Pholcus phalangioides M42 screw mount lens test

            This Pholcus phalangioides (Daddy Longlegs, Cellar Spider) in my terrarium was in a position to provide a good opportunity for lens testing. In a lot of old unwanted lenses given to me by a friend was a Yaschica Super Yashinon-R f/2.8 13.5cm pre-set lens (M42 screw mount). An M42 screw mount to Nikon F adapter I had purchased years ago had been retired because it delivered terrible results with the only M42 lens I had at the time, an off-brand zoom lens. Last week after a somewhat lengthy search I found it and conducted a few tests with the old Yashinon 13.5cm lens. I was amazed to find that there were no signs of softness and color fringing that was produced by the lens that I tried earlier, which must have been a "dog" or had major problems. The optical element in the adapter that allows for infinity focusing performed perfectly, giving absolutely accurate focusing throughout the Yashinon's focusing range. 

The white chunky object beside the left leg is one of a pair of "book lungs". The tiny red dot near the pedipalps is a fragment of the eye of a flightless fruit-fly, a remainder of the spider's last meal finished just before this pic was taken.

This is a single image taken hand-held (resting the lens on the edge of the terrarium), using the zooming element from a severely damaged Rokinon f/4.5 80-200mm zoom lens reverse mounted on the 13.5cm Yashinon. This lens element was the only piece of glass in the lens that survived some kind of heavy impact with a hard surface. The lens looked like it had been dropped out of a moving vehicle, with the mount being nearly ripped away and hanging, objective smashed ( pieces missing) and a badly dented barrel. The only things salvaged from it were a dozen small screws and the moving element at the back end of the zoom helicoid. A few hours work had this piece extracted and ready for helicoid "de-gunking". I hate working with greasy helicoids because I generally get filthy hands and the grease seems to migrate everywhere. After cleaning and polishing the helicoid I decided to leave it exposed, unlike with other lenses where I rigged a sleeve to hide it. Mounting this on the front of the old Yashinon, the  bright mirror finish curved  aluminum ribs and alternating black grooves gives it a distinctly "clunky", but "stylish" look. 

The Yashinon was left set on infinity focus, with the magnification being provided by the Rokinon's lens element. Taken at f/16, the depth of field is greater than I had expected, given the high magnification used.

Nikon D40, Yaschica Super Yashinon-R 13.5cm pre-set lens (M42mount), focused at infinity, on a Jolos M42 to Nikon adapter, with the zooming element from a badly damaged Rokinon f/4.5 80-200mm zoom lens reverse mounted on the Yashinon. Lighting provided by a Nikon SB-23 speedlight flashed through a lens mounted diffuser made from a bowl that comes in a "Healthy Choice" frozen dinner.

DSC-5350

Taken in: United States / Massachusetts / Andover (show map)

Taken on: February 25, 2019

Tags:

macro

D40

Pholcus phalangioides

daddy longlegs

cellar spider

Jolos

M42

screw mount

pre-set

speedlight

SB-23

diffuser

Super Yashinon-R f/2.8 13.5cm « less

Sets appears in: • Pholcus phalangioides

Groups appears in: • SPIDERS • M42 more » • M42 Lenses and DSLR's • Nikon D40 Worldwide • SPIDERS ARE BEAUTIFUL. • Spider World: (We still need your VOTES) • Makeshift Macro • This Old Lens • New Camera, Old Lens « less

Camera: Nikon D40, f/0, 1/2500 sec, 0mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D40
Aperture:	f/0
Exposure Time:	1/2500 sec
Focal Length:	0mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 Macintosh
Show full info

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