Prior to the Super Macro Converter, achieving “super macro” underwater meant using tools that were designed for in air use. These tools simply do not take into account the physics of shooting in water. The SMC takes a radically different approach: treat the system - camera, lens, port, air, and water – as a whole, and account for the air-water interfaces in a conversion lens design to achieve the best image quality possible. The improvement is stunning, measurable and a new standard in underwater macro imaging has been established.
The Super Macro Converter is constructed from lenses are precision crafted of specially formulated low dispersion optical grade glass, ground to the most demanding standards. These exceptional measures, enhanced by broadband anti-refective coatings, effectively reduce common optical issues such as chromatic aberrations, coma, spherical aberration, and field deformation. The optics are assembled in a rugged hard anodized aluminum housing, and nitrogen purged during assembly to eliminate fogging.
When combined with a full frame camera and a 100mm or 105mm macro lens, the device converts the optical system to provide a maximum of 2.3X magnification factor. In other words, a subject area of 15.6mm X 10.4mm will fill the whole frame of a 36mm X 24mm sensor.
As the Super Macro Converter is optimized explicitly for using together with a macro lens underwater, images captured exhibit exceptional sharpness compared with conventional magnification lenses. Thanks to the broadband multi-layer anti-reflection coating on each surface of the lenses, images also exhibit higher contrast.
All the lens elements installed inside the SMC are optically
optimized to appropriate diameters so as to provide maximum light
transmission. Hence, the NSC doesn’t encounter vignette issue under
even the most extreme conditions. The broad band multi-layer
anti-reflection coating on all surfaces also greatly improves light
transmission.
By
utilizing a specially developed algorithm in the optimization process,
the SMC renders superior image quality over the full focusing range of
the camera lens (which becomes ~50 to ~100 mm in front of the SMC).
Also benefitting from the high brightness and contrast of the image, the
autofocus system of the camera usually works acceptably well within
this range.
Even at the maximum 2.3X magnification, there is still more than 50mm of working distance between the front element and the subject with 100/105mm macro lenses. This working distance is crucial when capturing behavior with skittish subjects.
High resolution was a primary design goal
of the SMC project. This has been achieved using computer aided
optimization and high grade optical glasses with unique refractive and
dispersion properties. Images taken with this new system exhibit very
high resolution and quality. Results have exceeded expectations, and
these images rival the quality of the macro lens in air.
The
Converter retains the optical properties of the macro lens for the
whole system underwater, resulting in a blurred (out of focus)
background that has a pleasing smoothness and creamy look, without the
normal purple and green fringing.
Due to the overall superior optical performance of the SMC it is possible to shoot larger apertures with excellent image quality. This avoids reaching the diffraction limit of high resolution sensors, and allows selective focus effects with narrow depth of field in super macro images.
Select your country and region to calculate shipping cost
