What a Reverse Ring Does for Your MFT Camera
A macro reverse ring lets you mount a lens backward onto your Micro Four Thirds camera body. The lens’s filter thread screws onto the ring, and the ring attaches to the camera mount. This reverses the lens optics, turning a standard lens into an extreme macro lens without buying a dedicated macro lens.
The Fotodiox Macro Reverse Ring for Micro Four Thirds is a simple metal adapter with no glass elements. Because no optical components are added, the image preserves the original optical quality of your lens. The ring is lightweight (0.4 oz) and all-metal, so it feels solid when mounted.
Setting Up the Reverse Ring on Your MFT Camera
The process is straightforward but requires attention to a few details because the connection is purely mechanical.
- Choose the correct filter thread size: The reverse ring is available in sizes from 37mm to 58mm. Check the filter thread diameter printed on your lens (often marked with a "Ø" symbol). Select the ring size that matches your lens’s filter thread. If your lens thread is larger, you can use a step-up ring to adapt it.
- Mount the ring to the lens: Screw the ring onto the lens’s filter thread as you would a filter. The ring has a precise 0.75 pitch thread for a secure fit.
- Attach the lens-ring assembly to the camera: Line up the ring’s bayonet mount with the camera’s Micro Four Thirds mount and twist to lock. The lens is now mounted in reverse on the camera.
- Set the camera to manual mode: Because the ring has no electrical contacts, autofocus and electronic aperture control will not work. Set your camera to manual or aperture priority (stop-down) mode. You’ll need to focus manually and set exposure yourself.
- Adjust focus and aperture manually: Use the lens’s manual focus ring. If your lens lacks a manual aperture ring, the aperture will revert to its default position (either fully open or fully stopped down, depending on the lens). Experiment with different lens lengths and distances to find the magnification you want.
Compatibility and Lens Choice
The reverse ring works with any Micro Four Thirds camera body. On the lens side, any lens with a filter thread can be used, regardless of its original mount. For example, you can mount a Nikon 52mm thread lens onto an Olympus MFT body. This flexibility makes the ring useful even if you own lenses from other systems.
However, there is an important limitation: lenses that rely on electronic power to engage the manual focus ring (often called "focus-by-wire" lenses, such as Canon STM or Nikon AF-P) will not be able to focus because the adapter does not supply power. Stick to lenses with a mechanical manual focus ring for reliable operation.
Product Facts
- Macro Reverse Ring for Micro Four Thirds - Camera Mount to Filter Thread Adapter for Olympus, Panasonic, BMPCC and other MFT Camera Mounts: All-metal construction, 0.4 oz weight, no optical insert. The metal build feels durable, and the lack of glass means your lens’s original optical quality is preserved. The light weight keeps the setup balanced.
Macro Reverse Ring for Micro Four Thirds - Camera Mount to Filter Thread Adapter for Olympus, Panasonic, BMPCC and other MFT Camera Mounts - Macro Reverse Ring for Micro Four Thirds - Camera Mount to Filter Thread Adapter for Olympus, Panasonic, BMPCC and other MFT Camera Mounts: Available in filter thread sizes 37mm, 40.5mm, 43mm, 46mm, 52mm, and 58mm. You can match the ring to your lens’s filter thread, or use step-up/step-down rings to adapt other sizes.
- Macro Reverse Ring for Micro Four Thirds - Camera Mount to Filter Thread Adapter for Olympus, Panasonic, BMPCC and other MFT Camera Mounts: No electrical contacts; requires manual focusing and manual or aperture priority exposure mode. This is the key trade-off: you lose automation but gain extreme close-up capability at a low cost.
