The Nikon P7100 is Nikon’s premier Point and Shoot camera.  Point and shoot is an oversimplification because the camera does offer raw image format for better post processing and a viewfinder which is often useful in bright sunlight.  It is also one of the few compacts designed to accept filters and accessory lenses easily.  While Nikon makes only one accessory lens, the WC-E75 wide angle converter, there are a number of third party providers with other lenses.  I have the WC-E75 and the Raynox 15o macro converter.  Both require an adapter tube for operation.  The WC-E75 is designed to work with the Nikon UR-E22 and the Raynox uses a pinch type filter mount and will work with any adapter.

The photo on the left here shows a generic Polaroid branded mounting tube with the Raynox mounted and the Nikon UR-E22/WC-E75 combination.  The right photo  shows the Raynox ‘macroscopic’ lens with it’s pinch mount.  The base of both tubes is the same.  It has a bayonet type mount that surrounds the P7100 lens.  You simply remove the cosmetic ring that covers the mount and place the tube on it.  Once on, they look like this.

Raynox on the left, Nikon on the right.  There is a difference in the mounting tubes.  The generic tubes come in two pieces and allow the camera lens to be zoomed.  When the shorter one piece Nikon UR-E22 is mounted, the lens is retracted to it’s wide angle position.  There is a reason for this.  If you click on the picture above, you will see that the fixed zoom of the P7100 is almost touching the back of the wide angle converter.  Attempting to zoom with that on the camera could cause damage to the lenses or zoom and focus motors.  The WC-E75 turns the 28mm wide angle position of the P7100 into a 20mm equivalent.

Using the Raynox is equally simple.  Just put the tubes on the  camera and put the Raynox 150 on the end of the tubes.  Unlike the UR-E22, these tubes allow you to use the zoom capability.  It is in two pieces so that at the wider end, you can still use filters if desired.  That isn’t necessary for the macro adapter though because you will normally be shooting at the long end.  Shooting at the short end doesn’t give you much magnification and does produce a lot of vignetting.  Here are two shots at 28mm and 200mm equivalents using the Raynox.  There is actually an ant in both pictures.

The vignetting and lack  of magnification at wide angle is obvious.  The raynox does not give the high quality of a good macro lens but, for non interchangeable lens cameras, it’s two element design is about as good as it can get.  The pinch mount also means that you can use it on other lenses.  Here is a shot of Spanish Needle seeds straight out of the camera and cropped for more detail.  The individual seeds are about 1/4 inch long.

I am happy with the combination and it’s easy enough to carry around in a jacket pocket.  Even easier in a small belt bag.