[kenw232]

Hi, I have a Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR. I have the default lens that comes with it. I think it takes a 58mm filter too (I'm an amateur so don't know what I'm talking about). I want to take photos of like a small marble very close. I can get the 60mm macro lens but its like $450.

Can I just put a magnifying filter on this? Does that do the same? What options do I have?

Thanks for any help.

How about this? ***********************/58mm-Close-Macro-Lens-Canon/dp/B003L1Q31K

 

[sleemo]

I bought a set of those "filters" a long time ago. They sort of work but the results aren't the greatest. I just ended up buying a 90mm macro lens.

Check eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist for used macro lenses.

 

[gordonb]

Yes, The 58mm Canon Close-up lens 500Dwill help but it will only help you focus from 500mm which probably won't get you the magnification you want. Other "close up filters" are junk and not worth wasting money on.

The T1i Kit comes with the EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Lens which the specifications show the close focusing distance to be 250mm (~ 10") with a magnification of 0.34x. So an image of a "marble" at 10" as you see on the LCD will appear .34x life size on the sensor (in other words if the marble is small in the LCD it will be small on the sensor).

In order to get a larger image you need to be able to focus closer. A macro lens will do this but a less expensive option is a set of extension tubes which are just hollow tubes that move the lens away from the body but maintain electrical contact for Auto Focus & aperture. Optical law states that the magnification is the focal length of the lens divided by the extension length so to get life-size on the sensor at a focal length of 55mm you would need 55mm of extension. Canon sells 12mm and 25mm extension tubes but you can get a set of 12mm, 20mm & 36mm extension tubes from Kenko for less than the price of both Canon tubes.

Note that the extension tubes will not work at the wide angle end of the lens (say 17 - 28mm or so) but you typically want to use the long end of the range anyway.

Using extension tubes, a Close up lens or a macro lens you should still use the following tips to get sharp images:

• manually focus (live view is very useful)
• a tripod or beanbag - i.e. don't hand hold
• a cable release or the 10s timer
• possible use the "mirror lockup" custom function

There are many books on macro & micro photography - Bryan Peterson's Understanding Close-up Photography is a fairly recent book from a knowledgeable author and can probably be found at your local library

 

[gordonb]

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Here is an example.

I shot this with a XTi using the EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 Kit lens and extension tubes.

55mm, f/5.6

This is a standard 6/32 thread PC screw such as one would use for mounting a hard drive so the threaded portion is 1/4" or so. This is the full frame image scaled down to fit on the screen.

 

[uberchuckie]

I took this with my 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. The flower is about the size of a penny.

 

[gordonb]

I took this with my 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. The flower is about the size of a penny.

Much more interesting subject than mine Uber! Most of my small photography is Micro rather than Macro so Extension tubes and my 70-200 work well for me.

 

[Yaamon]

Taken with the 7D and 100mm F2.0 macro

Since I did not use a tripod and bending forward, I shot this in AI servo since I would slightly rock back and forth towards the bee.

The new tamron 60mm F2 is supposed to be a good lens.

 

[gordonb]

A little bit of spring

130mm, 70-200 f/2.8L IS, f/5.6 1/100s. 16mm extension Tube

70-200 f/2.8L IS, 170mm, f/5.6, 1/20s, 30mm extension tube

Sorry, SmugMug was down for maintenance when I last posted so I wasn't able to link the images.

 

[gordonb]

Since I did not use a tripod and bending forward, I shot this in AI servo since I would slightly rock back and forth towards the bee.

The new tamron 60mm F2 is supposed to be a good lens.

If it's a Canon lens then isn't it a f/2.8? If so, are you using the IS or the original version? If it is the IS what do you think?

At any rate for hand-held macro shots these are great.

 

[Yaamon]

Opps typo its F2.8 lens non IS

The IS version is too much $$ for the amount of times I use it. I really don't even shoot macro that much.

Just figured I would get a macro lens for the times I want to shoot something close up.

I also read reviews the sigma 70mm macro very sharp wide open and from center to corner even on a full frame.

Thanks Gordon, yes hand held, I read when you hand hold for macro shots to use AI servo as you tend to move slightly forward and backward.

Took this with the 50D and the 100 F2.8 macro.