Eye of the cameraUse this board to post your photos and to tell us about the scene you set out to capture. Don't forget that the best place for *critique* in order see how your photography might be improved, technically, remains the Image Insight Photo critique board.
While waiting for Olympus to come out with a MTF Macro lens I thought I would try using a Sigma close up attachment lens on the E-PL3 and 40-150mm lens.
I was very surprised by the results and the focusing is better and faster than when I used it on my phase detection FT E-System lenses!
Small Honey Bee Gathering Pollen. Processed in CO6
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Regards Paul
One day I hope to be the person my dogs think I am.
They're all cracking shots, good details on all of them and all with beautiful colours.
I especially like the third picture. I love the way the veins on the petals draw the eye to the centre of the flower, which then raises up the bee onto a 'podium' ... with a fabulous defocused backdrop.
All-in-all that 3rd picci is a work of art imho. I wish it were mine, I'm envious!
Three amazing pictures, all spot on and absolutely beautiful.
I really can't pick a favourite, the sharp focus on the bee in the first shot with the small fly down at the bottom, the second with that proboscis sneaking out and in the third the detail is, if anything, even sharper.
Sorry but what is the difference with a macro lens and a Sigma close up attachment lens?
A macro lens is a lens designed specifically to be able to focus very close to your subject, often as close as 5 or 6 inches. Care must be taken when purchasing such a lens as confusion is created my many companies claiming regulare zooms to have macro capability when in fact they simply focus a little closer than normal.
A good macro lens is usually a prime lens (none zoom), often with a scale on the lens barrel stating the magnification factor.
A close up lens, sometime called a close up filter and often made by filter manufacturers is attached by the filter thread on a lens magnifying the subject giving the effect of a macro lens. These are measured in diopters. The word Sigma is simply the brand of the close up lens.
Sigma do in fact also manufacture three excellent macro lenses, 50 mm, 105 mm and a 150 mm, all capable of focusing down to 6 inches.
Patrick is partially right but I would also point out that normally, cheap close-up lenses are of single element design (i.e., one glass element per lens), and are cheaper. Single element close-up lenses may not correct all optical aberrations (e.g., spherical and chromatic aberrations), and usually have lower image quality.Doublets (i.e., two-element design) are usually better in terms of resolution, aberration correction and contrast. Thus, use doublets if possible.
My Sigma is of the two element design, also the better ones like Canon and Nikon are also designed for a specific focal length. The Sigma one I have was for the Sigma 70-300mm Apo which is why it works so well on the 40-150mm (80-300mm).
__________________
Regards Paul
One day I hope to be the person my dogs think I am.
Patrick is partially right but I would also point out that normally, cheap close-up lenses are of single element design (i.e., one glass element per lens), and are cheaper. Single element close-up lenses may not correct all optical aberrations (e.g., spherical and chromatic aberrations), and usually have lower image quality.Doublets (i.e., two-element design) are usually better in terms of resolution, aberration correction and contrast. Thus, use doublets if possible.
My Sigma is of the two element design, also the better ones like Canon and Nikon are also designed for a specific focal length. The Sigma one I have was for the Sigma 70-300mm Apo which is why it works so well on the 40-150mm (80-300mm).
My post wasn't getting into the question of quality of available products, simply the principle. The close up lenses made by filter manufacturers tend to be the single element type, where as the lense manufacturers produce the more sophisticated product.
It is worth noting for Kev benefit if he is not aware of other methods using extension tubes or bellows extentions to achieve close up results as well.
Certainly not cheap and always worth looking at secondhand BUT only if you're sure the seller is reliable AND that the lens has been well cared for.
Ask your dad about it as there's always a chance he may already have one tucked away.
Your dad may also have 'extension tubes' as mentioned by Patrick.
Another possibility would be to ask him if he has a 'reversing ring'. The reversing ring would enable you to put a standard 50mm lens onto the camera backwards (ie reversed). That method also produces macros but it can be quite difficult to focus and you'd be better using manual focus for that method.
As I said - have a chat with your dad as he might have all sorts of things tucked away ... or at least be able to help you out by explaining things. He may even have an interesred photographer friend who could help.
One more thing I keep meaning to mention ...
Have a look to see if there are any camera clubs or photographic societies in your area. You and your wife might enjoy looking into joining a club where you'd get all sorts of 'hands-on' help and explanations with all sorts of things.
Patrick, Graham and Audrey are all members of camera clubs. They could tell you a lot more about clubs than me as they're all very active in camera clubs.
Certainly not cheap and always worth looking at secondhand BUT only if you're sure the seller is reliable AND that the lens has been well cared for.
Ask your dad about it as there's always a chance he may already have one tucked away.
Your dad may also have 'extension tubes' as mentioned by Patrick.
Another possibility would be to ask him if he has a 'reversing ring'. The reversing ring would enable you to put a standard 50mm lens onto the camera backwards (ie reversed). That method also produces macros but it can be quite difficult to focus and you'd be better using manual focus for that method.
As I said - have a chat with your dad as he might have all sorts of things tucked away ... or at least be able to help you out by explaining things. He may even have an interesred photographer friend who could help.
One more thing I keep meaning to mention ...
Have a look to see if there are any camera clubs or photographic societies in your area. You and your wife might enjoy looking into joining a club where you'd get all sorts of 'hands-on' help and explanations with all sorts of things.
Patrick, Graham and Audrey are all members of camera clubs. They could tell you a lot more about clubs than me as they're all very active in camera clubs.
Pol
A reversing ring to use your 50mm standard lens is an option used many years ago and works very well, it does disconnects all auto functions so you can only use manual focus and exposure.
There are some very cheap extension tubes on eBay allowing you to use your existing lenses, but being cheap they also do not exchange information with the camera, thereby nullifying all auto function, so you have to manually focus and set exposure.
Kenco have just marketed extension tubes for 4/3 users with full camera communication, giving the user auto functions, they are around £120.
It is generally accepted a proper Macro lens gives best results, followed by extension tubes or bellows, although bellows appear out of favour these days and are not easily available.
Using a reversing ring gives very good quality but is fiddly.
Supplementary lenses as described earlier in this thread and using the multi element variety gives very good quality as we can see again on the thread. The single element lenses can give reasonable quality.
As usual monetary budget plays its part.
Ax to photo clubs what part of the world are you, I am presuming the UK, I am in the Midlands, and my two clubs are in the MCPF, if you Google MCPF there is a list of clubs to pick from. If you are in another part of the country I can if you tell me where I can tell you the regions associations with their lists of clubs.
A reversing ring to use your 50mm standard lens is an option used many years ago and works very well, it does disconnects all auto functions so you can only use manual focus and exposure.
There are some very cheap extension tubes on eBay allowing you to use your existing lenses, but being cheap they also do not exchange information with the camera, thereby nullifying all auto function, so you have to manually focus and set exposure.
Kenco have just marketed extension tubes for 4/3 users with full camera communication, giving the user auto functions, they are around £120.
It is generally accepted a proper Macro lens gives best results, followed by extension tubes or bellows, although bellows appear out of favour these days and are not easily available.
Using a reversing ring gives very good quality but is fiddly.
Supplementary lenses as described earlier in this thread and using the multi element variety gives very good quality as we can see again on the thread. The single element lenses can give reasonable quality.
As usual monetary budget plays its part.
As to photo clubs what part of the world are you, I am presuming the UK, I am in the Midlands, and my two clubs are in the MCPF, if you Google MCPF there is a list of clubs to pick from. If you are in another part of the country I can tell which regional associations to look for.
Re: Speaking OF MTF Macro
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