In Reply to: Need help of a nikonos close up outfit ? posted by Hank on August 30, 2006 at 17:20:16:

First off: What's the problem with the pictures? "hasn't had not
luck" covers a lot of different problems. Is the exposure off?
Are they out of focus? Something else?

Does the close-up kit have a lens that goes over the front of the
regular lens, or a spacer that moves the lens farther from the body?

If the former: The is what Nikon calls the close-up kit
Set the focus at MAX distance Set the aperture
to f/16 (for starters), set the shutter speed to 1/60 for starters. There should be three framers that go on the end of the rod. The
largest framer is for 28mm, middle size for 35 mm, smallest for
80ish mm (VERY rare lens)) Set the strobe to TTL.

If the latter: There will generally be two extension tubes
spacers and three framers in the set. The largest framer is for
the shorter extension tube. The middle size framer is for the
longer extension tube. The smallest framer is for both extension
tubes, but I don't know which tube goes on first, nor which tube
you bolt the framer to. Focus at MINIMUM distance, f/16, 1/60, TTL for starters.
The framers are different depending on which lens you are
using (but I've never seen framers for the 80ish mm).

In either case, you have a very narrow depth of focus (1/4" or
less) at the plane of the framer. Anything else will be out of
focus.

Which lens? The 28mm is a true water contact optic and is
sharper than the 35mm. But the 35mm lets you stay a bit farther
from the subject, and it's a bit easier to get light on the
subject.

Make sure you have good batteries in the camera, or the TTL
won't work. If you partially depress the shutter, and release
it, the LEDs in the viewfinder should blink at least 25 times,
IIRC, with a good battery.

See if you can find a copy of Jim and Cathy Church's book "The
Nikonos Handbook".