Will A Macro Lens Attachment Work On Any Camera

Desire to shoot macro, simply tin't afford the big ticket prices for a "real" macro lens?

Read on to see how you can turn your niggling 50mm f/1.viii lens into a sugariness macro photography toy for under $20 (if you already own the lens)

I found out most this little known, secret technique, over a year agone but only recently got all the pieces to actually practice it right and create some images. It also took me a while to find the right lens reversal ring, so to relieve you time I've linked to all the major brands below.

Pros and cons of 50mm lens reversal

There are some good and some challenging things about using this technique. Here's a list of some of the pros and cons.

PROS:

really inexpensive to do especially if you already have a 50mm lens
fun to play with super shallow depth of field
cracking mode to meet if you lot like shooting macro and desire to invest the money in a special macro lens

CONS:

lens shoots wide opened (unless y'all accept a lens with the aperture dial on the lens itself or you apply DOF Preview to lock it before reversing the lens)
super shallow depth of field, we're talking tiny, millimetres so you lot need to be precise
autofocus does non function and so you focus by moving in and out until you discover focus
utilise of a tripod is challenging considering of the to a higher place point
is a picayune bit tricky to get the focus and exposure correct

Macro magnification and other lens options

I'chiliad already a huge fan of the 50mm f/1.8 lens and recommend you take ane in your bag if you don't already. I wrote about it in this article: Why a 50mm Lens is your new All-time Friend on Digital Photography School. If you're already on board with me you can practise this petty play a joke on. It can actually exist done with any lens only a 50mm will give you a 1:1 or true macro calibration image. Long lenses will non give you as much magnification and broad angle lenses will give y'all more than (28mm is about 3:1). All you lot really demand to try it is a lens reversal ring that will cost you less than $twenty and you lot're ready to shoot.

Technique and tips

#1 Information technology's pretty uncomplicated to do this technique.

Once you have the lens reversal ring, attach it to the front of your lens and mount the lens backwards so the rear lens chemical element is facing out. Take intendance non to impairment the rear chemical element while shooting or the electric contacts.

#2 Set your photographic camera mode to Manual.

You volition likely encounter "F00" where it shows aperture, that's normal considering it only means the camera can't read the aperture from the lens.

#3 Yous can set up your exposure using the camera meter merely it may be a bit off. Check the histogram and adapt appropriately using the shutter speed or ISO to get more or less light.

#4 If yous want a smaller aperture yous tin can close downward the lens simply y'all have to start mount it on the right way around.

Fix it to the aperture you desire, say f/eight. Press the Depth of Field preview push button (bank check your manual if you aren't sure where it is on your camera) and hold information technology down WHILE dismounting the lens from the body. Doing so will lock it at f/8.

#5 Focus by moving dorsum and forth until you run across something abrupt.

If yous have a focus rail tripod head designed for macro photography that may help.

The post-obit images are all shot in the same field of the same little plant.

Other options:

Another method of lens reversal which I oasis't tried notwithstanding is using two lenses.

Basically y'all mount ane lens equally usual on the camera. And so you take your 50mm and attach it to the front end of the other lens.

The benefits are y'all have full control of the discontinuity for the lens mounted the right way and the one mounted backwards becomes a big close-up filter. Filters are another pick for macro photography but they are unremarkably of lower quality that most of the other methods.

Using a lens as a close-upward filter gives yous better eyes. All you need to practice this is a "coupling ring" or "coupler" to attach them firmly together.

List of equipment needed:

Canon

50mm f1/8 lens
Lens reversal band to fit the 50mm lens 52mm filter ring size

Nikon

50mm f/ane.8 AF-Due south lens with autofocus, become the FX one if you recall yous might ever upgrade to full frame cameras
50mm f/one.8D AF lens (manual focus) volition work great for this purpose but is e'er manual focus. Advantage of this lens is you can adjust the discontinuity on it separately.
Fotodiox 58mm Filter Thread Lens, Macro Opposite Ring for Nikon Camera with 58mm filter thread lens

Pentax

Sony

For more than learning on macro photography

Start read the Ultimate Guide to Macro Photography. Then consider reading my interview with macro lensman Don Komarechka

Up Close a Craft and Vision ebook by Andrew S. Gibson.

Activity PLAN

If this type of photography interests you lot and you haven't got a macro lens yet, why non give this try? What practise you accept to lose, $10 for a reversal ring? I say give it a go! If you lot've got some other tips for macro photography or accept a great shot you'd like to share please practise so in the comments below!

Equally always have fun and become out there doing photography!
Thanks,

Darlene is an educator who teaches aspiring amateurs and hobbyists how to improve their skills through her articles hither on Digital Photo Mentor, her beginner photography course, and private tutoring lessons. To help yous at whatever level you're at she has two email mini-courses. Sign upward for her gratuitous beginner OR portrait photography e-mail mini-course. Or go both, no charge!

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