Macro photography is also called “close-up photography”. It is the photography art to produce very fine details of relatively small subjects like spiders, bugs, insects, flower petals etc. When you do macro photography, you basically magnify your close up subjects using lens glasses. There are some zoom lenses available for the Nikon D90 and other cameras have particularly close focusing capabilities, making them macro lenses. When you use that type of lenses for macro photography, you may not get good results when you go more close to subject as you can’t get more light in your subject. Camera to subject distance is most important when you are doing macro photography. So in this case, we can have few other alternatives for macro photography. One is getting dedicated macro lens and other one is to use extension tube to regular lens.
Depending upon your budget and type of camera you have, there are many options for you to do macro photography. If you have good budget then probably the best solution is to get DSLR camera and dedicated macro lens which fits your camera. Nikon, Canon and other camera brands provide dedicated lens for macro photography which is specifically designed to take close up images allowing more light for your subjects. Such dedicated macro lenses are built with 1:1 magnification capability.
Another alternative for macro photography is to use extension tubes. Extension tubes go between the body of your camera and the lens. Extension tubes do not have optical components. It just extends the distance of your lens to the sensor or film so that you can shoot in closer focusing distance and greater magnification. There are different types of extension tubes available in the market. You can use one of them based on your camera and lens specifications.
There are various other cheaper ways to shoot macro. For example, you can use filters like diopters that goes in front of lens like filter does. I have read somewhere that you can do macro shot with reverse filters too. But I haven’t tried doing these two methods for macro shot.
Personally I think dedicated macro (some brand says micro) lens is the best option to achieve crisp, clear and magnified details of small subjects which we called macro photography or close-up photography.
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Thank you Umesh for the write up. This was very helpful. I think I will go in for an extension tube. In the photo I see the numbers 12mm, 20 mm and 36 mm inscribed – what do these mean. I have a D5000 with two lenses 18-55 and 55-200. Can you suggest which extension tube to buy ?
Samir,
I am not expert on this extension tube thing. But I can certainly answer your questions. The working distance of lens with subject depends on focal length. However, to get 1:1 macros, you have to match up the focal length of the lens with an equal number of extension tubes. So, if you are shooting with a 50mm lens, then you need at least 50mm of extension tubes to get to 1:1 magnification. If you are using a 200mm with only 50mm of extension tubes, you will be able to get closer focus distance but you won’t get 1:1 magnification.
And another important thing while using extension tube is normally when you use lens without extension tubes, normal light is OK. But when you add-on extension tube on lens, same light source may not be able to properly expose your subject. So you may want to add extra light source for your subject.
Thanks Umesh.
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If I understand correctly, this means that I can zoom at 20 mm lens and use a 20 mm extension tube to get a 1:1 image. Alternatively I can zoom at 50 mm with a 50 mm extn tube to get a 1:1 image. The only difference is that my working distance with 50 mm zoom will give me the liberty of being at a slightly greater distance from the object e.g. an insect. !! ( Hope I have made myself clear
Yeah pretty much you got it right. Extension tube actually lets you focus more closer but depending up on the length of extension tube, you also have to consider amount of light you will be shedding to the objects.
I used extension tubes, got it from ebay for $6, but it didn’t work well, it was very hard to focus. Better try “Reverse Macro Adapter” got it for $4 in ebay. In Reverse Macro technique, it is very simple to put the standard lens in reverse order and take photos. You can try this manually without any adapter. But you have to hold the camera and lens properly, it might scratch you lens.
See more info
http://www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php?TUTORIAL_ID=81
Hi Sachin,
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Is the reverse macro adapter good and does it actually give 1:1 magnification. I have checked e bay and I am getting one reverse ring adapter for Nikkon AF (make : zykkor) which is USD 24. Is it the same one u have bought ? I couldn’t find one for USD 4.
Rgds
Samir,
Reverse macro technique gave me better results than extension tubes. I got 58 MM MACRO reverse adapter for Olympus 4/3 for $4.
Thanks
Samir,
Reverse macro technique gave me better results than the extension tubes. Just search in ebay for reverse macro adapter for Nikkor AF, you will get it from $4. zykkor makes are from $9.95
Hi Umesh,
I finally bought a reverse ring adapter for my D5000.
So I am turning to you for help again.
1. I have two lenses 18-55 and 55-200, which is better lens when it comes to using the reverse ring for macro photos.
2. I tried using the 55-200 lens. The problem I encountered was that, I could not increase the apperture. It remained fixed at F22. I could only adjust the shutter speed. Is there a way to decrease the F stop.
3. Also the subject seemed to be dimly lit, even though the light was adequate for me take a picture normally. Does this normally happen when using the reverse lens. Do you require more illumination when u reverse a lens ?
4. Also, I found that the only way to focus is to zoom the lens in and out. The focussing ring wouldnt work. Is my observation correct, or is there any other way to use the focussing ring.
Rgds
Samir
Samir,
You didn’t mention which mode you are currently in. You have to use physical ring to focus your subject manually and I am wondering if your reverse ring won’t work with G lens as it doesn’t have aperture ring to adjust f/stop. With G lens, aperture is controlled electronically from camera and since the lens is reversed, it can’t communicate with the camera for information like shutter speed, focal length and aperture. Also while doing macro, light is very important thing to consider. You may need small size soft box or close light source while taking macro shot. I suggest you to go with Manual mode and put some extra light. Please let us know what are the results.
Thanks.