I thought about getting into macro but good advice!

One of the closest and best shots I have is one I made with the head of my Elmarit Leitz mounted on an adapter on bellows to my Canon. I don't know the magnification but over 5:1 and sharp as could be. The little bugs, so small I could barely see them with my eye, never looked so good. The cost was almost nothing as no one wanted the bellows, the adapter was found in some misc stuff and it all worked great.

Hahaha, I wish that I'd read this before spewing 350 dollars on my 90mm tamron. I'm still going to use my Tamron but when I'm going to try that this method for sure on my 50mm f1.8!

Mike Scott wrote:
In response to lighting. It doesn't have to be expensive. Here I've used a foam disposable bowl and a piece of aluminum foil along with the pop-up flash. Total cost around $0.10

This thread has a lot of great information. I only read it yesterday, and I produced this with just sunlight and reversing my 50mm f/1.4

So to give this a go and get more than 1:1 magnification I should go with a lens wider than 50mm, right? And I assume picking up an older Canon FD or similar MF lens with an aperture ring will make my life easier when it comes to manually setting the aperture with the lens reversed? If so, it sure beats shelling out for a dedicated macro lens

Mike Scott wrote:
In response to lighting. It doesn't have to be expensive. Here I've used a foam disposable bowl and a piece of aluminum foil along with the pop-up flash. Total cost around $0.10

Ditto - where can I get a rev mount adapter for my plastic fantastic?

Ok so I'm trying to understand something. The lower the focal length, the more magnification you get? I want to buy one of those reverse rings. There are tons on ebay for $20. Should I get one for my 50mm f/1.8 or for my 18-55mm kit lens (been sitting in a box for 3 years lol). Thanks for any info, I'm excited to step into the world of macro!!!!!

Get your self this one from DX:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.18000
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.18181

It will save you a few dollars. (I prefer to use the 18-55 kitlens above the 50mm)

I also ordered it and got it. I am now testing with it, it is really hard to make a good macro picture.

I found a few reverse ring on amazon. Fotodiox.com is the seller of these reverse rings. They're about $6.99 each.

what brand is your reversing ring slash what brands are good

I'm just starting to get into macro and yes you can definitly get good shots without expensive setup however if you do it enough i think you will end up wanting a macro lens.

also if you have the right combo you dont even need the adapter My mom had an old film slr and happend to have a canon FD mount 50mm 1.8 prime its 52mm threads fit perfectly inside my Kit EF-s 18-55 IS (58mm threads) so i was able to just use electical tape to reverse mount it. took these shots using the popup flash on my XSi and a paper plate as a reflector:

The macro photography is awesome here! I can only hope one day to come close... My question is how do you get such close ups? I have a Tamron 90mm, currently a Canon XT. I will be updating to a 50D after Labour Day wkd. Do I need tubes? reverse ring? I just don't seem to get the close-ups and have been quite frustrated. Any help would be splendid. I read the posts, I have also checked out Youtube. Thanks in advance, and keep posting those awesome macros!

Bifurcator wrote:
Well, you're right that "color balancing" in ACR and others, does cause information loss. It is a linear operation.

Hmm... I think that changing the white balance in ACR could but does not necessarily have to cause information loss. The critical thing is that it happens at debayering time.

Essentially, the white balance setting is three multipliers to R, G, and B intensities as produced by the Bayer sensor. If you go to extremes, sure, you have information loss. But for not-too-big adjustment there doesn't have to be, methinks...

Kaa

Hi Tom,
Yes I'm a newbie, but having fun.
Your last post has four images listed but the first three are not there, only a copyright listing. Is there something that I'm missing this end?
Regards,
Bruce

Studio BK wrote:
Ok so I'm trying to understand something. The lower the focal length, the more magnification you get? I want to buy one of those reverse rings. There are tons on ebay for $20. Should I get one for my 50mm f/1.8 or for my 18-55mm kit lens (been sitting in a box for 3 years lol). Thanks for any info, I'm excited to step into the world of macro!!!!!

Just found the two I needed for $3.99 each, shipped on eBay. I bought a 58-52 (for the 50mm 1.8 plastic lens) and a 52-49 (for the old 28mm). Now I need the EF adapter, $5.78, and I'm ready to rock and roll. Those prices are including shipping!

I don't think I'll be reversing the 50mm 1.4 yet, but it's 58mm and so are the old zoom lenses.

Of course if I want to get fancy, I'll have to dive in the dumpster for a plastic chili bowl and some old aluminum foil, because I wouldn't want to spend the 10 cents on buying them?

Not macro, but eventually I'd like to connect my EOS to a telescope using the reversing ring and a 1.25" tube. Not sure if I can do that with the reversed lens, or maybe a bunch of step down rings and some machined parts.

Mating the lens mount to the tube is going to be the difficult part, unless I can find an old back lens cap and make some plastic adapters for the 1.25" tube.

Is there a way to calculate the distance that I will be shooting at, or is it just a matter of looking through the viewfinder and seeing when it's in focus?

Just wanted to thank Mike Scott for the Styrofoam Ring Light. Great idea and I think I can afford the 10 cents

Okay guys, I love Macro Photography but I do not have the money to invest in anymore equiptment. I just ordered a reverse ring so I hope its what Im looking for. I have an 750m CANON ae1 , 50mm 1.8, sigma 70-200 2.8, 85mm 1.8 flash difuser etc. 20d body.... Why do we only want to use a 50mm ....something longer to get picture at more distance so we dont scare off subject be better? Tom your thoughts?

Okay guys, I love Macro Photography but I do not have the money to invest in anymore equiptment. I just ordered a reverse ring so I hope its what Im looking for. I have an 750m CANON ae1 , 50mm 1.8, sigma 70-200 2.8, 85mm 1.8 flash difuser etc. 20d body.... Why do we only want to use a 50mm ....something longer to get picture at more distance so we dont scare off subject be better? Tom your thoughts?

I'm not Tom but a reversal ring is probably NOT what you want. There's usually not enough working distance and DOF is miniscule at best. Try a $30 closeup lens: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/675134/2#6316240

I guess you've already ordered it and probably received it too - so when you get it tell us what it's like with your lens.

I have ventured into this a bit, but have a long way to go.

You don't need a big diffuser, you don't even need one at all. I was using my Canon D60 and on board flash without one with acceptable results. I use my Mark IIn + 430ex flash unit with a cheap sto-fen diffuser, but you could make something like LordV's Coca Cola™ diffuser very cheaply, if not for nothing. No offshoe adaptor needed. No flash bracket needed. It can be done. A focusing rail? Bought one, never use it. I've never used it in the field, it's simply too awkward and slow. Same with a tripod. With a *lot* of practice you can get sharp shots in the field.

Dave

retrofocus wrote:
Yes, but unfortunately that is not enough when using such reversed lens setup! I tried it myself and it is not done just by buying a reversed lens and a MF lens. As you know, for this setup it is necessary to use a flash bracket with a diffused flash and IMO a focusing rail or another tool to get sharp shots. When using a regular speedlite flash for this sort of photography like the 430EX and the other tools mentioned you easily hit the $500 range, not including lenses.
A regular and very feasible macro lens in the 100 mm range and Kenko tubes are probably the most less expensive setup for the beginning.

Wow. I never knew this was possible. I have a 90 mm Tamron f/2.8, and shoot primarily macro, and never knew about this.

Can the reversing ring be used with a Canon 50 mm EF f/1.4 switched to MF mode, since it has a proper focusing ring?

Mike Scott wrote:
In response to lighting. It doesn't have to be expensive. Here I've used a foam disposable bowl and a piece of aluminum foil along with the pop-up flash. Total cost around $0.10