Macro photography without a macro lens - Hey LTP

[kenny]

This is a PSA thread for people with a SLR camera, film or digital, who don't have a macro lens but want to do close up work.

Macro lenses for SLRs are expensive.
There is an affordable way to get pretty good high magnification results with a standard lens by just turning it backwards.

You must buy an adaptor that screws into the filter side of your lens and has the compatible mount for your camera body.
The adaptors are around $40, much cheaper real macro lenses which run into hundreds of dollars, one is $1800.

The quality will not be as good as a true macro lens but I hear it's pretty good.
I have not tried this technique since I have a macro lens (actually three).

The adaptor ring below is the Nikon BR-2A, which is for lenses with a 52mm filter size.
Obviously if your filter size is different you must get a different adaptor.

Note, you lose auto focus and have to compose with the lens' aperture fully open, then stop it down for the exposure.
It may take a few shots to get the exposure correct.
But hey, want do you want for $40?

I'm not positve how well it works with today's zoom lenses that usually come with DSLRs but you can pick up a used 50mm f1.4 nikkor lens VERY cheap (probably under $50) for this purpose.
Nikon started making this lens 60 years ago so just buy an old one with no autofocus since that won't work backwards anyway.
Zillions of Nikons came new with this lens and owners sold them because they wanted other fancier lenses instead.

 

[kenny]

Here is what the set up looks like with the lens mounted backwards.
I did not take either of these pics.

 

[kenny]

Here's the adaptor you'd need for a lens with a 52mm filter size:

Link

Look up other sizes if needed.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Is this different from macro filters, like these? I think it is, anyway, but I''m a newbie when it comes to DSLRs.

And thanks for the info! As someone who does not have a macro lens, it''s much appreciated!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 7/1/2010 6:26:21 AM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
Is this different from macro filters, like these? I think it is, anyway, but I''m a newbie when it comes to DSLRs.


And thanks for the info! As someone who does not have a macro lens, it''s much appreciated!

Yes BEG - a filter attaches to the lens, whereas this turns the lens around so it''s essentially on backwards.

I''ve tried this technique without the adapter, and it''s pretty hard to get right, but if you do, it looks amazing.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 7/1/2010 8:10:14 AM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 7/1/2010 6:26:21 AM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Is this different from macro filters, like these? I think it is, anyway, but I''m a newbie when it comes to DSLRs.



And thanks for the info! As someone who does not have a macro lens, it''s much appreciated!

Yes BEG - a filter attaches to the lens, whereas this turns the lens around so it''s essentially on backwards.


I''ve tried this technique without the adapter, and it''s pretty hard to get right, but if you do, it looks amazing.

Whoa that is cool! Is it your watch face?

Would you recommend the reversing method versus the filters?

 

[PinkTower]

Monkey, Are you saying you did that w/o the adapter? How did you hold it on?

 

[kenny]

Those "filters" are introducing another magnifying optic into the light path.
I strongly suspect the resulting resolution and sharpness is quite a bit lower than reversing the original lens.
Also they introduce barrel and pincushion distortion which makes straight lines bend near the edges of the pic.
All these can actually get you cool creative effects but if you are going for clarity and sharpness they can't compare to a backwards normal lens or a real macro lens.

But they are certainly better than trying to blow up the image using a cropping tool on the computer.

 

[kenny]

I probably don't need to mention this but Nikon, Canon and other brands do NOT have the same lens mount.
You can't just put a Nikon lens (or reversing ring) on a Canon or other brand so be sure to get one that works on your brand of camera.

Some companies even changed their lens mounting design years ago (I think Canon changed from screw to bayonet) so do your homework if you plan to buy an old lens for your new body.
Naturally an old lens with an obsolete mounting design will still work backwards but you may want to be able to use it forwards too.

In fact an obsolete mount on an old lens will mean a veeeeeeeery low price.

Naturally there are probably third parties who make reversing rings and even less expensive lenses that will work.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 7/1/2010 8:21:59 AM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 7/1/2010 8:10:14 AM

Author: MonkeyPie

Yes BEG - a filter attaches to the lens, whereas this turns the lens around so it''s essentially on backwards.

I''ve tried this technique without the adapter, and it''s pretty hard to get right, but if you do, it looks amazing.

Whoa that is cool! Is it your watch face?

Would you recommend the reversing method versus the filters?

Yes, it''s my husband''s watch

Kinda funny, I didn''t do any post process on it - the way the sunlight was coming through the clouds changed it blue. So I kept it.

And I wouldn''t really recommend either way, because they both work well, except that the filters are cheap and can be stacked one on top of another, though it eventually makes your image look distorted and your "work space" gets smaller.

And PinkTower, I simply held it in place with my hand. It took a few tries! I kept getting blur and the lens kept sliding out of place. It was worth it.