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Do you need macro lens?
Minolta Maxxum 9xi, Tokina 80-200mm f-2.8 ATX, Fuji Velvia 50, Bogen
tripod and ball head.
Multi-segment metering, 1/125 sec at f-8. Aperture priority and manual focus.
You might have heard that you need macro
lenses in order to do close-up photography. This is not true. The only
difference between macro lenses and other type of lenses is that macros can
focus closer all by themselves, usually to half or life-size magnifications.
Life-size means that a subject recorded on film will have the same size as
in real life. Macro lenses are more corrected for close-up work, but this is
only important for copying flat art work or when making duplicate slides.
Macro lenses can also be used for any other type of photography including
portraits, landscape, and architectural with excellent results. You may own
some zooms with macro setting either at shorter or longer end of the zoom. I
don't consider these type of zooms macros. The magnification you get with
macro zooms is usually quarter life-size or less. To me a macro lens should
focus down to at least half life-size. Some wide-angle zooms have their
macro setting at the widest focal length. This is a big problem since
working distance becomes very limited.
If you plan on doing a lot of close-up photography, I suggest purchasing a
macro lens. The only reason is convenience. You can attach your macro lens
to the camera and start composing. You can easily increase or decrease
magnification as you like. Macro lenses are available in 50mm, 100mm, and
200mm focal lengths, although 180mm versions are available by Sigma. Nikon
also makes 70-180mm macro zoom. Buy a macro lens with life-size capability.
Also avoid 50mm versions because of their short working distance. 100mm and
200mm macro lenses provide more working distance than 50mm lenses. Many
insects for example, won't allow close approach, so you need to stay back
and still be able to get high magnification results. If you can afford a
200mm macro lens and don't mind the size and weight, buy this macro lens.
You get plenty of working distance and all the magnification you'll need.
Currently Canon, Nikon, Minolta, and Pentax make 200mm macro lenses with
life-size capability. All four models also include tripod collars for quick
vertical shots. 100mm macros are a great compromise. They are more
affordable and still provide good working distance. I do a lot of close-up
photography of insects and own a 100mm macro lens. I need this lens for the
same reason I need my 300mm lens. I use my 300mm lens for larger wildlife
and my 100mm macro lens for smaller wildlife.
If you want to do some close-up work, you don't need to purchase macro
lenses. Try a medium telephoto lens or 80-200mm and 75-300mm zooms with
extension tubes. Extension tubes are attached between the camera and lens.
Tubes don't have any glass built into them and only create some space
between the camera and lens which make lenses focus closer. How much
magnification you obtain, depends on the lens and extension tubes. Remember
this formula: Magnification= Extension/lens focal length.
As you can see, a 50mm lens needs only 50mm of extension to reach life-size,
but a 100mm requires 100mm of extension. Macro lenses already have this
extension built into them. You can purchase tubes and use them on any lens
for close-up photography. Best results are obtained with short to medium
telephotos. Tubes are sold singly or in set of three. A 28-70mm zoom for
example, set at 70mm with 70mm of extension tube give you life-size images.
You won't always shoot at very high magnifications. Your 80-200mm and a
single 35mm extension tube for instance, will be enough for most flower
photography. My favorite combination for photographing flowers is my 200mm
or 80-200mm zoom with extension tubes. I prefer this combination over my
100mm macro lens. Longer focal length lenses produce nice out of focus
background and make the flowers standout. You can also use teleconverters
with extension tubes to gain more magnification. For example, use a 35mm
extension tube with your 28-70mm lens set at 70mm and you are at half-life
size. Attach a 2X teleconverter behind the tube and you magnify the image by
2X to reach life-size. You must first attach the tube to your lens or you
loose magnification. Remember the formula I mentioned above? If you attach a
2X teleconverter to your lens, you increase focal length. Your 28-70mm zoom
becomes 56-140mm. Set the lens to 140mm setting and you need 140mm of
extension tube to reach life size. By attaching your extension tube to the
lens and placing the teleconverter behind it, you gain more magnification.
There is some loss of light with extension tubes. It depends on the
extension tube and lens in use.
Minolta Maxxum 9000, 24-50mm f-4 with extension tubes, Fuji Velvia 50, Bogen
tripod and ball head. 1/15 sec at f-16. Aperture priority and manual focus.
You can also use close-up filters for some close-ups. Stay with+1 to +3
filters and medium telephotos. Magnification is limited with filters and
loss of sharpness will be noticeable at wider apertures. The best method is
extension tubes. You don't have to own macro lenses to take quality close-up
shots. Any quality short to medium lens with extension tubes will work just
fine. Tubes are inexpensive and easy to carry. The best buy is Kenko
extension tubes. They are available in autofocus with full camera contact
including auto diaphragm. I use mine on my 100mm macro lens for increased
magnification as well as my other lenses including zooms. Keep in mind that
with zooms, you need to refocus if you zoom back and forth. Zooms without
extension tubes don't require you to adjust focus if you change zoom
setting. With extension tubes attached to zoom lenses, focus must be
readjusted every time zoom setting is changed. I'm using my extension tubes
more and more often than my macro lens. Actually, the only reason I still
have my 100mm macro lens is being able to photograph small insects at very
high magnifications. I think no outdoor photographer should ever leave home
without a set of extension tubes. With tubes and today's high quality
lenses, anyone can enter the wonderful world of macro photography.
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Recommended reading:
Macro photography: Learning
from a Master
The one book that any photographer needs to
become an expert in the art of portraying nature close-up,
Macrophotography invites readers to explore a magical world in which
miniature landscapes are magnified in all their radiant splendor, capturing
flora and fauna in exquisite detail. In these pages, in remarkably clear,
larger-than-life stop-action images, we see the delicate stamen of an
orchid, the intricate pattern of a butterfly's wings, snails climbing on
mushrooms, and the eye of a gecko. This splendid how-to manual not only
reproduces these images in glorious full-color photographs, but also
provides technical information of immense value to nature photographers,
both amateur and professional.
Topics covered in this outstanding guide
range from practical advice about basic equipment and more sophisticated
accessories to aesthetic concerns such as composition and color. After
explaining how to proceed in the variety of terrains nature photographers
may encounter in their travels, the book examines macrophotography in the
studio, discussing how animal and plant life can be shot in aquariums and
vivariums and using studio backdrops.
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Sigma 50mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro
Lens
Optimized image quality for Digital SLR cameras. Floating Internal Focusing
(FIF) system minimizes the aberration in entire focusing range. Super Multi
Layer (SML) coating reduces the ghost caused by reflections from the surface
of digital image sensors. Minimum aperture of F/45 provides greater depth of
field A screw-in hood for convenient use of circular polarizing filters
MACRO 50mm F2.8 EX DG incorporates the very latest optical technology and is
an ideal standard lens for digital SLR cameras. The new advanced lens design
corrects various aberrations. This macro lens is specially coated to get the
best color balance whilst cutting down ghost caused by reflections from the
digital image sensor. This lens provides the utmost correction against
lateral chromatic aberration which is a serious problem for digital SLR
cameras. The new MACRO 50mm F2.8 EX DG incorporates a "Floating Internal
Focusing" (FIF) system which enables this lens to photograph objects
precisely not only at life-size reproduction but also at infinity. The lens
has a minimum focusing distance of 18.9cm (7.4 in) and is capable of true
macro photography with a maximum magnification of 1:1. Experience the
enjoyment of real life-size macro photography. This lens is equipped with a
"Focus Limiter Switch" that limits the auto focus range, allowing the camera
focus more quickly. This lens has a minimum aperture of F45 which produces a
tremendous depth of field.
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