Category Archives: Macro

Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 7 – The Forgotten

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Well I have to revisit this series which I thought was complete. Al Williams (see his photography blog) contacted me to remind me that there is another way to take macro photos which I hadn’t mentioned at all, close up filters!

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters

Close Up Filters

Close Up filters are actually lenses which mount to your regular lens via the filter mount. There are a few different types available. They provide extra magnification without altering too much else. The filters are available in various levels of magnification, various sizes, and all kinds of quality levels (and prices too). The most popular type I have seen discussed is the Raynox DCR-150 and DCR-250. These are high quality lenses which have a quick mount/dismount clip rather than the standard threaded mount for the lens. The Raynox lenses are not available in varying sizes though, so you are somewhat limited as to which lenses they can be mounted to. The standard screw mount filter was very popular in the past, so it can be quite easy to find a “set” 2nd hand. A set of close up filters is usually made up of 3 filters, all the same filter size, but in varying amounts of magnification. These filters can be used individually or in combination to get various levels of magnification.

Image Quality

I have never tested a set of close up filters myself. I do have reservations about the loss of image quality which may occur when using these lenses. Having said that, the loss in quality from a high quality filter/lens should be no more than the loss you get from using a UV filter. When looking to buy a filter (or a set) I would recommend paying some extra money, and sticking to the well known brands. I would imagine that when using the “set” of filters, combining all 3 may result in a noticable loss of quality (after all it is 3 more lenses for the light to pass through) but if it provides the magnification required then its more than good enough. These sets of filters are usually numbered based on the amount of magnification they give. A typical set consists of a #1, #2 and #4 filter, where #4 gives the most magnification.

Al’s Shots

Al not only told me to get my finger out and stop forgetting stuff, he even kindly offered to take some photos using his set of close up filters, and share them with you on the blog. So here they are. You can see other shots Al has taken on his flickr account. All shots were taken with the Pentax SMC M 50mm f2.0 lens @ f8.0, 1/15 sec and ISO 500 and at minimum focusing distance.

Lens only (no filter)
With Close Up Filter #1
Vivtar Close Up Filter #2
Vivitar Close Up Filter #4
Vivitar Close Up Filters #1 & #2
Vivitar Close Up Filters #1, #2 & #4

As you can see, the magnification differs quite a lot between the filters, and the combinations of filters. So there is yet another way to take some great macro photos. Big thanks to Al for pointing out my error in missing this option, and even bigger thanks for providing the images.

Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 6 – The End

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This is the 6th and final post in the macro photography techniques thread. Once I get some more results with my external flash macro shots I will add flash information to the series.

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters

How Do You Combine?

When I say combining techniques, I’m referring to a few options, I will give each a small write up.

Teleconverters and Reversed Lenses

This is a method I only tried very recently, it gives huge amounts of magnification, very short working distances, but very cool shots are possible. This method involves mounting a teleconverter to your body, then mounting your reversed lens to your teleconverter. You effectively double the magnification you get from the reversed lens setup. The trade offs in this case are, losing 2 stops of light (assuming a 2x teleconverter), short working distance (distance from lens to subject), tiny depth of field and extreme magnification (this makes it hard to frame handheld, as tiny movements result in big shifts in composition). I was put onto this method by this guy. Check out his flickr for some truely amazing macro photography. He combines various techniques involving off camera flash, reversed lenses, teleconverters, bellows, extension tubes and focus stacking.

Extension Tubes or Bellows and Reversed Lenses

This is a similar method to the previous. If you mount your reversed lens onto a set of extension tubes (or bellows), you will increase your magnification. The same trade offs apply as with the previous method, loss of light, shorter working distances, smaller depth of field, and larger magnification. This is not a method I have personally tried, but I know it works as I have seen the results!

Combine The Above

So what about a set of tubes or bellows, then a teleconverter, then a reversed lens? Well imagine the magnification!!!!! But the working distance might become so short, that the subject would actually have to be INSIDE the lens. This is obviously not possible, so take care you aren’t going for too much magnification.

What About A Macro Lens?

You can very easily use a macro lens in the above methods, instead of using the reversed lens. Either method (or both) will allow greater than 1:1 magnification for those super close shots.

Would You Believe It?

As I am typing out this post, a baby gecko appeared on my window sill. Naturally (with macro on the mind) I grabbed the camera off the desk, grabbed the 28mm with reverse adapter already mounted from the drawer and took his photo. I will be sure to post the shot when I am able to process it fully. As a side note, I discovered a new little trick. It will work with K mount lenses, but I’m not sure if it will work with others. On the back of the lens is a small lever, this is what the body uses to actuate the aperture for wide open focusing, stop down shooting. If you are careful about how you hold the lens, you are able to actuate this lever with a finger, to give the same effect. The gecko was sitting on a white windowsill, with a very close working distance and onboard flash at full power (it always fires full power with non “A” lenses) I needed to stop all the way down to f22.0. At f22.0 the viewfinder is basically completely black so this little trick allowed me to get the shot I wanted.

Result

Here is a shot I took using a reverse mounted 28mm lens, a 2x teleconverter, and the onboard flash. This insect was less than 10mm long, so you see the huge magnification this combination allows.

 

ISO 100, probably around f16 aperture, 1/180 sec, onboard flash

The End

Thanks for reading the final post in this series (for now). If there are other methods you would like me to cover then let me know however you can, and I’ll get onto it! And don’t forget to keep an eye out for some shots of the baby gecko.

Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 5

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This post in my macro techniques series will cover the other methods, which I haven’t covered yet. But first here are a couple of pictures of a reversed lens (a Pentax SMC “M” 28mm f2.8) mounted on my K200D, and a picture of the reverse mount adapter.

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters

Other Methods…

There are of course other methods of taking macro photos, which I have not yet covered, the main reason for that is I have not tried them! I don’t want to limit your macro photography methods just by what I’ve done.

A Macro Lens

The most obvious technique I have not mentioned is a true macro lens. A macro lens is a lens which allows 1:1 magnification. Some popular examples are the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro, Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro, Pentax D-FA 100mm f2.8 Macro, Sigma 70mm f2.8 Macro, Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro, Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro and so on. There are also many very good older options, which are manual focus only, so do some research before you buy into this option. The only real downside to this option is the cost. A good Macro lens will set you back at least $300 (even for a manual focus one). This is the only reason I haven’t got 1 myself, although it is on the “One Day” list.

When using a full macro lens the same focusing techniques can be applied. You can set the focus on the lens to the magnification you want (1:1 or 2:1 etc) then physically move closer to, or further from your subject until it is in focus. If your macro lens has Autofocus, this can be of some help, but remember when working with extreme close up photography, the Depth of Field is VERY small, so a slight movement of the camera after focusing can result in out of focus photos. Also the Autofocus sensor in your camera may report the centre to be in focus, but what is really in the centre of the shot? Is it the eyes of your insect subject, or just its wing? For this reason I would still recommend manual focus.

The Good

The good thing about this option is its very simple to use, and you get a great portrait lens for free! (although some may argue macro lenses are a bit TOO sharp for portraits…). It means you can concentrate more on your composition, finding the things to photograph and perfecting your exposure.

Aperture and Flash Again

Again with a macro lens, you will have a very narrow depth of field, as you are so close to the subject. This means you will want to be using a very small aperture, probably around f22 in a lot of cases. So a flash is always a good option. A tall hot-shoe mounted flash pointing down at the subject can work well, or you could point it up and use a reflector of some kind to direct the light output down towards the subject. Another option is to use an off camera flash, off to the side of the subject, again either pointed down towards it, or up with a reflector. If pointing the flash directly at the subject, a large diffuser of some kind is a good option to soften the light and shadows cast.

Examples?

As I have already mentioned, this isnt a method I have used, as I don’t have, or have access to a macro lens. The best I can do is post a shot I took with a friend’s Carl Ziess Flektogon 35mm f2.4 lens, which focuses down to 2:1 magnification. I borrowed the lens for a walk in the Roma St Parklands, while composing another shot, this fly landed right next to me on the wall I was sitting on, so he became the new subject.

 

Carl Ziess 35mm f2.4 @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, minimum focus distance (2:1 magnification)

Get out shooting, and enjoy!

Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 4

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The 4th installment of the macro photography techniques series will cover reversed lenses, and my experience using a reversed lens. A reversed wide angle lens can give very high magnification.

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters

Reversing Your Lens

The idea behind a reversed lens, is to use a wide lens (I use my Pentax M 28mm) because it is designed to take a large image, and project it onto a small spot (the sensor). If you reverse that lens, it is then taking a small image and projecting it onto a large area. To reverse your lens you will need a reversing adapter. This adapter has a standard lens mount on it, and a thread mount on the other. You need to get a thread mount in the correct size for the lens (or lenses) you wish to reverse. My Pentax M 28mm has a 49mm filter thread, so I needed a 49mm Pentax K reverse mount.

To mount your lens, you simply screw the adapter into the filter thread of your lens, then mount the lens using the adapter’s K mount (or whatever mount you are using).

Aperture?

When using a reversed lens, there is no way for the camera to operate the aperture of your lens, so you will want to use a lens which has an aperture ring that allows you to set the desired aperture. Some of the newer digital lenses do not allow this.
The second problem this can cause, is if you want to use a smaller aperture (larger f-stop number) it will be very dark to look through the viewfinder, this can make composing and focusing your shot very difficult. This is one of the drawbacks of using the reversed lens method.

Focusing

This method of macro photography will require a very close working distance. Working distance is distance from the subject to the lens. So be prepared to get down and really get in close to your subjects. The other thing it means is a very very narrow depth of field, sometimes it can be so narrow you will find it hard to get something in focus.

To focus with a reversed lens I still use the handheld, moving back and fowards method I described in Part 1, however, I take many more photos of a single subject than I would using the other methods. This is because the viewfinder is often dark (I try to use the smallest aperture I can get away with) and because the depth of field is so narrow. The hope is that at least 1 of the photos I take of any particular subject will have the focus in the correct position.

Results

Here are a couple of photos taken using this technique. You will notice the high magnification of these subjects, this is the power of the reversed lens.

reversed 28mm lens, ISO 100, f11 or so from memory, 1/180 sec, onboard flash fired.
Reversed 28mm lens, ISO 400, f4 or 5.6 from memory, 1/400 sec
UPDATE: I have added some shots of my Pentax SMC M 28mm f2.8 lens reverse mounted on my K200D, and a photo of the reversing adapter itself to my Part 5 post
Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 3

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The 3rd installment of the series will cover the use of extension tubes. Again this is a method which requires an extra piece of equipment, but again it is something which can often be acquired quite cheaply.

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters

Extension Tubes with a Fast Lens

First off, lets talk about what extension tubes are. Extension tubes are a simple device which mounts between the camera body and the lens. They contain no optical elements (where a teleconverter does). All they do is modify the register distance (distance from the lens to the sensor or film plane) which means the minimum focus distance of the lens becomes much less, as does the maximum focus distance for that matter. You can no longer focus to infinity with a lens mounted on extension tubes. Moving the lens further from the sensor or film plane also results in a loss of light. This is why I recommend using a fast lens when using extension tubes. The exact amount of light you will lose will depend on the thickness of the tubes (or how far from the sensor plane you move the lens).

Types of Tubes

There are 2 main types of extension tubes. There are those which operate the lens’ aperture mechanism, and those which do not. The most commonly found is the type that do not. These are often sold very cheaply on ebay, and come in 5 parts. A body mount, a lens mount, and 3 extensions of various sizes. These work just fine, however, if you want to stop the lens down (and you will, to get more depth of field) these can become quite hard to use. If you stop down the lens, you will notice the view finder darkens significantly, to the point where focusing, and even just composition of a shot becomes hard or even impossible.

I recommend spending a little extra on your extension tubes, and getting the “Auto” type. This means that the extension tubes allow the camera body to still operate the lens aperture through the tubes. This allows you to focus/compose the shot with the lens wide open (as happens with the lens mounted normally) and then the body closes the aperture just as the shot is taken. I have a set of these extension tubes, made by Vivitar for Pentax K mount.

Bellows?

Bellows, what are they? Bellows are basically a very large, length adjustable extension tube. They allow for heaps of magnification, but are heavy and awkward to use. I have not personally used a set of bellows, nor do I see myself using a set of bellows as I like to be mobile. However, keep them in mind.

Which Lens

As mentioned earlier, I recommend using a fast lens which extension tubes, as it allows you to focus and compose more easily after you have lost light from the tubes themselves. Something to keep in mind is, the shorter the focal length of the lens, the more magnification you get from an extension tube. For example, my extension tubes are sized as follows; 12mm, 20mm and 36mm. If I use the largest tube (36mm) with my 50mm lens, I get extra magnification, but if I use the same tube with my 28mm lens, I will get greater than 1:1 magnification! A good approximate rule is, to get 1:1 use the same length of extension tubes as the focal length of the lens. This guideline only applies to lenses which are not extremely close focusing already (like the CZ Flektogon 35mm f2.4 which already focuses to 1:2 magnification, 35mm of tubes will get greater than 1:1 on this lens).

I have successfully used my 50mm f1.7 lens, 50mm f2.0 lens and 28mm f2.8 lens with extension tubes.

Focusing

As before, focusing is best achieved by moving yourself and the camera and lens closer to, and further away from the subject as required, rather than using the focusing ring. See Part 1 for a full description.

Results

Here are some photos taken using my extension tubes. Dont forget to share yours in the comments

50mm f1.7 lens, all 3 extension tubes, ISO 100, 1/180 sec, f11.0, onboard flash. These are aphids, the big one is an ant.

 

50mm f1.7 lens, 36mm extension tube, ISO 100, 1/180 sec, f11.0, onboard flash
Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 2

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This is the 2nd technique I’ve used when taking macro photos (also the one I’ve used the most).

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters

Teleconverter with a Close Focus Lens

This technique requires a teleconverter. A teleconverter is an accessory which mounts between your camera and your lens. The effect is increase of focal length. In this case you will probably want a 2x Teleconverter, which is designed to double the effective focal length of your lens. However it does not change the minimum focus distance, so you end up with the same lens, focusing at the same distance, but you get twice the magnification of the image. You can also get Macro Focusing Teleconverters (such as this) which have their own focusing ring, and allow extra magnification, and a good level of control over the magnification.

Drawbacks? Of Course…

The downside of this technique is that a 2x teleconverter, while doubling your effective focal length, it also reduces the effective aperture (incoming light) by 2 stops. So if your kit lens happens to be a Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6, and you are wanting to get maximum magnification (55mm @ minimum focus distance) adding a 2x teleconverter will mean that the lens (wide open, where it is a bit softer) becomes 110mm at f11.2. So in order to get a fast shutter speed you will need either high ISO (noisy) or a flash. I have had very good success just using the onboard flash though.

A teleconverter will also exaggerate any quality problems in the lens you are using. If you lens is a bit soft, it will be twice as soft using the 2x teleconverter. So you must be cautious about how you use it. This is where using a flash is also helpful, as it allows you to use a smaller aperture, which will mean the lens is going to be closer to its sweet spot for sharpness.

Another obvious drawback is that you need an extra piece of equipment. I was able to acquire an older 2x teleconverter to fit Pentax K mount on ebay for about $15. It has no “A” contacts (for camera autoexposure) or autofocus. Ideally you would want to have the “A” contacts for auto exposure, however, auto focusing is not required for this technique as you will be using manual focus mode set to minimum focus distance anyway.

Focusing

The same method for focusing is used as for the previous technique. You can read up on that here, in Part 1.

Results

Here are a couple of photos taken using this technique, including settings.

SMC F 35-70mm @ 70mm (effective 140mm), f11 (effective f22), 1/180 sec, ISO 200, onboard flash
SMC F 35-70mm @ 70mm (effective 140mm), f16 (effective f32), 1/20 sec (this should be shorter), ISO 400, onboard flash
SMC F 35-70mm @ 70mm (effective 140mm), f11 (effective f22), 1/180 sec, ISO 200, onboard flash

For those of you who already have teleconverters, why not give this technique a try, and post up the results in the comments.

Macro

Macro Photography Techniques – Part 1

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This is the start of a series of posts on Macro Photography Techniques which I have successfully used. Each part will be a different technique. Feel free to add any ideas you have as comments, and also to post your macro’s if you have used the techniques before, or after you go and try it!

Macro Photography Techniques

  1. Close Focus Lens
  2. Teleconverters
  3. Extension Tubes
  4. Reversed Lenses
  5. Macro Lens
  6. Combining Techniques
  7. Close Up Filters


The Close Focus Lens

The first technique in the series will be the most obvious one, a close focus lens. A close focus lens is a lens which focuses quite closely, but is not a true macro lens. For example, the Pentax standard kit lens is the SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6. This lens focuses down to 25cm, which (at 55mm focal length, fully zoomed in) gives a reproduction ratio of around 1:2.9. A true macro lens will allow focusing down to a 1:1 ratio (older Macro lesnes are actually only 1:2). Even with 1 of these types of lenses some great macro shots can be created. Most DSLR owners will have a close focusing lens as most kit lenses are close focusing so its a technique anyone can try (and most would have).

Getting The Most From It – Focusing

The key with a close focus lens is being able to focus on something, with the sensor plane as close as possible to the subject. You need to make sure you are at that minimum focusing distance when you take the shot to get the maximum possible magnification from your lens. The easiest way to do that, is to set your camera (or lens, depending on model) to manual focus, and set the focus manually to the minimum focus distance. Once you have done that, all you need to do is to get nice and close to your subject, and focus by moving the camera (and probably yourself too) further away from, or closer to the subject as required. This will mean you get the maximum magnification because the lens is pre-set to the closest possible focus point. By moving the camera you move the subject into the correct distance and into focus.

This is the focusing technique I use for all my macro photography, so will apply across this whole post series. To help you achieve correct focus most cameras will have a focus confirmation of some kind, even in manual focus mode. Pentax cameras have a focus confirmation beep (which can be disabled) as well as a green hexagon displayed in the view finder once focus is confirmed. However, when using manual focus only the centre focus point can be used, so you must point the centre of the frame at the subject while focusing.

Depth Of Field – It’s Too Narrow!

With macro photography narrow depth of field can become an issue. When you are so close to your subject, and have a longish focal length, it will cause your depth of field to become very narrow. The only way to increase it is to use a smaller aperture (larger f number, eg f22). This will make your shots very dark, or your shutter speeds very long. To overcome this, you could use a flash. An off camera flash is preferred, but the on camera flash can work just fine too, especially with a reflector (I’ll explain that in a later post).

What this means for you, is (as always) the photo becomes a balancing act between shutter speed (fast to avoid blur), aperture (small to get the DOF you want) and ISO (low to avoid noise).

The Results

Here are a few shots I have taken using this method. Including the settings used.

SMC M 28mm f2.8 @ min. focus + cropped – ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f4.0 (from memory)
Tokina RMC 70-210mm f3.5 @ 210mm min. focus + cropped, ISO 200, 1/640 sec, f3.5

Time to get out and take some macros. Don’t forget to post the results in the comments section. Stay tuned for the rest of the posts in this series.