. The second shot, left, is of the same suture, but rotated a few millimeters. Notice how quickly both ends fall out of the focal plane.

While on the subject, the heavy breath from the "F" in that four letter word will only make matters worse! (and here I used to think folks quit visiting me in the studio to avoid becoming "volunteer" grips. "Hi. Here hold this. No. Higher. That's it." Click.).

Two ways to aide in acquiring proper focus, (other than not breathing while taking the shot), are either using 'live view', if your camera has it, or attaching a magnifier to your finder.

live view, left. Canon viewfinder Magnifier, right.

In some cases, with reqards to fragile or very light objects that move in relation to the influence of air circulation, etc. You may have to ride the focus knob while taking the shot. Of course, one should use a sturdy tripod and either a remote switch or set their shutter to timer to avoid camera shake from showing up in the shot.

Lastly, if you have image stabilization (IS) and your using a tripod, turn it off. In such cases, IS may actualy blur the shot. Macro photography will enhance and magnify every detail of a given scene, including lens issues and movements.

Before I close, I should mention that there are software solutions, known for focal field stitching, where one would take several shots of the same object in varying levels of focus, and the software uses the sharpest parts of each image to create a single sharp image. (Helicon focus being one such program that I am currently playing with).

While such software is useful in regards to improving the end result. It can only work with what you've acquired in the first place. Garbage in, garbage out.

I hope you've learned something from my experience, and for once, something of actual benefit outside of simple curiosity. It's true that an old dog that doesn't need to learn a new trick.

Keep shooting.