Sony RX100 M4: Close-Up Experiences - Lensmate Adaper Tests

Introduction | Setting the Stage... | Sample Photos | References

This page and its companion pages discuss the macro, or better, close-up, abilities of the Sony RX100 M4. Although the camera has a macro mode (allowing shots from 5 cm), I would not call these photos "macros" and therefore use the term "close-up."

On this page, I present some experiments with close-up lenses at the Lensmate quick-change filter adapter. I use my 52 mm Marumi +5 and Dörr +10 achromats, which directly fit the adapter's filter holder. This page supersedes page Close-Up Experiences - Hand-held Close-up Lenses because the results shown here are more reliable.

Introduction

Since the lenses of the Sony RX100 models do not have a filter thread, I cannot use my existing close-up lenses with this camera. At least, I would have to buy some sort of "lens adapter" like the one that Sony sells (VFA-49R1), but, according to Sony, it fits only the models 1 and 2. In his book on the Sony RX100 M4, Alexander S. White mentions the Lensmate adapter for the Sony RX100 (all models). This seems to be the only option for using filters and close-up lenses at the moment, and has to be imported from the U.S.A. It costs about 25 $ (plus customs for Germany) as a kit (see below). I ordered this adapter kit (in its version for the models 3 to 5) plus five change adhesives at the beginning of October 2017, and received it on October 20 after it had passed the German customs (6.77 EUR taxes).

Setting the Stage...

The Achromats

Photos: Marumi +5 achromat (left) and Dörr +10 achromat

Please note that the Dörr achromat is part of the Dörr slide copier and not available on its own.

Photos: siocore +10 achromat with caps (left), caps off (center), and at the camera (right)

Weights: Dörr +10 = 85 g, Siocore +10 = 74 g , Marumi +5 = 58/59 g (all for a filter thread of 52 mm)

What Was Already Known...

When I measured the minimum object width for different zoom lengths (see here), I found out that only two zoom lengths are interesting for close-up shots, namely 24 mm and 70 mm (both equiv.). The latter provides a larger minimum object width (about 16 cm), but also a comfortable object distance of 30 cm. Adding hand-held close-up lenses to these tests (see here), I got the following results for the minimum object width for the Sony RX100 M4 and M1 (see here and here):

	Sony RX100 M1				Sony RX100 M4
Focal Length	Close-up Lenses Setup								Focal Length
Focal Length	None	M +5	2 x M +5	D +10	None	M +5	2 x M +5	D +10	Focal Length
28	80 mm	67 mm	53 mm	55 mm	100 mm	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	24
100	200-205 mm	62 mm	36 mm	37 mm	161-162 mm	68 mm	46? mm	46 mm	70

That is, at the telephoto end you get a minimum objects width of a little more than a postcard without a close-up lens, with a Marumi +5 achromat it is about 7 cm, and with a Dörr +10 achromat it is even below 5 cm. Thus, with any of these achromats you get a smaller minimum object width than with a focal length of 24 mm (equiv.) without a close-up lens. (A close-up lens would lead to very short distances at 24 mm (equiv.), which makes this set-up unusable.)

All this can be found here. For the newer siocore +10 achromat, see below.

New Test Shots Using a Ruler

Here are a few test shots at 70 mm equiv. using a ruler:


One Marumi +5 achromat (7.1 cm)	Two Marumi +5 achromats (4.5 cm)	Dörr +10 achromat (4.6 cm)

siocore +10 achromat (4.5 cm)	siocore +10 achromat (4.7 cm)	Marumi +5 and siocore +10 = +15 achromat (3.5 cm)

The +10 close-up lenses or lens combinations lead to about the same magnification, whereas for the Marumi +5 achromat alone, magnification is a little bit less than in the previous test. For the siocore +10 achromat, I got results between 4.5 and 4.7 cm, so that I can assume that it leads to about the same magnification as the other two solutions. Finally, I tested die Sony RX100 M4 with a Marumi +5 plus a siocore +10 achromat, that is, with a +15 achromat.

So this is my updated minimum object width table for the Sony RX100 M1 and M4:

Sony RX100 M1					Sony RX100 M4
Focal Length	Close-up Lenses Setup								Focal Length
Focal Length	None	+5	+10	+15	None	+5	+10	+15	Focal Length
28	80 mm	67 mm	55 mm	n.a.	100 mm	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	24
100	200-205 mm	60-62 mm	36-37 mm	26-27 mm	161-162 mm	68-71 mm	45-47 mm	35 mm	70

Measuring the distance to the object is somewhat difficult for me. Sony states a minimum distance of 30 cm for a focal length of 70 mm equiv., but this seems to mean that the distance is measured from the lens's control ring. Using this approach, the minimum distance is about 16 cm for a +5 close-up lens and 12 cm for +10 close-up lens. In practice, this is difficult to observe. In a later test, I therefore measured the minimum object distance from the front lens or front of close-up-lens.

And this is my minimum object distance table for the Sony RX100 M1 and M4, measured from the front lens or front of close-up-lens:

Sony RX100 M1					Sony RX100 M4
Focal Length	Close-up Lenses Setup								Focal Length
Focal Length	None	+5	+10	+15	None	+5	+10	+15	Focal Length
28	5 cm	6.7 cm	5.5 cm	n.a	100 mm	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	24
100	55 cm	13.5 cm	8.5 cm**	5.6 cm**	27.5/30* cm	11 cm	7.5 cm	5.2 cm	70

*) Given by Sony; **) crude estimates, all other values estimates

Summary Table RX100 M4

Focal Length	Minimum Object...	Close-up Lenses Setup
Focal Length	Minimum Object...	None	+5	+10	+15
24	Size >	100 mm	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
70	Size >	161-161 mm	68-71 mm	45-47 mm	35 mm
24	Distance >	5 cm	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
70	Distance >	27.5/30* cm	11 cm	7.5 cm**	5.2 cm**

*) Given by Sony; **) crude estimates, all other values estimates

Sample Photos

In the following, I simply show "real-world" test shots using different close-up lenses or combinations.

First Tests


Dörr +10 achromat	One Marumi +5 achromat	No close-up-lens (70 mm euqiv.)

Dörr +10 achromat	One Marumi +5 achromat	No close-up-lens (70 mm equiv.)

Real World Tests

Here, I set the minimum distance manually and tried to focus on the center of the flower.


siocore +10 achromat	Marumi +5 achromat	No close-up-lens 70 mm equiv.
	The photo at the bottom right shows that at 24 mm equiv. you get nearly the magnification that you get with a +5 close-up lens. The differences in perspective are not evident in this example.
	For comparison purposes >>	No close-up-lens 24 mm equiv.

Here, I did not check exactly whether I actually used the shortest possible distance...


siocore +10 achromat	Marumi +5 achromat	No close-up-lens

siocore +10 achromat	Marumi +5 achromat	No close-up-lens

Real World Photos

The following photos (April 2, 2018) were taken with a Marumi +5 achromat at 70 mm equiv., without much caring for maximum magnification.

References

Alexander S. White (2015). Photographer’s Guide to the Sony DSC-RX100 IV. White Knight Press, Henrico, Virginia (ISBN: 978-1937986476, paperback)
SONY RX100 V Quick Change Adapter Kit 52mm by Lensmate: lensmateonline.com/products/lensmate-rx100-iii-rx100-ii-rx100-quick-change-adapter-kit-52mm?variant=998641683