Micro-photography is photos taken through a microscope, of things so small we can't really see them with the naked eye. Whereas macro photography is super-closeup photos, lying between what a camera can normally do, and micro-photography, generally of subjects smaller than the sensor (though this is based on 35mm photography, so equivalent to a "full frame" sensor, 24mm x 36mm.)
Most "macro lenses" only go to 1:1 with the built-in focussing, but you can get rings or bellows to put between the camera and lens. The mere extra space focuses the lens much closer. Technically you can use a normal lens also with these things, but it's not optimized for macro distances, so the pictures won't be very sharp.
Green beetle – 30 frames combined (Credit: Iddo Genuth)
The reason for the many combined frames (done in the computer with special software) is that one of the big challenges of macro photography is the super-duper-narrow depth of field.
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I have tried doing this with a macro coupler, which lets you screw two lenses together face-to-face. I think the highest magnification I achieved was 4:1 or 5:1. It's damn near impossible to get anything in focus - for instance, I shot a picture of a grain of turbinado sugar, and the front was in focus while the back was blurry. If I ever try again, I'm going to get some focusing rails.
"Most macro lenses only go to 1:1 with the built-in focussing, but you can get rings or bellows to put between the camera and lens. The mere extra space focuses the lens much closer. Technically you can use a normal lens also with these things, but it's not optimized for macro distances, so the pictures won't be very sharp."
However, there are a few relatively inexpensive things you can do to give your regular "non-macro" lenses, macro capability and very sharp pictures.
One way is to use a lens reversing ring which allows you to couple your standard 50mm lens backwards to your camera body. Note that you would lose auto and manual focusing capability; you focus by slowly moving your camera closer and farther from the subject.
These forget me nots blown up 300%, were taken with a reversed 50mm nikon lens. Depth of field is razor thin and is always an issue when using this technique.
Another way is to use a close-up filter attached to a telephoto or zoom lens. This dandelion was taken with a consumer grade 55-200 Nikon zoom with a Nikon 4T closeup filter.
Nice, Russ, I know that forget-me-not wasn't easy. Did you have focusing rails? Or just your wits and talent?
My best one was of a water droplet. I can't remember which two lenses I used.
@emptyspaces, I really like your water droplet. I've never seen many B&W macro shots, so yours is very unique to me. Also like that diagonal dynamic that's going on in the image.
No, I always hand hold my flower macro shots. Luckily the viewer never gets to see the 30 blurry ones that went into the bit bucket to get that one keeper! ;-)
It takes specialized lenses and tool, and a lot of work and patience.
Not for you then I guess. You can buy the specialized lenses and put them on a shelf.
Thanks guys.
Love the droplet and the forgetmenots.
I hate people that protect their flikr pictures as though they're great works of art when they're not. Copyright's not going to be a problem when it's a picture of a flower.
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