Photo Tutorial - DSLR reverse Macro

[Pugwash]

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?

I use stuff that comes with the camera, but apparently there's some good Windows software for most SLRs.

[RVD]

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

personally i use a card reader. i use sandisk extreme III and extreme IV cards and a fast sandisk reader to transfer files.

Once the files are transferred, i use photoshop to open the raw CR2 (canon raw) files. i modify the pictures in photoshop and then generate jpgs.

the software from the camera obviously works fine. canon's dpp software is nice and works well. adobe lightroom is also not too expensive and decent.

RVD.

[Pugwash]

the software from the camera obviously works fine. canon's dpp software is nice and works well.

The software for the camera allows me to press the shutter from the computer. This is considerably more important than the transferring of the file. The slightest bit of movement with a Macro is amplified. Lock the mirror up and remotely fire the shutter.

[highoeyazmuhudee]

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

some input from me. i found buying a $10 card reader was better than conencting the cameras USB to the PC all the time and using its batteries plus a card was more convienent to leave lying on my desk. as for software i use the Canon DPP tht came with my camera cause quite frankly it renders canons CR2 RAW format better than any 3rd party developer..makes sense... but for work flow i like to use Adobe lightroom, and to a lesser degree bridge if i have too.

as for macro i use kenko tubes ($85 same company as HOYA and you can auto focus)but would LOVE the Canon MP-E 65mm thats a 5:1 magnification where as most macros is about 1.2-2:1 or so..its a WHOLE different world at that level

Edited July 2, 2008 by highoeyazmuhudee

[Samurai]

Thanks Guys. Not sure if Sony comes with any s/w to control the camera from the computer. Have to admit this is a nice thing....though a $10 remote shutter drepesser for the camera might do the same trick.

I have to get myself a DSLR soon. I already have a 28 - "80" and a 100-300 lens as well. This is Minolta......so should fit onto Sony nicely....hence the reason for considering Sony Alpha.

p.s. every time i write "80" it shows it as a smiley :-)

[RVD]

The software for the camera allows me to press the shutter from the computer. This is considerably more important than the transferring of the file. The slightest bit of movement with a Macro is amplified. Lock the mirror up and remotely fire the shutter.

I actually use a wireless remote shutter for this. i bought it on ebay and it basically just works like a remote control. the other option is to use the timer release of course. i haven't used the camera software to do this before but that's a good thought.

the pictures do look pretty good btw.

[freddy333]

As usual, great tutorial, Pug.

I will soon be retiring my trusty old Powershot A80

in favor of another Canon with a higher mp rating & larger LCD screen (the A80's 1.5" diag flip-out screen is minute by today's standards & nearly useless in the sun). Having cut my photographic teeth on a wonderful Contax for years prior to digital

I would love to get a DSLR, but I have become too used to being able to slide a camera into my pocket (especially when I am on the motorcycle), so I can stop & snap roadside pics without having to carry a camera bag or going through the laborious process of unpacking a camera just to take a quick snap from a busy roadway.

My ideal camera would be point-and-shoot like the A80, but with 10mp (or higher), a 2.5" LCD, RAW support & higher magnification macro. Does Pug or anyone know of a Canon model that fits that bill?

[youpmelone]

450D?

if so.. have the same one.great tutorial.

will not do it though, sensor is dust free like to keep it that way

[Pugwash]

My idea camera would be point-and-shoot like the A80, but with 10mp (or higher), a 2.5" LCD, RAW support & higher magnification macro. Does Pug or anyone know of a Canon model that fits that bill?

Nah, your ideal camera would be the Leica M8: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/leicam8/

As for a Canon to replace your A80, have a look at some of the compacts at the top of this page:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/

There are a few that fit the bill, but not that shoot RAW.

[P4GTR]

Good stuff man!

[Pugwash]

450D?

if so.. have the same one.great tutorial.

I have the 400D

will not do it though, sensor is dust free like to keep it that way

So you don't change lenses?

[Samurai]

I got a Sony Alpha 350 recently. Saw on the bay that I can get some macro reverse ring for this....so shouldn't be an issue.

I also saw some macro rings being sold which kinda create a hollow tube in between the lense and the body....forcing the lense to focus closely. And these macro rings have electronics built into them....so all lense/camera functions including AF work as well. Obviously...these are quite expensive comapred to the reverse rings.

Which one would be the better option in the long run?

[highoeyazmuhudee]

"kenko extension tubes" $80-$100 MUCH better than the $6 plastic rings

[blue_sphere]

Wow AWESOME trick!

[Samurai]

I am buying a macro coupler ring for my cam....did some research on Pug's idea and found out that I can use a macro coupler ring to connect two of my lenses. Connect one lens normally to cam....put the ring on front and connect the other lens reversly mounted in front of the first lens. Essentially allows you to get closer macro shots and you also retain the electronics flowing thru the first lens.

[siger125]

the kenko extension are great...tho remember that if you have a closer focus you also lose a LOT of light and to get a meaningful magnification you need to get pretty close.

another solution is to use a "macro" lens tho they are limited to 1x(*).

the best solution is a dedicated macro lens like the canon mp65 is memory serve...it can do up to 6x(*) but it cost an arm and a leg.

the one that most people use is the reverse ring coupling. frankly it is the first time i heard about using one directly to the body.

Anyway...you can use it to get very high magnification for peanuts.

for example if you mount a 300mm on your camera and put a 50mm on the end you have a 6X (*) magnification (300/50)

50mm should be the minimum used tho because of distortion.

Of course it would be better to use autofocus...but in macro it is unreliable IMHO and manual focus is much better

* What the F... is 1x 6x etc...

Since focal length doesn't mean much in macro we use "X" of magnification.

1X means that the object is real size on the film/sensor.

let say you taking a picture of a 5mm circle....the object will be 5mm on the sensor. taking roughly 2% on a full size sensor (on a full frame one)

if you go to 5X then the size goes to 25mm and more than 50% of the frame.... huge difference.