for those without macro lenses

Please try include your camera settings with your photos where possible.

for those without macro lenses

Postby Chris89 » Thu Oct 03, 2013 7:33 pm

Lenses are expensive. Damn. There is a way to get awesome close ups without selling your kidney though. Make an extention tube, it only takes a few minutes. Extention tubes are commercially available and not that expensive, maybe a grand or so? All they do is move your lens away from the camera body. I'm no expert on optics but basically this allows you to focus on your subject at very short distance. The DIY extention tube shown here has some major drawbacks (which are explained later on), but it works and the results are good.
this build will only work on slr/dslr cameras (or any cameras with removable lenses). An old fixed focal length lens is ideal.
All you need is a short length of pipe or tube with the same or near the same diameter as your lens. Mine is around 50mm long. It should be light tight, if not the pics wont be any good. I used black tape because the tube was clear.
Image
Image
Thats all it is really
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the kind of close ups you can get with a standard 18-55mm lens (Very nice eggeater, prettiest one ive seen around here)
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with the toob (dirty lens)
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bug test shot
How to use it:
If you usually just put the camera on auto and snap away, this is probably not for you! Commercial extention tubes and macro lenses will do alot of the work for you, a tube with some tape will not. I'm assuming you understand aperture, shutter speed, depth of field etc. if you dont, please ask.
Because the lens is not electronically communicating with the lens, you will need to use your cameras manual setting( a modern production extention tube does allow communication between lens and camera). With the nikon d40 that i use, this is the only setting that allows you to open the shutter without an attached lens.
TTL flash will not work either, so you will need to choose manual flash settings and adjust the power of the flash accordingly.
You will not be able to adjust the lenses apperture settings from the camera either. For this reason an old lens (i used an old all manual 50mm) with manual adjustment is ideal. You can use a modern electronic lens but you will have to set the apperture you want before removing it from the camera.
So you see it's rather involved. Some of you may enjoy this however, i certainly do. A little practice is needed before you use it in the field. Dont try it out for the first time on a wild skaapsteker, try non-moving subjects. one last point, dont damage your camera or lens. when you remove your cameras lens it becomes really important to make sure you dont get a camera full of sand and other debris, this will affect future shoots.
I hope all this made sense, feel free to ask
Have fun!
Chris89
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Re: for those without macro lenses

Postby Bushviper » Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:25 am

South Africans will always be innovators. Nice idea.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Those who are afraid to ask are ashamed of learning.
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