topic Re: lenses for close ups in EF & RF Lenses

lenses for close ups

gazza3535 — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:01:38 GMT

Hi,

i have a EOS d300 and would like to take really close up photos of my aquaruim fish, need to get around a couple of inches away from the glass, could anyone advise me of what lense i would need to be able to do this

thank you

Re: lenses for close ups

Waddizzle — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 18:24:56 GMT

You would likely want what is known as a "macro" lens. These are specially designed lenses that have very short, minimum focusing distances combined with high magnification factors at those distance. You may also want to look into what is known as photo-stacking.

However, if you are shooting the fish through the tank's glass, then your images may be somewhat degraded by the tank's glass. Spending a lot of money for this scenario will quickly reach the point of diminishing returns.

A less expensive alternative to purchasing a macro lens are extension tubes. They come in various sizes, designated in mm. Different sizes are used with different focal length lenses. You usually do not want use a focal length that is much more than double or triple the size of the extension tube.

Extension tubes can also be stacked, which is useful for longer focal length lenses. The tubes work by reducing the minimum focusing distance of the lens, by sacrificing the ability to focus at infinite distances. Extension tubes come in two basic varieties. Those that allow the use of auto focus, and those that do not. Auto Focus is usually not very useful for macro photography because of the narrow depth of field that you can encounter. This is where photo stacking comes into play.

Another less expensive alternative are close-up filters. These are specially made filters that screw onto the front of your lens, and effectively serve the same role as an extension tube. They both reduce the minimum focusing distance of your lens. Close-up filters affect the image quality because they contain an optical element, unlike extension tubes that do not contain any optical elements.

Close-up filters come in different magnifications; 1x, 2x, 4x ,10x.. Their use is independent of the focal length of the lens that you're using. You can use most any filter on any length lens that fits the filter size in mm. Close-up filters can also be stacked for higher magnification, at the sacrifice of depth of field.

Re: lenses for close ups

gazza3535 — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 18:06:22 GMT

Thank you

Re: lenses for close ups

kvbarkley — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 21:45:38 GMT

Do you mean the Rebel 300D?

If so, the EF-S 60 mm Macro is a pretty good deal. It focuses to lifesize.

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 14:41:25 GMT

It really doesn't matter how far or close you are from the glass. It depends on how close or far from the subject the lens is. This may indicate you already have a lens that will work. What lens do you have? The standard and very common "nifty-fifty" 50mm f1.8 could be all you need. It is a very affordable lens with much more versatility than extension tubes, close-up filters or a true macro lens.

The standard 'kit' lens, ef-s 18-55mm, can get as close as approx. 10 inches. As is true in most cases, a good post editor is going to be essential and likely of more value that the lens.

So how far away are the fish?

Re: lenses for close ups

RobertTheFat — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 15:25:16 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
It really doesn't matter how far or close you are from the glass. ..

The farther you are from the glass, the more likely you are to see spurious reflections of objects outside the tank. At least that's my experience.

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 15:32:59 GMT

Bob from Boston,

"... a good post editor is going to be essential and likely of more value ~~that~~ than the lens."

Re: lenses for close ups

RobertTheFat — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 16:37:03 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
Bob from Boston,
"... a good post editor is going to be essential and likely of more value ~~that~~ than the lens."

If you're suggesting that using a photo editor to try to get rid of unwanted reflections is preferable to avoiding them in the first place, then I heartily disagree.

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 16:54:10 GMT

Bob from Boston,

Not saying that at all. I am saying a good post editor can make a mediocre lens much better. If you take your great lens and no post and I have a lesser lens and PS, I will take the latter every time. However never underestimate Photshop, my friend.

Re: lenses for close ups

kvbarkley — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 17:02:56 GMT

But as Syl Arena says, "I am a photographer, not a re-toucher!"

Re: lenses for close ups

RobertTheFat — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 17:28:27 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
But as Syl Arena says, "I am a photographer, not a re-toucher!"

But as we all know, Ernie channels Ansel Adams, not Vivian Maier.

Re: lenses for close ups

Waddizzle — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 17:47:05 GMT

@RobertTheFat wrote:
@ebiggs1 wrote:
It really doesn't matter how far or close you are from the glass. ..
The farther you are from the glass, the more likely you are to see spurious reflections of objects outside the tank. At least that's my experience.

Good point. I was thinking about the refraction effects of light passing through thick glass causing CA.

Re: lenses for close ups

gazza3535 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 07:20:26 GMT

i have a 50mm f1.8 and a EFS 18 -55mm, but niether lense will let me get to nearer than around the 12 inch mark to the glass, without not being able to focus , i really need to get closer, i can crop the photo's in lightroom to make the fish fill the frame, but would perfer just to be able to fill the frame with the fish without having to crop it to do so

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:21:39 GMT

"i have a 50mm f1.8 and a EFS 18 -55mm, but niether lense will let me get to nearer than around the 12 inch mark to the glass ..."

Looks like you answered you question. You need to buy a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens.

"... without not being able to focus ..."

Just because the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro can AF closer does not indicate it will AF that close. You may still have to MF.

"... perfer just to be able to fill the frame with the fish without having to crop ..."

This may or may not be possible but will likely be easier to do with a real macro lens. You are still going to have some distance with the glass and some water causing some distance. You may not be able to get much closer with the macro than you can with the lenses you already have. That is why I suggest you make sure what you have won't do the trick.

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:32:59 GMT

"Syl Arena says, "I am a photographer, not a re-toucher!"

Admits he does use LR and PS. He is just not good at either. Perhaps he never met Ben Willmore. I have. I now believe there is nothing a master like Willmore can't do with PS. I am at the point where he doesn't even need a camera. If you ever get the chance to take his PS course, I highly recommend it. He travels all across the country offering his course. It isn't free! Perhaps he will be close to you.

Re: lenses for close ups

RobertTheFat — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 11:41:38 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"Syl Arena says, "I am a photographer, not a re-toucher!"

Admits he does use LR and PS. He is just not good at either. Perhaps he never met Ben Willmore. I have. I now believe there is nothing a master like Willmore can't do with PS. I am at the point where he doesn't even need a camera. If you ever get the chance to take his PS course, I highly recommend it. He travels all across the country offering his course. It isn't free! Perhaps he will be close to you.

IIRC, you've been both a photographer and a graphic designer. Although there's obviously an overlap, those are two separate disciplines; and Photoshop blurs the distinction. Sometimes when you launch one of your regular paeans to Photoshop, I think we hear your graphic designer side doing the talking.

Re: lenses for close ups

Waddizzle — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 12:12:17 GMT

@gazza3535 wrote:
i have a 50mm f1.8 and a EFS 18 -55mm, but niether lense will let me get to nearer than around the 12 inch mark to the glass, without not being able to focus , i really need to get closer, i can crop the photo's in lightroom to make the fish fill the frame, but would perfer just to be able to fill the frame with the fish without having to crop it to do so

Tripod? Do you have a sturdy tripod with an interchangeable head, and not the plastic, big box store variety?

Lighting? The more available light you have, and the lower the ISO you can use, the sharper your images will turn out.

Post Processing? If you want really impressive final images, Canon's DPP can only scratch the surface. Using artificial lighting will require careful white balance adjustments to restore the natural colors of tropical fish. You may also want to adjust some of the highlights and shadows in your shots, something which DPP can do, but just not very well. You can cheat as much or as little as you want in post. Some final images qualify as felonies, IMHO.

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 13:27:18 GMT

Bob from Boston,

Hmmm, that may be true.

"I think we hear your graphic designer side doing the talking."

You talent of observation is keen, today.

Re: lenses for close ups

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 13:32:44 GMT

"Some final images qualify as felonies, IMHO."

Not aimed at any particular forum member!

Re: lenses for close ups

Waddizzle — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:12:30 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"Some final images qualify as felonies, IMHO."

Not aimed at any particular forum member!

I am guilty as charged. Here's a "macro" shot of a quarter. The DOF was to small to focus the entire quarter.

That single image is comprised of six separate stacked images. To the less informed, it may appear to be one shot.