Turning my lenses macro

[TomWilko]

Without getting over-complicated, what is the easiest (and cheapest!) way of turning my current set of lenses for my 350d into Macro lenses? I have seen these extension tube things, as well as lots of other types of things on Ebay but, once again, I am confused.

If someone could give me a little help it would be appreciated, current lenses are the 18-55mm kit lens, 50mm F/1.8 Mk II and 70-200mm F/4 L.

Tom

[Flibb]

I might be able to help as I have been doing macro on the cheap with a D70. Anybod know if the 350d meters with reversed, or lenses on manual extension rings? My basic kit is a nikon 50mm f1.8 combined with a £10 set of ebay extension rings. I have to guess metering and then examine the histogram, sounds difficult but its actally rather easy. I also use an external flashgun so I can use higher shutter speeds and hand hold. Will try and do some pics tonight and upload them.

[noah]

i'd be interestted in that too flibb. a tenner sounds reasonable for a bit of fun.

[Flibb]

Ive built a metering lens mount using part of the £10 macro rings, a tube of epoxy, and bits from a broken 50mm f1.8, basically allows stopped down metering in aperature priority. Main use is to allow a set of macro bellows to be attached, with M42 or enlarger lenses on the end. Only just finished shoving it all together so still a bit experimetal.

[Flibb]

Right, had a quick play in the kitchen Had to be quick as the wife wanted me to cook some grub. Images are not cropped, had to apply quiet a bit of jpeg compression on a few.

1. Pic of a daffodil taken with a Nikon 18-70mm about as close as focus can be achieved


2. Same daff with a 27.5 manual ring and 50mm f1.8


3. Same daff with a cheap macro bellows minimum extension, lens is an old enlarger lens


4. Same daff with max extension from the bellows.


5. Same daff different bit.


Had to do these quick so didn't get a chance to setup properly. I used a flashgun for lighting, didn't need to worry about shutter speed just aperture. Also need to clean the enlarger lens at some point. With the bellows on the image is 5mm across without cropping. With a small extension tube and off camera flash you can take closeup photos hand held, the 2nd pic could have been done that way.

[Flibb]

Bits and bobs. The thing one the front left is the metering adapter I made. Seemed to work well, even with flash.

[Funkstar]

very impressive magnification. amazing how small the flcal plane is in the last couple.

[shiato storm]

oh wow! thats awesome.

[noah]

very impressive!

[TomWilko]

So would some thing like this work fine then?

Link

[shiato storm]

yep

[Flibb]

I have the nikon version of that. Just be aware for Nikon(maybe Canon as well) you need to have aperature control on the lens. Luckilly my 1.8 does, for other lenses I used some old M42 fit stuff and adapters.

[TomWilko]

I have the nikon version of that. Just be aware for Nikon(maybe Canon as well) you need to have aperature control on the lens. Luckilly my 1.8 does, for other lenses I used some old M42 fit stuff and adapters.

Am I right in saying that if I don't have aperture control that the lens will just function at its widest aperture and nothing else? As in, I can still take the shots with the extension tubes, I just lose the ability to adjust aperture.

[shiato storm]

thats about the gist of it...yep

[Flibb]

Am I right in saying that if I don't have aperture control that the lens will just function at its widest aperture and nothing else? As in, I can still take the shots with the extension tubes, I just lose the ability to adjust aperture.

Yes thats right, and you will have very little depth of field. If your local camera shop has some old M42 screw lenses going cheap you could get a couple and an M42 - canon adapter.

[TomWilko]

I've ordered the extension tubes and will give them a shot on my various lenses. The guy I bought my 70-200 off really likes it for Macro so will be interesting to see what it produces!