Sweet Lens Action

So I took the 55mm lens off of my FX-3 Super YASHICA 2000 (non digital) and started to experiment around a little bit with it on my Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi. As you probably know, Canon lenses have a slightly bigger diameter than allot of the other name brand camera lenses out there. This was the case when I tried my YASHICA 55mm on my EOS.. just a little too small, but I managed. How? I didn't use duct tape, and I didn't buy a $200 adaptor, I simply held it in with my hand. Pretty brilliant eh? Holding the lens in place worked great... that is until I decided to use my Canon 18-55mm lens AND the 55mm YASHICA. Having two lenses to focus, adjust the AV, etc. is harder than you might think. Also another aspect of focusing is holding the YASHICA lens closer or further back.

Single YASHICA 55mm lens.

The big thing I found when using the YASHICA alone with my EOS was the fact that the AV seemed like it was on steroids and the picture was turning out burned out. If I adjusted it to let in less light, instead of decreasing the focal area even more, it dulled the picture. So now it was a dull burned out picture. I finally turned the ISO down as far as it would go and set a faster shutter speed. This would take care of the excess amounts of light problem. For the dullness issue, I set the Aperture to 1.9. (most light possible to enter for that lens).

^Taken with normal 18-55mm lens. Normal AV.^
(Picture 1)

^Taken with YASHICA 55mm lens. Notice the extreme aperture.^
(Picture 2)

^Enlarged "Picture 2". Notice the small focused area in red.^
(Picture 2 enlarged)

Canon 18-55mm + 55mm lens.

After I got done messing around with the YASHICA, I put the Canon lens back on the camera and held the YASHICA lens in front.

I quickly came to the conclusion that this was a macro setup. By turning the lens facing the wrong way and then the right way, different things happened. One way, everything was really big and the AV seemed again on steroids and, the other way it just made everything look big. Why? I have no idea.

^ Taken without the 55mm lens addition

^Taken WITH the 55mm lens addition

If you have an extra lens floating around, you should give this a try. Different lenses will do different things when mixed and matched.. who knows what you'll come up with.

If you decide to try anything like this out, make sure you try flipping the "extra" lens to see what direction it works best. You will want the camera on "All Manual" (or "M" for most cameras) Mostly for full shutter speed control but also Aperture and Exposure. Oh, and if you have a tripod.. use it. That will really free up your other hand. I used the timed shutter so I didn't have to press the button AND hold the lens and focus all at the same time. You might find that helpful too.