Macro work

[cowboy]

I am very impressed with the macro work viewed on many web sites. Where does one start? The variety of focal lengths, focusing distance and other terms leaves me scrathing my head. I would appreciate some help in getting off the ground with both gear and literature. My present camera is a Rebel XTi.

[Aboud]

Start with a macro lens. You have a lot available in the Canon line, there is a 60MM for extreme close up, a 100MM - a good general length you can also use it as a portrait lens. Finally there is the expensive - and worth every dime of it, 180MM L series Macro.  Of course your effective focal length will be longer with the Xti than with a 5D, but without a frame of reference, it won't mean much.

As far as technique, use a tripod and experiment with different aperture settings to get an idea of depth of field. Of course, the closer you get, the more you need small apertures, unless you want a shallow focus effect.  Start with natura light and try to avoid high contrast lighting at the beginning, go  on from there.

Have a great time discovering a new perspective.

[wolfnowl]

I am very impressed with the macro work viewed on many web sites. Where does one start? The variety of focal lengths, focusing distance and other terms leaves me scrathing my head. I would appreciate some help in getting off the ground with both gear and literature. My present camera is a Rebel XTi.
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You will of course need a tripod, and a cable release if you can.  Otherwise you can use the self-timer button on the camera.  If your camera has a mirror lockup (don't know about the Rebel), use it.  Anything to eliminate camera shake, because it will be magnified greatly.  Some zoom lenses also have macro settings.  From there you can get into things like ring flashes, multi-flash units, bellows or extension tubes, etc. if you want.  You might also invest in some alligator clips to hold things out of the way that you don't want in your image, and a piece of white cardboard you can use to reflect light into your subject, or buy an umbrella and a can of silver spray paint and paint the inside of the umbrella to use as a reflector.  Begin where you are and go from there.

Mike.

P.S.  Macro work is usually represented as 'X':1 meaning that an image 'X' units is represented as 1 unit on the film or sensor.  With a cropped camera you'd have to take the 1.3 crop factor into effect as well.  For example, a 3:1 macro lens would represent something 3 inches long as 1 inch on a 35mm slide.  With bellows units you can sometimes go the other way and have 1:X where the image is bigger on the film or sensor than it is in real life.

[Jay Kaplan]

A book I found very informative was The Complete Guide to Close-Up & Macro Photography by Paul Harcourt Davies. I bought my copy in 2004 at Barnes & Noble, but I am sure other vendors also carry the book or can get it for you. It was originally published in the UK in 1998 with an update in 2001.

The publisher is -
David & Charles
Brunel House
Newton Abbot
Devon

[Jay Kaplan]

Another good book is John Shaw's Closeups In Nature first published in 1987. Again, I purchased my copy at the local Barnes & Noble store in 2004.

[aduke]

You can start with an extension tube on whatever lens you now have. Kenko makes a reasonable, reasonably inexpensive set for the Canon mount. With a 200mm lens, you will have a great working distance, the distance between the lens  and the subject.

You will, as others have said, need a tripod and, preferably, a cable release.

You can also consider adding a close-up filter, the Canon 500D. You can use the filter along with the extension tube, at some loss of sharpness.

If you have a tele-extender, you can use it with either of the above.

Finally, you can add the true macro lens. You can use the extension tubes and closeup filter with the macro lens.

At some point, you will want a flash. Outdoor macro shots of flowers are difficult in any amount of breeze, the flash can freeze the motion.

Alan

[ARD]

Take a look here

http://www.beautifulbugs.com/

Good information about Macro work

[cowboy]

Thank you all for getting me off the ground. I located copies of both books and await their arrival.  I have to return to "beautiful bugs" there is a lot there.

[Digiteyesed]

I am very impressed with the macro work viewed on many web sites. Where does one start?

If you're looking to start with macro on the cheap you can actually do a fair amount with a set of extension tubes. I've had tremendous success combining my extension tubes with a Canon 70-300 f4/5.6 EF and a Canon 50mm f1.8 EF lens...

70-300:

http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...06/07/01423.php
http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...06/07/01420.php
http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...07/04/01789.php
http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...06/05/01260.php
http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...06/05/01365.php
http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...05/04/00382.php

50mm:

http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...05/07/00556.php
http://www.digiteyesed.com/portfolio/image...03/04/00195.php

I've been wanting to buy a decent macro for ages, but I don't do enough macro work to justify it. I've been satisfied enough with the results I've been getting from my extension tubes that I'm not feeling a lot of pressure, to be honest.

In terms of the 70-300, it's not a wonderful telephoto lens, but it makes a fantastic macro lens with an extension tube or two slapped onto the rear end. So much so that I kept the lens in my bag after purchasing a 100-400 IS USM EF L to replace it with.

Anyhow, this could be an inexpensive alternative for you if you don't happen to be one of those people with a money tree growing in your back yard. ;-)

[cowboy]

You are right , no money tree. You hit a point for me to think about. That is how often will I use the macro? Thanks for the thought and adding one more branch on my decision tree.

[macgyver]

If budget is an issue or you want to test the waters before you jump in (so to speak) do a google search on reversed and stacked lens techniques.  Basically, you reverse one lens (usually a normal or short telephoto) onto the front of anyother, either with an adapter or tape, and it acts as a poor man's macro lens.  Some of the best macro photos I've ever seen are done in this manner.  A pair of canon 50 1.8's will set you back around 160 or 170 and will work beautifully for this.

[stever]

i really recommend the Canon 100 macro  - one of the easiest to use macros available -- 1:1 without extension tubes, plenty of reach on a crop-frame camera, internal focusing so you're not constantly adjusting camera position to get framing and focus, and it's very sharp

yes, you can take macro photos screwing around with lens reversers, extension tubes, etc.  -- but it's endlessly time consuming and frustrating

with the 100 macro, you just go out and shoot  -- and it's an excellent short tele in the bargain

[Jay Kaplan]

If budget is an issue or you want to test the waters before you jump in (so to speak) do a google search on reversed and stacked lens techniques.  Basically, you reverse one lens (usually a normal or short telephoto) onto the front of anyother, either with an adapter or tape, and it acts as a poor man's macro lens.  Some of the best macro photos I've ever seen are done in this manner.  A pair of canon 50 1.8's will set you back around 160 or 170 and will work beautifully for this.
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Excellent - I bought an adapter on E-Bay for about $10 -$15 that work perfectly with my M42 screw mount Takumar lenses on my SpotMatic. I also have the Pentax 100mm M42 lens that was also acquired on E-Bay and now use it almost exclusively on the SpotMatic.

This technique was also covered in the first book that I previously mentioned.

[howiesmith]

Macro starts at 1:1 and gets bigger.  So with a 35mm camera, you will be limited to subjects not bigger than a 35mm frame or they won't fit.  

I would start with deciding what I wanted to photograph and what magnification I wanted to use.  For 1:1 of large subjects, you may need a large camera.

[stever]

i really recommend the Canon 100 macro  - one of the easiest to use macros available -- 1:1 without extension tubes, plenty of reach on a crop-frame camera, internal focusing so you're not constantly adjusting camera position to get framing and focus, and it's very sharp

yes, you can take macro photos screwing around with lens reversers, extension tubes, etc.  -- but it's endlessly time consuming and frustrating

with the 100 macro, you just go out and shoot  -- and it's an excellent short tele in the bargain