What lens do you use for close ups when you don't have a macro

[Wayne3]

Hi folks!

I've been playing around with photography for close to a year now, almost all of that has been wildlife so the couple of lenses I have bought have been longer focal length.  Ocassionally though, I see a flower or an insect I love. I haven't had bad results just using whatever lens I have on at the time. Below is a crocus taken with the kit lens (Canon 18-55 mm f5.6 ) and a bumblebee (Canon 100-400 mm also a f5.6 the only good piece of glass I have, my third lens is the Canon 55-250mm my camera is an old Canon Rebel T4i). I don't think I am ready to splurge on a macro lens yet. So, if I want to take a close up should I be using the the widest lens I have, does it matter? 

Thanks!

 

[RexGig]

Has anyone, yet, mentioned the Canon 500D Close-Up adapter? If the OP's 100-400mm lens is the II version, it should play well with the 500D Close-Up adapter, which threads onto the lens, in the manner of a filter.

The EF 100-400L II IS has a magnification ratio that is already quite good, and a rather short Miminum Focusing Distance spec, so it is, already, more suited than most telephoto lenses, to close-range photography.

Notably, the 500D can be used at the same time as extension tubes.

Cheaper, single-element screw-on close-up adapters do not usually perform as well as the diopter-type Canon 500D. My wife learned this, when she bought a set of single-element close-up "filters." (She is a Nkon shooter, but the 500D will work on Nikon lenses, too.)

I have not (yet) personally used the 500D, nor extension tubes, because I was fortunate to start DSLR photography with a bag of pre-owned Canon gear, that included a quite nice Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro Macro lens. Indeed, it was an interest in close-range and macro shooting that prompted me to start DSLR shooting. I soon added an EF 100/2.8L Macro IS, in order to be able to shoot in all weather conditions. (I was a police officer, at the time, and there was a new emphasis on photographing evidence, at more types of crime scenes.)

[Tronhard]

I have no personal experience with close-up filters, but all that I have heard or read from those who have used them is that they are a definite compromise in terms of quality of result.  I chose not to comment on them as I have not used them, so I did not include them in my posts.

If you care read the thread through (always a good idea), Waddizzle had this to say about close-up filters:

"The macro filters and adapters that screw on to the filter threads of a lens are not very good, because they are habitually made form low quality glass"

[ebiggs1]

""The macro filters and adapters that screw on to the filter threads of a lens are not very good, because they are habitually made form low quality glass"

I doubt seriously he has ever used them. It is his opinion not a fact he knows. My personal experience because I do have a full set of close-up filters, you know their are several powers, is they do work. However, at today's current level of camera and lenses and post editors anything with few exceptions that screws on to the front of a lens is not good.

[Wayne3]

Thanks for all your responses! I'm sorry I have been missing in action here.

Trevor's first response (and beautiful pictures) will give me a start without any extra equipment. I was going the wrong direction with lenses (I didn't know that macro lenses tend to be on the telephoto side so my Canon 100-400 is fine for right now). I think I need to play with aperture a bit. In particular, in  my first attempts the depth of field was too narrow even though there was plenty of light the day I took them so I could have narrowered the aperture. Some of this is just getting off the basic presets. I suspect both of these pictures were just on the "close-up" present and I have time to play around with aperture priority. Only after that will I get extension tubes. ( I love the quote Trevor added "A good swordsman is more important than a good sword." I'm happy to work on my skill before getting more swords right now LOL). 

Why not just get a macro lens in the long run? Maybe I will, but I assumed the weak point of my equipment will soon be the 7 year old Rebel T4i, although I have mixed feelings about this camera body. Despite it being an entry level camera, because I have only been really playing with it this last year my feelings have been if it died tomorrow I would get another Rebel. The amount of time I spend on Manual right now is still pretty miniscual (really just my very rare pictures of starry skies) so I am pretty content with the options of an entry level body. Let me know if I'm heading in the wrong direction here. 

Thanks for all the feedback so far!

Wayne 

[ebiggs1]

"... I assumed the weak point of my equipment will soon be the 7 year old Rebel T4i,..."

A point most seem to forget, probably because new cameras have new tech, is your T4i is just as capable today as it ever was. If you were happy with it then and you don't need the new tech, it is just fine.

IMHO, you do need a true macro lens to do macro work. 

[RobertTheFat]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... I assumed the weak point of my equipment will soon be the 7 year old Rebel T4i,..."

A point most seem to forget, probably because new cameras have new tech, is your T4i is just as capable today as it ever was. If you were happy with it then and you don't need the new tech, it is just fine.

IMHO, you do need a true macro lens to do macro work. 

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The T4i was not a particularly well liked camera in its day, but only because the pseudo-leather plastic covering on its body tended to degenerate and get sticky. If that hasn't happened to your camera, then you can ignore that fault. Even if you acquire a more modern camera, you might still find the T4i useful as a second camera or a backup.

The principal difference between a true macro lens and a telephoto lens of the same focal length is that the macro lens allows you to get closer to the subject while keeping it in focus than the telephoto lens would

[Tronhard]

I might note that the last image in my first post - the one of water droplets on the leaf, was taken with the T4i  -  IMHO it did an OK job, so I think your camera is quite a capable tool.

We come back to the age-old question when and how to upgrade equipment.  I think the OP is wise to concentrate on technique at the moment, REALLY get to know their camera's strengths and shortcomings and then look at what is coming on line.

The rise of high-quality MILCs is a good thing for two reasons:

1. If one chooses to switch that is where the mass of development is heading at the moment, so if you have a long photographic career ahead of you, then this is a good time to consider the switch as you will get the long-term return on investment.

2. If you choose to stick with the perfectly good EF system, then a mass of good, used equipment will come onto the market at low prices as enthusiasts jump on on MILC band-wagon. While EF lens development may be stalled, I personally think it will come back again for a few lenses and maybe the odd body to support the huge mass of EF and EF-S users (see the long-running thread: How long will EF be around?).  Even if nothing new comes on board, what IS there is very capable and there is a huge range of lenses already.

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... I assumed the weak point of my equipment will soon be the 7 year old Rebel T4i,..."

A point most seem to forget, probably because new cameras have new tech, is your T4i is just as capable today as it ever was. If you were happy with it then and you don't need the new tech, it is just fine.

IMHO, you do need a true macro lens to do macro work. 

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[Waddizzle]

"How long will EF be around?).  Even if nothing new comes on board, what IS there is very capable and there is a huge range of lenses already."

As I noted earlier in this thread, EF mount security cameras is a big business.  [I think it was this thread.]  The EF mount is not going away anytime soon.  While I think Canon may be done with releasing new EF mount consumer cameras, they made no mention of stopping production of EF/EF-S lenses.  The EF mount is used the EOS Cinema line of cameras, too.  

I think EF lenses will be around for quite a while.  Rumors of its' death are premature, IMHO.

[ebiggs1]

Don't you think it is short sighted to think the new models of Rebel and cine cameras won't have the new R mount.  Really?

[Tronhard]

The following image was taken with the EOS M, and the EF-S60 f/2.8 lens.