A question for the group: I would like the ability to take close up photos (such as still life of small coins or other small objects) but the lenses I currently have for use on my...

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I would like the ability to take close up photos (such as still life of small coins or other small objects) but the lenses I currently have for use on my Canon T3i - 18-55mm kit lens, 70-300mm, and 50mm f1.8 I feel are sadly lacking for the most part. Knowing that asking for opinions here is a crazy idea, I'm going to anyway. I'm not real knowledgeable about all the different lenses, so could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

Walt

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Whuff wrote:

I would like the ability to take close up photos (such as still life of small coins or other small objects) but the lenses I currently have for use on my Canon T3i - 18-55mm kit lens, 70-300mm, and 50mm f1.8 I feel are sadly lacking for the most part. Knowing that asking for opinions here is a crazy idea, I'm going to anyway. I'm not real knowledgeable about all the different lenses, so could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

Walt

I suspect you want to get into MACRO, I recently purchased a 100 mm Tokina lens that is a 1:1 macro so I can get real close and real big.

You could also go with a reversing ring that would let you turn a 28, 35, or 50 mm lens around and attach it to your camera by the filter threads.

A 50 mm gives pretty good magnification, 35 is closer and 28 is closer still.

Aperture will function if the lens has a ring, all other settings will be manual, focus done by moving closer or farther away.

You can also purchase extension tubes or bellows which allow you to turn any lens into a macro lens of sorts. Have not tried tubes myself.

I have a reversing ring and it is kind of neat to play with.

BUT the 100 1:1 macro is the best in my opinion.

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

Walt, I got very good results using my 70-300mm lens. You have to stand about 3 feet away, start out at about 10mm then zoom in until you have the close-up you want. For an example, see here: http://static.uglyhedgehog.com/upload/2014/11/16/1416114251224-hawriverandtrainbridge_300mm_longtelephoto__editedresized.jpg You may want to use a tripod and a remote cable release, and perhaps Manual Focus, but you have the equipment at hand to get started now.

Bob

Rick36203 Loc: Northeast Alabama

If you want to do macro a lot, and have the full focus range available, invest in a good macro lens. But, on the other hand....

I rarely do macro type shots so, I chose the inexpensive extension tube route. I use the Nikon version of this set for about $45 -

http://www.amazon.com/Xit-XTETC-Focus-Extension-Cameras/dp/B00ALNA09W/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1423025877&sr=1-1&keywords=xtetc

Somewhere I read it compared very well against the more expensive Kenko tubes and still allowed using the autofocus.

I've posted a couple of bug pictures here but, neither shows scale. This image of a little critter next to a regular #2 pencil does give a sense of just how close the 85mm (non-macro) lens was able to get using the tube.

(Download)

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

For a crash course about "macro" (basic questions answered) take a look here:
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers Concerning Macro-Photography
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-36372-1.html

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A tripod and the 70-300 is a start. But, you'll likely want a sharper lens although the 50 f/1.8 with an extension tube might be all you need with a tripod for stability. The FAQ link gives lots of info but not camera specific ideas. Look at a EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro or the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM if you want to stay with Canon. The shorter 60mm is fine for things that do not move as you need to be in close. The 60 is a nice sharp lens but also a close overlap with the 50mm you already have.

Dixiegirl Loc: Alabama gulf coast

You can't go wrong with a good tripod, Canon 100mm macro and a remote shutter release.

Whuff wrote:

I would like the ability to take close up photos (such as still life of small coins or other small objects) but the lenses I currently have for use on my Canon T3i - 18-55mm kit lens, 70-300mm, and 50mm f1.8 I feel are sadly lacking for the most part. Knowing that asking for opinions here is a crazy idea, I'm going to anyway. I'm not real knowledgeable about all the different lenses, so could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

Walt

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Dngallagher wrote:

I suspect you want to get into MACRO, I recently purchased a 100 mm Tokina lens that is a 1:1 macro so I can get real close and real big.

Thanks for your advise. I'm not sure it's truly Macro that I'm wanting although it would be nice to be able to get close detail on a coin but I'm not wanting to photograph bugs or anything like that.

Walt

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Bob Yankle wrote:

Walt, I got very good results using my 70-300mm lens. You have to stand about 3 feet away, start out at about 10mm then zoom in until you have the close-up you want. For an example, see here: http://static.uglyhedgehog.com/upload/2014/11/16/1416114251224-hawriverandtrainbridge_300mm_longtelephoto__editedresized.jpg You may want to use a tripod and a remote cable release, and perhaps Manual Focus, but you have the equipment at hand to get started now.

Bob

Thanks for the info Bob. I do have all the equipment you recommend and have used it that way but haven't been totally happy with the results so far (probably due to user error). I do have some photos done with my 18-55mm lens that I'm very happy with but getting consistently decent results have eluded me (again probably due to user error). As I said in my original post, I'm not real savvy about lenses and thought maybe someone here could give me info on the type of lens I'm looking for.

Walt

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Rick36203 wrote:

If you want to do macro a lot, and have the full f... (show quote)

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Nikonian72 wrote:

For a crash course about "macro" (basic questions answered) take a look here:
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers Concerning Macro-Photography
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-36372-1.html

Thanks for the link to the Macro information. I know there's a Macro section here on UHH but since what I was looking for was information on close up photography, I posted here.

Walt

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

CHG_CANON wrote:

A tripod and the 70-300 is a start. But, you'll likely want a sharper lens although the 50 f/1.8 with an extension tube might be all you need with a tripod for stability. The FAQ link gives lots of info but not camera specific ideas. Look at a EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro or the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM if you want to stay with Canon. The shorter 60mm is fine for things that do not move as you need to be in close. The 60 is a nice sharp lens but also a close overlap with the 50mm you already have.

Thank you for the info on the lenses. I'll look into them. BTW, I took a look at your 500px photos. Very nice work. You should have plenty of opportunities to add to the winter in Chicago folder this week.

Walt

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Dixiegirl wrote:

You can't go wrong with a good tripod, Canon 100mm macro and a remote shutter release.

I have a good Manfrotto tripod and a remote shutter release, so I'll just have to look into the Macro lens. Thanks for your help Dixiegirl.

Walt

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Whuff wrote:

Thanks for your advise. I'm not sure it's truly Macro that I'm wanting although it would be nice to be able to get close detail on a coin but I'm not wanting to photograph bugs or anything like that.

That is significant, and so is the lack of comment about flowers.

Most of the obviously inexpensive routes for trying out macro will work fine for the many types of macro that don't particularly need a flat field lens. But coins (and stamps, documents or similar things that are flat) do benefit from a flatter field. You won't get that with diopters, reversed lenses, and normal lenses with extension tubes.

Most real macro lenses are designed to be as flat as possible. If the lens will focus down to 1:1 magnification, it probably will be good. Also longer focal lengths will be better.

And another option that can be inexpensive is to use an enlarging lens, which will have a very flat field. It will need a bellows, and would probably work best with a reversing ring, and will need work with lighting or a lens hood to avoid flare too.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Whuff wrote:

Thank you for the info on the lenses. I'll look into them. BTW, I took a look at your 500px photos. Very nice work. You should have plenty of opportunities to add to the winter in Chicago folder this week.

Walt

Thanks Walt! We posted the #5 all time snow fall Sunday night into Monday. I went out to the Bean and road the L around town at some of the hardest snow fall and got a few good moments I'm still working on. Also, look at the prices at KEH. You might find one of the non L macro models at half the price of new.