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Going macro - options??? (2 Viewers)

Jhanlon

Well-known member
I've been photographing plenty of insects over the years and have always found the macro facility on various compact cameras pretty good. My iPhone also goes in very close (a clip-on I haven't tried much yet takes it even closer) but the phone has a rather small sensor. Now I'd like to improve the quality of these shots.

So I've been considering a macro lens. I'm not sure I want to shell out a few hundred quid for one when there seems to be some cheap alternatives to use in conjunction with my existing equipment (Canon 7D Mki with 100-400mm zoom & also 40mm pancake lens that I've started using for digiscoping.). The zoom lens BTW has a close focus of 1.8m.

I've heard of macro filters & extension tubes but know little about them. Are they any good (which ones?) and would they work OK with my gear? Any other cheap accessories worth considering with my current set up?

Thanks for any help you can give :t:
 
Close-up filters are relatively inexpensive (though I would have my doubts about the quality of the really cheap sets) and easy to use. They come in different strengths each offering a different focussing range. All the normal camera functions are maintained.
Extension tubes don’t add a bit of cheap glass to the optical path but reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor thereby reducing the effective aperture. If you wish to retain the auto features of your lens you will need more expensive tubes.
Whichever you use you will not be able to focus at the infinity end of the scale when they are attached.
I don’t know anything about your 100-400 lens, so perhaps a user can say whether the IQ will still be acceptable with either solution.
Bill
 
The issue with the 100-400 (I have the same lens) is that the minimum focusing distance is just too great for macro. I'm pretty sure extension tubes will bring it down, but it's just too big and heavy for good stability.

I've also been researching a lens for macro, and from reviews I've read, the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 at-x has a good reputation, and isn't that expensive.
 
Thanks for these replies. I'm not keen enough yet to shell out for any of those lenses as they seem to be around £300-500 when I think there are cheaper accessories that might work with one of the lenses I have (of course I may graduate to these in the future, but want to try other options first).

So the options for me are still filter/ tubes or what about something like a 1.4x tc on the 40mm? Keen to hear from anyone who has tried these accessories/ combinations.
 
OK cheers, will have a think about it. Doesn't seem to be much support for the cheaper add-ons like the filters, then.

I've always been reluctant since I borrowed one from a BF member to photograph a baby newt and realised the pics were not much better than my own (taken with a basic compact). 'Who needs macro?' he laughed when we compared the shots!
 
OK cheers, will have a think about it. Doesn't seem to be much support for the cheaper add-ons like the filters, then.

I've always been reluctant since I borrowed one from a BF member to photograph a baby newt and realised the pics were not much better than my own (taken with a basic compact). 'Who needs macro?' he laughed when we compared the shots!

Personally James, I'd definitely skip the filters. Splash the cash on the mark ii Canon and you hardly need a macro lens! Only the cost of a few of island twitches. ;-)

For cheaper options many superzooms, such as the HS50, make excellent macro cameras, and are great for when you can't be bothered to lug the the SLR about. So, although a few hundred quid, they would have a birding use too. Otherwise the Tamron is a great budget buy second hand. You're welcome to have a go with mine if you fancy a trip across the county border.

I've just splashed out £250 on a macro flash so I'll be out taking macro shots this weekend, rare birds allowing.
 
Personally James, I'd definitely skip the filters. Splash the cash on the mark ii Canon and you hardly need a macro lens! Only the cost of a few of island twitches. ;-)

For cheaper options many superzooms, such as the HS50, make excellent macro cameras, and are great for when you can't be bothered to lug the the SLR about. So, although a few hundred quid, they would have a birding use too. Otherwise the Tamron is a great budget buy second hand. You're welcome to have a go with mine if you fancy a trip across the county border.

I've just splashed out £250 on a macro flash so I'll be out taking macro shots this weekend, rare birds allowing.



Thanks Steve, will have a think about that. Superzoom may be the way to go as I don't want to lug about extra kit. I have an old SX50 which surprisingly I haven't tried for anything close-up. I guess I should fully test what I have first!

Perhaps one day there will be a good all-in-one camera, a superzoom with 8x mag, small enough to fit in a coat pocket that offers image quality approaching that of a DSLR and a good macro facility to boot. We can dream... B :)
 
Thanks Steve, will have a think about that. Superzoom may be the way to go as I don't want to lug about extra kit. I have an old SX50 which surprisingly I haven't tried for anything close-up. I guess I should fully test what I have first!

Perhaps one day there will be a good all-in-one camera, a superzoom with 8x mag, small enough to fit in a coat pocket that offers image quality approaching that of a DSLR and a good macro facility to boot. We can dream... B :)
Definitely try it for close ups. When set to macro it can focus extremely close, when zoomed out, and it has some advantages over a 7D in that the screen can be flipped out which avoids the contortions sometimes necessary for macro shots. In good light it is very nearly as good as an SLR. The internal flash works as a reasonable macro flash in poorer light.
 
Another option is the Oly TG-4 (or the new TG-5) with 'in camera' focus stacking and a 1 cm closest focussing distance. Options of led light guide ring illumination or flash light guide ring illumination using simple adaptors. (Early reviewers only had the LED unit.)

This review carries on down the page a long way and links into three further parts: a two part field test and a conclusion.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/olympus-tg-4/olympus-tg-4A.HTM

I can do much the same thing with my E-M1 and 60mm macro lens, however with the TG-5 on the way, the TG-4 is available for less than the 60mm lens on its own.

It won't suit everyone, but it is certainly an option.

The fixed screen is not ideal, but the other attributes make up for it. Using the light guides is easy as long as you locate all the menu items required to make them work.

Like all Olympus cameras you can configure it to swing upside down from its perch, hanging by one claw while whistling Dixie, but this flexibility comes at a price, fortunately not monetary in this case.
 
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An upstart Chinese company has designed and is now manufacturing 2 macro lenses like no other, the Laowa 60mm 2X macro and a 15mm 1X macro lens. I bought them in Sony A-mount because my A77II has both in-body stabilization and focus peaking. Otherwise, I’m a Nikon shooter but you can’t beat these lenses for macro work.
 
macro

i use a sony a77 mk11 for macro i use a sony 50mm 1.8 and a old cosina macro lens that came with a 1 to 1 matched macro adapter, the adapter fits the sony and is good for bigger insects, on the cosina it is good for small insects but is slow and noisy and i wouldn't be without it. both lens about £50 off ebay but you need to get one with the adapter. you can see if results are good enough on my flickr page.
 
Extension tubes are usually a good and inexpensive way to start playing with macro photography. As is using the old reversing a 50mm prime lens trick. But if you want true 1:1 youre going to have to get a dedicated macro lens. Seeing as how you have a crop sensor Canon body, I believe there is an EF-S macro lens that Canon makes thatll give you the 1:1 ratio.
 
An upstart Chinese company has designed and is now manufacturing 2 macro lenses like no other, the Laowa 60mm 2X macro and a 15mm 1X macro lens. I bought them in Sony A-mount because my A77II has both in-body stabilization and focus peaking. Otherwise, I’m a Nikon shooter but you can’t beat these lenses for macro work.

I’ve just got the 60mm and so far I’m very impressed. My other macro lenses are the Canon 100mm L and the Sigma 150.
 
I started out using close-up filters many years ago but soon gave up using them as they were never on the lens when I wanted them there and by the time I had taken off the protection filter and put on one or two close-up filters, the butterfly or dragonfly had gone. Same goes for extension tubes. If you are photographing flowers then the time taken to fit filters isn't so much a factor unless you are racing to make use of the light falling on the flower right now. But even then swapping filters is awkward. If you have two close-ups and you need to unscrew the protection filter, you end up juggling fliters and filter cases which is frustrating.

I use Canon 100L IS these days but Tamrons and Sigmas are great value and anything in the 90 - 105mm range can be useful for parts of landscapes and for portraits.

Lee
 

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