Macro on the cheap. Which way?

Nicos Rex · 6 Jul 2007 at 10:25

messiah khan said:
Would this not be a little long for portraits when taking the crop factor into account? As it would make it 157.5mm.

This week at work has turned my brain into cheese. As you well know I am a dinosaur who is unlikely to take crop factors into account at the best of times!

It is of course a superb portrait lens for 35mm film or full-frame DSLR, with the crop factor it would be a tad long.

robertgilbert86 · 6 Jul 2007 at 11:29

Thanks for all the advice guys, you have all made my decision much more difficult

I think auto extension tubes may be the way to go, because then I can use any lens with them and as pointed out above, I won't lose any optical quality. Then maybe if they are no good for insects I'll get a close-up filter.

I'm sure you'll see my results on here at some point!

Phate · 6 Jul 2007 at 12:05

I've ordered a Canon 50mm prime and a kenko extention tube set, hoping to do some Macro work with that, will let you know when I get it

aztechnology · 6 Jul 2007 at 21:11

Phate said:
I've ordered a Canon 50mm prime and a kenko extention tube set, hoping to do some Macro work with that, will let you know when I get it

I would say that if I was going to take lots of Macro shots, a dedicated lens is the way to go. Close up filters and Tubes are a faff...

yak.h'cir · 6 Jul 2007 at 22:19

aztechnology said:
I would say that if I was going to take lots of Macro shots, a dedicated lens is the way to go. Close up filters and Tubes are a faff...

Extension tubes work great with an actual macro lens + the 50mm f1.8 is a great lens on its own. The kit chosen should give reasonable near macro shots + it won't goto waste should he ever get a real lens

Amp34 · 6 Jul 2007 at 22:42

Slightly OT but is it possible to use two sets of extension tubes as one and be able to get even closer to a subject? Or will it cause problems?

Messiah Khan · 6 Jul 2007 at 22:45

Amp34 said:
Slightly OT but is it possible to use two sets of extension tubes as one and be able to get even closer to a subject? Or will it cause problems?

Yes, but your working distance will become massively reduced, and the focal point might actually end up inside the lens. The dof will also be silly small.

Amp34 · 6 Jul 2007 at 23:21

Good, I may have a pplay with another set sometime then.

Phate · 7 Jul 2007 at 12:55

aztechnology said:
I would say that if I was going to take lots of Macro shots, a dedicated lens is the way to go. Close up filters and Tubes are a faff...

Good thing I didn't buy the lens as a dedicated Macro lens then

- I bought it because of it's great price and I can see myself using it a lot, bought the extension tube kit to have a go at Macro.

If I get on with the 50mm prime, I can see myself getting more prime lens' in the future

robertgilbert86 · 19 Sep 2007 at 14:00

So I finally got some manual extension tubes off the 'bay. Here's what I got this morning using flash (-1.5ev), f22, 1/500s and the 50mm f1.8.

scoop · 19 Sep 2007 at 15:18

Nicos Rex said:
This week at work has turned my brain into cheese. As you well know I am a dinosaur who is unlikely to take crop factors into account at the best of times!

It is of course a superb portrait lens for 35mm film or full-frame DSLR, with the crop factor it would be a tad long.

I've tried using the Canon 100mm macro on a 30D for protraits in a local theatre and I have ot say it was a stunning lens for portraits, even with the crop factor.

Back on topic, however, I've also just got a set of tubes. Does anyone know of any useful tutorials/hints and tips out there on t'internet?

Sic · 19 Sep 2007 at 17:00

I just bought one of those MSN-202 raynox things. I'm going to stick it on my 50mm f/1.8, and maybe stack that on extension tubes. Don't know how well that'll work, if at all, but it should be fun to give it a go. Got a nice bright flash as well, so I should be ok