lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

"1" Extension Tubes.

Note, you really should not be using AF for Macro anyway, so any correct Set of Extension Tubes fine. There can be 3 levels of camera-lens communication with types and prices of Extensions Tubes: All Manual (no communication); AE (auto iris or stop for Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority, possibly only one); AF (full AF communication).

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

Thanks Bob - I too have a couple old Canon FD mount lens I work with - in-fact that was my first experiment - A prime Canon 50 MM and a 35-70 - lots of fun with these lens and the inexpensive "toys" that are available.
I have only done a couple stacking that I have been happy with - I find that at my age - now 80-I am just too impatient to mess with many layers so I am shooting at f8 & f11 for deeper DOF in fewer if not just one shot.
Harvey-
quote=rmalarz]Very impressive work, Harvey.
--Bob[/quote]

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Just to have something to compare it to, here is a Sony A99 with the Minolta 100mm f2.8 lens at full macro.

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alx Loc: NJ

You couldn't just throw in your $.02. You had to raise it a dime?

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

That's one way of looking at it.

By the way, getting a good image of a dime is not easy. With the reflections, it was really difficult to tell exactly when I was in focus. I ended up doing it a number of times before getting it right.

As an easier subject to photograph, I took a look at the calculator on my desk and gave that a try. Perfectly flat surface , and refections didn't seem to be a big deal. For this one, and the next, I added the Raynox DCR-150 which is magnifying filter that inserted in the front of the lens, which in this case was the Minolta 100mm f2.8 macro lens with a Sony A99 full frame camera. The DCR-150 seemed to double the magnification.

The second was a cork coaster for setting a glass on.

And finally, a metric ruler just to show the size with it showing 3 to 4 cm.

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murph

For about 10USD you could do a reversing ring on your dslr, and then turn a wide angle lens backwards on the camera. This produces surprisingly good macro shots, and you are filterless. See link on you tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m56ANbj9YpE I don't have sample for you to see, but if you have a nice 24, 28, 35mm that you like, give it a try! I think you will be happy with the results. Lens needs to be one with f-ring, and auto focus won't work of course.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Yes, I have done this, and with good results. A reversing ring can be had for cheap on eBay.

ThreeCee Loc: Washington, DC

Macro photography is a whole new world. I would try it with the extension tubes and have at it. After experimentation and confirmation that it is your passion you can upgrade. It is very expensive and requires specialized equipment to get the best results. Ring flash, sturdy tripod, high resolution camera, high quality fast macro lenses.

nauticalmike

Everyone keeps saying you need a lens with an f-ring, however as I mentioned previously you can buy a devise that mounts onto the f-mount of a nikon lens that allows you to control the aperture using the little rod that stick out of the bottom of the mount that the camera body itself usually moves to adjust the aperture.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

The condition statements provided by "Trusted Vendors" are intended to give a true representation of the store's evaluation of the used gear they sell. You don't mention which stores you looked at, but online you can go to B&H and Adorama, where their team evaluates the gear, and the evaluations are thorough.

I have never used extension tubes, but from what OP have said, sounds like the way to go for best results. However, if you have a long zoom lens you can do what I call "pseudo-macro" with that. That is what I did when first getting interested in macro photography. Results are very good, just not as in-depth as with a true macro lens. But it was enough to help me decide to spend the money on a true macro lens!

With a 50mm lens, you will have to get very close to the subject to get a decent result. Longer lets you focus in on the subject and also gives good bokeh. Some cropping may be called for if you didn't focus in enough, but good detail can be obtained.


Examples below demonstrate that good detail can be captured without a macro lens, and that a macro lens captures much better detail.

Taken with a 55-300mm lens at 180mm focal length, minimal cropping

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Taken with a 150mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens

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chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

Nice shots Susan! Did you use the D810 for those shots? (looks like it!)

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

Yes - a dime makes a great test subject due to it's size and fine engraving - a dime is 12 mm at full macro it is 2:1 there was a resent post showing a quarter which is 24mm at 1:1 with a dime on top of it showing the comparison of the two.
That is where I found the breakdown in macro measurement that I could finally understand. I then took shots of a tape measure's mm with various lens set-ups and found good 24 mm- 1:1,12 mm- 2:1,6 mm- 3:1 and lastly 4 mm-3.5:1 now I need to move on from my dime to nature.
Harvey

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Thank you Chris. I didn't have the D810 yet when I took these photos! Bought it in the fall of 2015. These were taken with the D7000 which I bought in 2012.

The Penstemon bud was taken in July 2015 and the poppy flower in May 2012.

That poppy flower photo was one of the ones that convinced me I wanted a true macro lens, which I bought in 2013.

bellgamin Loc: Ewa Beach, Hawaii

I bought one. It's on the way. 10Q very much!