Hi all, I just found this great site and am glad I did! I use a camera in my business (I sell vintage apparel, accessories, and home decor items online) and do a lot of macro shooting. Jewelry, apparel labels, maker's marks on jewelry and porcelain, etc. I currently use an ancient Panasonic FZ-7 and actually manage on occasion to get great macro shots. But, very close detail on jewelry can still give me fits. I've just bought my first dslr, an entry-level Pentax K100d Super, and hope to learn some stuff from you all! I've used film 35 mm cameras and used to do a lot of shooting with my Minolta XG-M. But I've forgotten a lot of what I knew (not that I was an expert to begin with, so my retained knowledge base is small).
Am awaiting the arrival of my new-old camera and am sure I'll be popping in with questions! Looking forward to getting to know everybody!
Have been lurking for some time and found the site great, especially because of the positive helpful attitude of you all. Keen on insects, so far using natural light and sigma 150/canon 7d. If this picture posts OK you may want to comment. My name is Jonathan but someone else is registered with that hence nathanoj. I live near Stockport in UK close to Peak District National Park. Not many insects around just now!
OK, here is my quick introduction, then I'll go back and spend the rest of the evening reading all the prior posts. I have known about FM forums for years, but only in the last few weeks have been spending significant time reading and doing a little posting.
I used to shoot macro back in film days with a screw mount pentax, bellows and 50mm macro. I am just getting back into macro with my digital gear (so expect to be hearing a lot from me in the weeks to come). I have a big interest in shooting mineral crystals, since I am an avid collector of microminerals.
I have a Canon 20D, and soon expect to have a 5d2 and anticipate the live view will be a big asset. I have a bizarre rig set up with an old Canon FD bellows with a micro Nikkor 55mm lens on the end and the adapter to put it on the Canon. I also have an MPE 65mm that I have taken less than 20 exposures with, but have grand hopes for.
I also have a collection of enlarging lenses, video camera lenses and other bizarre optics that I want to experiment with doing macro. Part of the fascination with macro, and especially with digital capture, is the opportunity to just experiment and try things ....
Hey all, since this seems to be the start-up thread, I thought it would be a good place to ask some Q's about getting starting with macro photography.
My current gear:
Nikon D90
50mm 1.8 Nikkor
kit VR 18-55mm Nikon
~30-85mm AF-S Nikon
From reading some other stuff on this website on others, I think I have the lenses for a reverse set up using the 50 on the body and the 85mm reversed. I've tried holding them together manually, but I'm sure there are better ways to do this. Should I tape them together, or should I buy one of those reverse connectors? Which connector should I purchase?
Also, how should I handle lighting? Can these ring flashes I hear about be purchased for a modest amount, or are they expensive? Also, I'm under the impression that extension tubes help, but I'm not exactly sure how they help- is it working distance, depth of field, or what?
Hello Vanadium, check out the sticky threads at the top of the forum. Lots of info on these threads.
read this: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/663112
Also do some searches. If you still need more info or specifics, try starting your own thread. More people will view and respond then.
Reversing does seem to be a good, cheap way to get started. As for lighting, a speedlight works very well if you have one, otherwise you can make a snoot for the onboard flash (I have never done this), also, natural light shots can be done well.
Hope this is of some help.
Vanadium wrote:
Hey all, since this seems to be the start-up thread, I thought it would be a good place to ask some Q's about getting starting with macro photography.
My current gear:
Nikon D90
50mm 1.8 Nikkor
kit VR 18-55mm Nikon
~30-85mm AF-S Nikon
From reading some other stuff on this website on others, I think I have the lenses for a reverse set up using the 50 on the body and the 85mm reversed. I've tried holding them together manually, but I'm sure there are better ways to do this. Should I tape them together, or should I buy one of those reverse connectors? Which connector should I purchase?
Also, how should I handle lighting? Can these ring flashes I hear about be purchased for a modest amount, or are they expensive? Also, I'm under the impression that extension tubes help, but I'm not exactly sure how they help- is it working distance, depth of field, or what?
Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!...Show more →
You would want the 85mm on the body and the 50mm reversed onto it
Brian v.
Vanadium wrote:
Hey all, since this seems to be the start-up thread, I thought it would be a good place to ask some Q's about getting starting with macro photography.
My current gear:
Nikon D90
50mm 1.8 Nikkor
kit VR 18-55mm Nikon
~30-85mm AF-S Nikon
From reading some other stuff on this website on others, I think I have the lenses for a reverse set up using the 50 on the body and the 85mm reversed. I've tried holding them together manually, but I'm sure there are better ways to do this. Should I tape them together, or should I buy one of those reverse connectors? Which connector should I purchase?
Also, how should I handle lighting? Can these ring flashes I hear about be purchased for a modest amount, or are they expensive? Also, I'm under the impression that extension tubes help, but I'm not exactly sure how they help- is it working distance, depth of field, or what?
Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!...Show more →
Hello Vanadium,
I've been hunting on EBay , and all sorts of adapters are available fairly cheaply from hong kong outfits.
Do searches for things like "macro adapter" or "reverse adapter" and so on, and all kinds of things show
up. As I understand it, you want the longer lens on the camera, and the shorter lens out front if you want
to try that game -- but this is for quite high magnifications.
What you might want to try before getting into that game is to just reverse
that 50mm lens onto your camera all by itself, perhaps with extension. You loose auto focus
anyhow when you do this, so a cheap set of tubes would do just fine.
For that matter, just get some tubes and see how you do with the 50mm without
reversing it, then get the reversing adapter and try it both ways to see what works best.
Extension tubes just let you focus closer, a good way to do business. A macro lens, along with being
engineered for closeup optically, also has a built in mechanism that just lets you focus closer than a
regular lens would allow, kinda like built in extension tube that is fully variable, so to speak.
An "official" macro lens is all about convenience, but if you are willing to fiddle
(as it sounds like you are), you can get there without spending all the money.
Vanadium wrote:
Hey all, since this seems to be the start-up thread, I thought it would be a good place to ask some Q's about getting starting with macro photography.
My current gear:
Nikon D90
50mm 1.8 Nikkor
kit VR 18-55mm Nikon
~30-85mm AF-S Nikon
From reading some other stuff on this website on others, I think I have the lenses for a reverse set up using the 50 on the body and the 85mm reversed. I've tried holding them together manually, but I'm sure there are better ways to do this. Should I tape them together, or should I buy one of those reverse connectors? Which connector should I purchase?
Also, how should I handle lighting? Can these ring flashes I hear about be purchased for a modest amount, or are they expensive? Also, I'm under the impression that extension tubes help, but I'm not exactly sure how they help- is it working distance, depth of field, or what?
Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!...Show more →
You may also like to try a close up lens which would fit any of the lenses you have. The Raynox ones are good quality and have a holder which clips straight onto the front of your lens like a lens cap ( very convenient). They can often be found used. I got one recently for £30 inc p+p as good as new. MarkB1 on this forum uses them (see "Post your setup" thread) and gets fantastic pictures.
New guy here, first post. I want to get a macro lens and am seriously considering the Tamron 90mm macro. I could also use a good portrait lens and I've heard that the Tamron is also good for portraits. Is this true? If so, I would be killing two birds with one stone since I want both types of lenses. Here's my equipment so far.
Thanks Phil. I'll take a look at those other two lenses before I make my decision. Which one would you choose? I've heard the Tamron is a very nice lens so that's why I was looking at that one.
90mm on your T2I would be a 144mm equivalent focal range. That's a bit long (in my opinion) for a portrait lens...have you looked at Canon's Ef-S 60mm macro? That would be a 96mm focal length...that falls right in standard portrait range.
jasonpatrick wrote:
90mm on your T2I would be a 144mm equivalent focal range. That's a bit long (in my opinion) for a portrait lens...have you looked at Canon's Ef-S 60mm macro? That would be a 96mm focal length...that falls right in standard portrait range.
The problem with the 60mm macro is I would have to get that much closer to the subject in macro mode which isn't always possible or desirable. My main function for this lens will be macro so the portrait feature has back seat to the macro. If it doesn't work out too well for portrait shots then I'll have to get a proper portrait lens. How is a 50mm prime lens for portraits? The Canon 50mm f1.8 lens is only about $120.
Hi everyone! This is my first post in this subforum ever. Previously this has been a no go zone for me as the talent here is in a totally different league to myself.
That said, I feel it's time I should participate and get myself to an acceptable level of mediocrity
I recently took a photo workshop over the past 3 weeks and it was there I think I got an urge to start shooting macro - I really want to at least learn what i can about it.
I'm in Southern Arizona & I have a Canon Xsi with 2 kit lenses and a 50mm f/1.8 arriving tomorrow. Next on the list is figuring out which macro lense to get.
Hello everyone. Other than a couple on the buy/sell this is my first post. Seeing everyone's photos has inspired me to become a better photographer. I am still very new, started in Oct. 2010. I bought a 40d for my wife and have since repossessed it! Since Oct. I have accumulated a 10-22, 70-200 mkII, 50 1.4, 580exII, and my favorite 100l macro.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone on here for posting and offering critique in a manner that makes me feel comfortable about posting my NOOB pics!
I don't know if I am really a Noob lurker. I come and go. Found this site when I got my 300D ages ago. Always liked the macro stuff, even have owned a macro briefly. I need to take the time to learn the techniques though. I am reinvesting and have a 50D on the way. Still have my 80-200 2.8 and have a 28-80mm 2.8-4 on the way. Keep eyeng a macro but may need to wait for funds. Any way to use tubes on what I have for a decent macro?
