Different technics of macro
Macro photography is a procedure, during which you are trying to take close-up pictures at a rate 1:1, so that the subject is the same size on sensor as it is in real life.
There are different ways of taking macro photos.
Of course the easiest but the most expensive way is to buy a macro lens, most common have a 100mm, but there is also special Canon lens called MP-E 65mm, witch can make magnification between 1:1 and 5:1. Though, in a way it is a bit impractical, because you are only a few centimeters away from the subject. Also there is no AF, but most macro lenses use MF because the DOF is very thin and the camera does not know what you are trying to focus on.
There are also other ways of making macro photos, for instance using macro conversion lens or extension tubes. I use Raynox-250 conversion lens and considering reasonable price it is amazing. I use it on my Sigma 70-300 which can make images 1:2 but when putting on Raynox-250 it turns into a real macro lens. The only downside is that it often looses sharpness.
Extension tubes give you the extra mm but you loose some light when you are using them. Although when you use flash this isn’t a problem.
There are also other ways of making macro photos. I would like to introduce a more uncommonly way, which can be cheaper, but also at times also unpractical.
A lot of people have it but haven’t got the slightest clue they own it. With only about 90 € you can get magnification of about 3:1 by simply using a wide-angle lens and reverse it. I found this team on a forum and thought it was kind of funny but I tried it anyway. I reversed my kit lens and leaned it to my camera and the results were truly amazing. You can adjust the aperture on a reversed lens by fitting the lens normally, setting an aperture and then remove the lens whilst keeping the DOF preview button depressed. When setting a wider angle you get a better magnification than with a narrower angle.
There is also way to make extreme magnification but it costs a bit more. I was able to make bigger magnification than with MP-E 65, simply by putting on my Sigma 70-300 and at the end putting a KIT lens reverse on 18mm. It’s the same principle as using macro conversion lens. I also bought a ring that can attach both lenses together.
Here is an example of the size of biro.
Here is an example using Sigma on 300mm and Raynox-250
Here is an example using Sigma on 300mm and reversed Canon KIT lens on 18mm.
And here is an example of a biro, shot with Canon MP-E 65 at 5:1 magnification.
I would also like to thank Brian who provided me with this last photo and gave me some information about macro photography.
Hja, primerjaj še kvaliteto slike MP65 in ostalih variant. Res dobiš hude povečave, samo rezultati so bolj podobni zmazkom kot fotografijam – sploh s z dodanim kit objektivom. Pa saj drugače jasno ne more biti, če navežeš dva najcenejša in optično slabša lensa skupaj.
Zadnja slika je posneta z MP-E 65. V prihodnje bom verjetno nabavil Canon 50mm 1,4 tak da upam da bo boljša kvaliteta prišla.
Ja vem da je zadnja posneta z MP65, to sem v bistvu hotel povedati, da je zadnja proti ostalim kot noč in dan. Jasno mi je da takšne sicer zelo zanimive in cenovno ugodne “A je to” variante niso primerljive z namenskim makro objektivom, ampak pač s takimi fotkami, ki so čisto neostre si pa tudi ne moreš kaj dosti pomagati.
Sem pa recimo videl solidne narejene z navezo 70-200/4 in obrnjenim 50 1.8. Sicer se pa ve: kakšen 100 macro, pa cel kup macro obročkov. To najbrž daje najboljše rezultate, ni pa poceni…
Se bom mogo med počitnicami spravit malo delat da bo kaj ”ostrejšega” prišlo
Useful post.
I’ve taken some macros of red-veined darters (a kind of dragonfly), but just with an “out of fashion” Canon PowerShot S2 IS. It allows me taking pictures at almost zero distance, and surprisingly, these insects sometimes accept a camera at a 1 or 2 cm.