Snail - Close up filter

[Matt-B]

Hi All

I am starting to consider being more active in my close up / macro photography and have recently purchased some very cheap filters from ebay which I can attach to my Nikon 50mm Lens. I know its not true 1:1 macro however its one way I can experiment to see if I like it before purchasing a dedicated lens.

For one of my first shots I am pretty happy with the outcome considering the price of the filter, natural light and a handheld shot.

I am open to feedback be it on the composition, exposure or processing.

Thanks for taking the time to browse/comment. Feedback appreciated.

Matt


Snail.jpg by Matt Boxley, on Flickr


Snail_6813.jpg by Matt Boxley, on Flickr

 

[alfbranch]

They are nice
You will get better quality out of an achromat like a raynox DCR 250

 

[Matt-B]

They are nice
You will get better quality out of an achromat like a raynox DCR 250

Thanks for the comment and advice. I have seen the Raynox mentioned a few times in the past but always seem to forget about it. I am possibly looking into buying a 90mm Tamron if I can raise the funds.

 

[Graham]

The 2nd shot is the better one imo, you can see more of it, the 1st is way out of focus and too bright.
Yes if you can get a 90 or 100mm lens, I have a Tokina 100mm, its very good and a good price also, Oh and a flash, maybe not a ring flash though and make yourself a diffuzer, there are lots to see on the front of this thread.

 

[Matt-B]

The 2nd shot is the better one imo, you can see more of it, the 1st is way out of focus and too bright.
Yes if you can get a 90 or 100mm lens, I have a Tokina 100mm, its very good and a good price also, Oh and a flash, maybe not a ring flash though and make yourself a diffuzer, there are lots to see on the front of this thread.

Hi Graham

Thanks for your feedback. I’ve been looking through the thread of macro setups and have seen loads of photos of home made diffusers. I already have a flash so this is something I am interested in having a go at.

The filters are not great and probably the wrong way to explore macro from the outset but it’s sparked my interest.

 

[GardenersHelper]

The filters are not great and probably the wrong way to explore macro from the outset but it’s sparked my interest.

I often recommend cheap close-up filter sets for starters. It gives you the opportunity to explore and give you a feel for whether you really are attracted to close-up/macro and give you some insight into what types and size(s) of scene/subject you would most like to deal with (or have available to you).

If you have a set of three or four filters they are probably marked as +1, +2, +4 and (if you have a fourth one) +10. These are the power of the filters in diopters. If you keep track of which filters you use you will get a feel for how much power in terms of diopters you would want if/when you spend more money on better glass, be it achromatic close-up lenses ("achromats" like the Raynox 150 and 250, Canon 500D and 250D and Marumi 330 and 200, or other achromats that are no longer in production but can be purchased second hand), or macro lens/extension tubes, teleconverters, bellows, reversed lenses.

If you go down the achromat route, the diopter rating needed for the type of scenes/subjects you are most attracted to will guide you to the most suitable options in terms of achromats, which are rated in terms of diopters just like close-up filters.

If you go down the macro lens/extension tubes etc route the diopter rating needed for the type of scenes you are most attracted to won't help directly to help find suitable kit. However, knowing the diopter rating(s) that work best for your purposes you can then take photos of a ruler using the appropriate close-up filter(s) to work out the range of scene widths that you are most interested in. You can then use that information to guide your choice of kit.

Incidentally, you can use two (or more) close-up filters "stacked" (screwed) together to give intermediate strengths. For example a +1 filter and a +4 filter give +5 diopter power. In this way a set of +1, +2, +4 and +10 close-up filters can give you +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +10, +11, +12, +13, +14, +15, +16 and +17 diopter powers to try.

Image quality will decline as you stack filters on one another but that is not the point of the exercise at this stage and shouldn't put you off experimenting. You will find that as the magnification goes up things get progressively more difficult.

 

[Matt-B]

I often recommend cheap close-up filter sets for starters. It gives you the opportunity to explore and give you a feel for whether you really are attracted to close-up/macro and give you some insight into what types and size(s) of scene/subject you would most like to deal with (or have available to you).

If you have a set of three or four filters they are probably marked as +1, +2, +4 and (if you have a fourth one) +10. These are the power of the filters in diopters. If you keep track of which filters you use you will get a feel for how much power in terms of diopters you would want if/when you spend more money on better glass, be it achromatic close-up lenses ("achromats" like the Raynox 150 and 250, Canon 500D and 250D and Marumi 330 and 200, or other achromats that are no longer in production but can be purchased second hand), or macro lens/extension tubes, teleconverters, bellows, reversed lenses.

If you go down the achromat route, the diopter rating needed for the type of scenes/subjects you are most attracted to will guide you to the most suitable options in terms of achromats, which are rated in terms of diopters just like close-up filters.

If you go down the macro lens/extension tubes etc route the diopter rating needed for the type of scenes you are most attracted to won't help directly to help find suitable kit. However, knowing the diopter rating(s) that work best for your purposes you can then take photos of a ruler using the appropriate close-up filter(s) to work out the range of scene widths that you are most interested in. You can then use that information to guide your choice of kit.

Incidentally, you can use two (or more) close-up filters "stacked" (screwed) together to give intermediate strengths. For example a +1 filter and a +4 filter give +5 diopter power. In this way a set of +1, +2, +4 and +10 close-up filters can give you +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +10, +11, +12, +13, +14, +15, +16 and +17 diopter powers to try.

Image quality will decline as you stack filters on one another but that is not the point of the exercise at this stage and shouldn't put you off experimenting. You will find that as the magnification goes up things get progressively more difficult.

Some very interesting points and tips. Thank you for taking the time to offer advice.