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The 85mm f/2.8D PC Micro Nikkor
by Roger Eritja

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  Introduction

Shift & tilt basics
  A powerful lens
  Handling & tests

More tests ...

Resolving power
»
Field tests
  In the field & Conclusions

FIELD TESTS

We began field testing after engaging a group of ants and agreeing on a suitable portion of honey as compensation. With their help we tested the 85mm PC Micro Nikkor alone and with a PK-13 extension ring. In the course of the test were able to attest the conservative design of objective: no lightfall nor vignetting were present ever.

Click for enlarged comparative view
85mm f/2.8D PC Micro Nikkor in the field

The image above, made near 1X (life-size) at f/22, shows the clear benefit of tilting the 85mm PC downwards, with a PK-13 ring, over the classic conventional, and only possible alternative made with the 105mm Micro Nikkor as show at right.

By clicking over any of the two you may see a comparative composite.

  Click for a comparative larger image

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Later, tests with longer working distances and bigger subjects were made possible thanks to the flowers in the dinning room.

This time we just worked with the 85mm PC. The image was proposed at a distance of 0.90 meters, approximately one yard, and pro ceded to shoot without any shift or tilt, at normal position, as shown at right.

  Click for enlargement
Then we completely tilted the lens to a side. We wanted to explore tilting as a creative resource, not to have everything in focus, but to apply focus selectively. The result of inclining the lens towards the right and then recomposing is shown at right.
  Click for enlargement

The composition is now successfully altered, placing emphasis in just one flower. The inclination of the lens allowed for a symmetrical tilting movement without change in the perspective.

Right then our interest was turned to the flower in focus, since it had kept its fragile and interesting stem. As customary, all were at the same plane at a certain height over the petals, which forces a conventional take, basically frontal.   Click for enlargement
After making the classic image, we took advantage of tilting. Displaced the tripod to the right, rotated the entire camera to the left and then tilted the lens to the right. ¿Result? Optical magic allowed for keeping all stem in focus.   Clcik for enlargement

With a normal objective a closed-down aperture approach would have been required, altering the background.

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