Macro Photography

[hwood34]

I have a Canon Rebel t3i and wanted to buy a macro lense. I'm on a budget (sub-$200), and I'm willing to explore other options like reverse mounting adapters or extension tubes. Also any tips on macro photography are appreciated

[Photekq]

I use an old Nikon E-series 1.8 50mm prime lens, along with some very cheap extension tubes for my macro shots.

I use either a Yongnuo YN-560-II flash on a short exposure time, or a torch on a long exposure time for lighting.

The extension tubes work amazingly for the price, but it's important that you have a prime lens. It's hard to focus perfectly with the extension tubes, so you have to compensate by being able to set a high F-number for the aperture. I usually use F/22.

Some photos I took with the above setup :

[hwood34]

The extension tubes work amazingly for the price, but it's important that you have a prime lens. It's hard to focus perfectly with the extension tubes, so you have to compensate by being able to set a high F-number for the aperture. I usually use F/22.

Sorry, I don't really know much about photography. Could you explain that a bit?

[Photekq]

A prime lens is a lens with no zoom function. It has a fixed focal lenth, in the case of my lens - 50mm. These prime lenses often allow you to set your aperture to a large range of values. My lens allows me to set the aperture between F/1.8 and F/22.

The lower the F value the more light is let in. However, the lower the F value the smaller the range of focus, so if you were to focus on something at F/1.8 that object would be in focus, but the background wouldn't be. If you were to focus on the same object at F/22 the background would be in focus. If you were to take a macro shot at F/1.8 with extension tubes the range of focus would be tiny. This is why you need a prime lens, so that you can set the F value very high.

At very high F values you will require a lot of light. Also, the further you extend the lens out with extension tubes, the more light you will need too. This is why you need a flash for short exposure shots. You could also do long exposure shots with a less bright light source - like a torch for example.

Hope that helps.

[hwood34]

A prime lens is a lens with no zoom function. It has a fixed focal lenth, in the case of my lens - 50mm. These prime lenses often allow you to set your aperture to a large range of values. My lens allows me to set the aperture between F/1.8 and F/22.

The lower the F value the more light is let in. However, the lower the F value the smaller the range of focus, so if you were to focus on something at F/1.8 that object would be in focus, but the background wouldn't be. If you were to focus on the same object at F/22 the background would be in focus. If you were to take a macro shot at F/1.8 with extension tubes the range of focus would be tiny. This is why you need a prime lens, so that you can set the F value very high.

At very high F values you will require a lot of light. Also, the further you extend the lens out with extension tubes, the more light you will need too. This is why you need a flash for short exposure shots. You could also do long exposure shots with a less bright light source - like a torch for example.

Hope that helps.

Yep, thanks a bunch

[hwood34]

Would something like this work?
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=XTETC&ref=PLA&omid=103&CAWELAID=1678567589&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=1889110648&cadevice=t

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/lenses-flashes/standard-medium-telephoto-lenses/ef-50mm-f-18-ii?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Product_Search&utm_campaign=Google_Product_Feed&cm_mmc=GA-_-Camera_&_Optic_Lenses-_-G_Canon_Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-7306

[Badwrench]

I highly recommend getting a 50mm anyways.  One of the best lenses to practice with and they are killer for portraits as well.  Not sure where in Virginia you are, but a quick check of CL pulled multiple sales.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/pho/4484229447.html

Oh, and while you are at it, if you don't already have one, get a rubber hood to help protect the lens (the basic 50mm lenses are plastic and somewhat fragile) 

[hwood34]

I highly recommend getting a 50mm anyways.  One of the best lenses to practice with and they are killer for portraits as well.  Not sure where in Virginia you are, but a quick check of CL pulled multiple sales.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/pho/4484229447.html

Oh, and while you are at it, if you don't already have one, get a rubber hood to help protect the lens (the basic 50mm lenses are plastic and somewhat fragile)

Up in pretty much the northwest corner, so Richmond is a little too far away (might cost me more in gas). And I looked around and the general consensus seemed to be that plastic hoods are preferred. How exactly does one help?

[Badwrench]

I highly recommend getting a 50mm anyways.  One of the best lenses to practice with and they are killer for portraits as well.  Not sure where in Virginia you are, but a quick check of CL pulled multiple sales.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/pho/4484229447.html

Oh, and while you are at it, if you don't already have one, get a rubber hood to help protect the lens (the basic 50mm lenses are plastic and somewhat fragile)

Up in pretty much the northwest corner, so Richmond is a little too far away (might cost me more in gas). And I looked around and the general consensus seemed to be that plastic hoods are preferred. How exactly does one help?

I was told to get the rubber one when I bought a 50 as they give a little when you bump stuff.  The hood sticks out a bit and the rigid plastic can add a bit of leverage to the lens.  Main purpose of the hood is to remove glare, but in the case of plastic lenses, the rubber acts as a bumper. 

[hwood34]

I highly recommend getting a 50mm anyways.  One of the best lenses to practice with and they are killer for portraits as well.  Not sure where in Virginia you are, but a quick check of CL pulled multiple sales.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/pho/4484229447.html

Oh, and while you are at it, if you don't already have one, get a rubber hood to help protect the lens (the basic 50mm lenses are plastic and somewhat fragile)

Up in pretty much the northwest corner, so Richmond is a little too far away (might cost me more in gas). And I looked around and the general consensus seemed to be that plastic hoods are preferred. How exactly does one help?

I was told to get the rubber one when I bought a 50 as they give a little when you bump stuff.  The hood sticks out a bit and the rigid plastic can add a bit of leverage to the lens.  Main purpose of the hood is to remove glare, but in the case of plastic lenses, the rubber acts as a bumper.

Ah

[hwood34]

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=XTETC&ref=cj&omid=103&CAWELAID=1678567589&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=1889110648&cadevice=t
So this should be fine?

[mkawa]

you can also do very high mag macro with a reversal ring and a manual lens.

note that extension tubes, bellows and reversing rings all significantly affect the light into the lens and the focus range. you cannot focus to infinity with a tube or bellows setup. you practically have fixed focus with a reversing ring.

however, you can stack any number of objective lenses and extensions to get relatively high magnification, up to maybe 5x or so before your depth of field is so thin that you effectively have no focus. at this point, you really need a much much longer set of lenses and tubing with a positioning system that puts your sample at exactly the tiny focus range. this device is also known as a microscope.