Epic Failure in Photography

So, I decided to be "cheap" for the sake of experiment and bought a macro converter rather than a macro lens. I think I'm going to need to buy a macro speed light and macro lens to do what I was actually trying to do. The camera was so close to the coin, that fixed focus at infinity still had the coin taking up nearly the entire frame. I didn't crop the photo, so you could see how awful of an idea the macro converter is. Also... see how harshly cleaned this was and all the random chemical damage???

 

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Yep, "macro converters" (lenses that attach to the front of your main lens) invariably add chromatic aberration, and usually degrade the image in other ways as well -- they're still better than nothing, but no substitute for an actual macro lens.

If you have an interchangeable-lens camera, you might look into extension tubes. They work by moving the whole lens further away from the sensor. They still have drawbacks compared to an actual macro lens, but at least they don't introduce more elements (and more distortion) into the optical path, and they're cheaper than a new lens.

 

I don't think the tubes will work too well. My logic is this: in pushing the lens assembly further from the sensor, I end up with "black" on the periphery. Since my SLR is a 52mm, that means I'll get those weird vignettes on the corners.

I figure I can probably afford to buy a lens that costs up to $180 or so for this single purpose.

 

52mm sounds like the front thread on an SLR lens. These tubes actually go between the lens and the camera body.

Extension tubes shouldn't ever cause vignetting. The tubes are wider than the sensor and the back end of the lens assembly, so there's no way for them to get in the way of any rays passing from the lens to the sensor. When you put things on the front of the lens, they block the periphery of the lens' view, and that causes vignetting.

Extension tubes will darken the image overall, as though you'd increased the f/ratio of the lens, and you'll have to compensate for that by taking longer exposures or using more light.

There might be adequate macro-capable lenses out there for $180, but I think a set of tubes runs closer to $100, and it would let you use the best lens you currently own. (Unless, of course, that lens is a giant honking telephoto -- the longer a lens' focal length, the less effect adding extension tubes will have on it.)

 

JeffB is right. I spent many years shooting commercially and am the head of the photography department now for a large electronics retailer (not one of the big box corporate stores...thanks God).

 

So, I managed to get a micro-nikkor 55 f/3.5 for $15 shipped. It's pre-AI, but I can throw it on my DX camera, so there's no problem there.

 

Same thing I did, you will be happy with it, especially for the price. Macro coins on per ai is not bad.

 

First things first. Pre-AI lenses can only be safely used on the following Nikon dSLR's:​

D40, D40x, D60, D3x00, and D5x00. Trying to mount one on another DX body can damage both the body and the lens. Second, the 55mm f/3.5 only allows for 1:2 magnification, so anything smaller than a brass buck isn't going to fill the frame on a DX camera. ​

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As for close-up lenses or macro converters, these too come a different price points and different quality. While I normally use a "real' macro lens for coin photography, here are a couple of shots of my own cleaned 1853 A&R taken using a (now discontinued) Nikon 6T.​

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To keep bandwidth reasonable, I only included a 100% crop of a small area. Since the Nikon 6T is a 2-element design, chromatic aberration is greatly reduced. It's also only a +3 diopter model, which is usually of better quality and more comfortable to work with than a higher powered lens. The Marumi DHG Achromatic Macro 330 is of similar strength and quality as the Nikon 6T and is available new in a variety of sizes. It even gives you a bit more working room than the 55mm.

 

Ahh, well, my DX is a D3100. I had been under the incorrect perception that all DX sensor cameras could uses non-/pre-AI lenses. Thank you for clarifying. Also, before purchasing the lens, I thought it was 1:1, but it turns out only the first batch of 55/3.5 were of the 1:1 variety. The one I picked up is a run-of-the-mill 1:2.

 

Great thread guys! I'm soon to be in the market for an DSLR and was under the impression that a 55mm lens was capable of macro. Not true?

Sent from my KFJWI using Tapatalk HD

 

While most if not all dSLR manufacturers make macro lenses in the 50-60mm range, not all lenses of those focal lengths are designed for close-up work.

 

Not all 55mm lenses are macro lenses, for starters. Beyond that, the more I read up on macro photography, apparently, even the 55mm lenses that ARE macro aren't good for macro photography. The recommendation seems to be to use a 150mm or 200mm macro lens for macro photography.

I'm assuming this is for taking those cool bird/insect pictures, where you see the details in the feather, as opposed to coin photography. In any case, the 55/3.5 micro-nikkor has a minimum focusing distance of just shy of a foot, so I can't imagine that interfering too much with lighting. At the very least, it HAS to be an improvement on the 3cm distance with my point and shoot.

Also, Ben's expertise in this is WAY greater than my own.

 

Well, I'm probably going to be asking you guys a few questions when I decide on what it is I want to get. Thanks Ben and NK.........

 

Unless you're having problems with getting enough light on your coins, in many cases, you can get decent macro coin images from a point and shoot. Personally, I picked up a Nikon Coolpix S8100 for $35. I specifically bought it for macro, but I wanted to be able to manual focus my coin photos, and, unfortunately, point and shoots don't do that. The exception *might* be the first generation of pro Coolpix cameras. My friend has offered me his for $20, so I'll probably take him up on that, even though it's only a 6mp sensor, and I don't need it. I could always use it as a "beach body."

 

Don't put too much stock into mega pixels. My old Nikon D100 was only 6MP but it was a great camera for its time.

 

I've got a Cannon Power Shot but I'm getting to a point that I want to start manipulating the F Stops and shutter speed instead of having the camera choose them for me.......

 

I thought that PowerShots did let you choose aperture or shutter priority (manually setting aperture or shutter speed). If not, you might want to see whether the CHDK firmware upgrade supports your camera.

 

Not mine....

 

Rats. Which one do you have?

 

SD1200 IS