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Photo Tutorial - DSLR reverse Macro


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Here's the first Pugwash photo tutorial in a very long time. Unfortunately, it's my first DSLR one, so I'm sorry if you're still on a non-SLR camera.

macro-0.jpg

Normally, when you buy a camera, you get a fairly bog-standard average quality lens. This lens has one job and that's to take in big and make it small enough to fit on the bit of the camera that captures the light. What macro lenses do is pretty much the opposite of that. So, what would happen if you turn the bog-standard lens round and held it to the camera?

macro-1.jpg

This is what would happen:

orange-macro-01-640.jpg

Click for 1280px wide version

However, there must be a way to do better than manually holding the lens to the body, right? That's where a quick trip to eBay, armed with

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so if I reverse my 100-400mm zoom I should be able to get some ultra close macro then.

Try it. Just hold the lens to the camera the wrong way round. I think you'll find it's not as good as the shorter lenses. Wider angle, closer macro. Remember, if a short lens reduces the image more than a long lens, when you reverse it, a shorter lens will enlarge more than a long lens.

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theres also knock off extension tubes on ebay for $5 that posistion the lens mount further from the body sensor. so if youre taking a trip to ebay anyways you might want to look into the extension rings from china, do the same thing for the same price maybe even closer up, but dont expose the rear element to un-necessary debris and potential damage...

theres also a pringles tin hack that does the same thing for a bit cheaper and plus you get some chips to eat : )

hxxp://www.photocritic.org/macro-photography-on-a-budget/

Edited by highoeyazmuhudee
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So is that macro shot done with the ring on, or just holding the lense back to front? I get the feeling it was done with the ring put on, or there would be a lot of light seep through, right? Brilliant tip though, just need to upgrade the film SLR to DSLR so it doesn't cost a fortune in processing to get it right!

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So is that macro shot done with the ring on, or just holding the lense back to front? I get the feeling it was done with the ring put on, or there would be a lot of light seep through, right?

The photo above was taken with the ring. This photo was taken with just holding the lens to the body:

3719-08-640.jpg

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Interesting thanks.

By the way does the file size come out any bigger?

I wouldn`t imagine so as the processor isn`t changed ?

The camera just treats it like any other lens so the file is exactly the same size as any other photo you'd take.

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  • 2 months later...

lol. i've played around with reverse macro. as you can see here, it works fairly well. it's cheap and it works. extension tubes are another cheap option.

compared to a real macro, i think the main differences are:

1) focus is much tougher. you basically have to move the camera to focus just right.

2) you can't use it in reverse mode for anything other than macro. with a true macro, i use it like a regular lens for portaits sometimes and also macro photography.

3) it's virtually impossible to get more than a small area in focus. with a true macro, i can adjust apertures, etc. like a normal lens.

i'm not a pro but i enjoy photography. i shoot with a canon 5D and for macro, i use a relatively cheap and fast 100mm f/2.8. i don't shoot enough macro to justify the 180L lens. i've also used the 100mm macro for portrait work but don't use it much anymore after i got the 85mm f/1.8 (1.2 is too expensive).

i still have my old reverse ring and extension tubes from the days before i bought my macro. you're right it is a lot of fun.

RVD.

Edited by RVD
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Amazing stuff Pug....work of art.

Can you please share on how do you connect your DSLR to your PC....what specific h/w and s/w do you use.....and is it specific to the camera brand?

Am still on analog SLR......planning on getting myself a nice DSLR....am considering the Sony Alpha 350. Any comments on that model?

Cheers

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