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Thread: Camera help please.

  1. #1
    Senior Member ainterne's Avatar
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    Default Camera help please.

    Hi, I have a SL1 EOS100D Canon. I have made a light box following instructions on this site, however I need to take closer shots of the pen. How can I get the camera to to take macro shots?

    Would I be right in thinking that its as simple as acquiring one of these?

    Fotodiox Canon EOS Macro Extension Tube Set for Extreme Close-Ups

    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Y60DZO/...I3EH95QF12BJEL

    Or do I need to purchase a full lens?

    I only want to do this occasionally and looking for a non expensive solution. (I prefer to spend my money on pens:-) )......


    In these for example, I want to get much closer on the writing around the cap. Any suggestions please?


    Thanks in advance for any help offered.....
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    Last edited by ainterne; August 16th, 2014 at 01:37 PM.

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    Senior Member tandaina's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    I'm not familiar with your particular model camera. But if it uses interchangeable lenses yes, you will need a macro lens to take macro shots. That's just how it works. You can get extension tubes, etc but those are not nearly as good quality. If all you care about is the occasional pen photo they may work find. But to really enjoy the joys of macro photography I recommend a real macro lens, make sure it is 1:1.

    Canon makes some very good macro lenses, their 60mm lens is pretty good especially for the price (my mother has one and enjoys it). Or you could go with a third party lens in the canon mount. I use a Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro lens for my Sony/Minolta system, it is also available for Canon. They are often available used for so low cost for quality as to be laughable ($300 easily). The Tamron can't auto focus to save its life, but for macro you really should be using a tripod and manual focus anyway. As a bonus it is a beautiful portrait lens with smooth creamy bokeh to make you swoon. I'm quite a fan despite its crippled auto focus.

    But if you aren't really a photog, you just want to take super close photos (though for pen sales what you've got is more than fine, not sure why you'd need closer) then the extension tubes might be your easiest solution. Be sure to do some reading on them, find out what lenses they are going to work best with, etc.
    Last edited by tandaina; August 16th, 2014 at 01:30 PM.
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    Senior Member ainterne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    Quote Originally Posted by tandaina View Post
    I'm not familiar with your particular model camera. But if it uses interchangeable lenses yes, you will need a macro lens to take macro shots. That's just how it works. You can get extension tubes, etc but those are not nearly as good quality. If all you care about is the occasional pen photo they may work find. But to really enjoy the joys of macro photography I recommend a real macro lens, make sure it is 1:1.

    Canon makes some very good macro lenses, their 60mm lens is pretty good especially for the price (my mother has one and enjoys it). Or you could go with a third party lens in the canon mount. I use a Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro lens for my Sony/Minolta system, it is also available for Canon. They are often available used for so low cost for quality as to be laughable ($300 easily). The Tamron can't auto focus to save its life, but for macro you really should be using a tripod and manual focus anyway. As a bonus it is a beautiful portrait lens with smooth creamy bokeh to make you swoon. I'm quite a fan despite its crippled auto focus.

    But if you aren't really a photog, you just want to take super close photos (though for pen sales what you've got is more than fine, not sure why you'd need closer) then the extension tubes might be your easiest solution. Be sure to do some reading on them, find out what lenses they are going to work best with, etc.

    Thank you.... I wanted to be able to show clearly the writing around the gold band on the pen, hence the need to get closer in.....

    Phil.

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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    The extensions tubes you have linked to should work with your camera - but with a couple of caveats. The main one is that those tubes do not appear to carry the electrical connection from the camera body to the lens. Thus you have to focus manually, adjust for aperture manually, and possibly (not sure on this one) set the exposure manually. The more expensive ones from Canon, Kenko etc has these electrical connections which makes the operation of the camera more normal.

    The other caveat, although when doing close up work is not a real issue, is that extension tubes reduce the maximum focusing distance. Thus you can focus closer to the lens, but you lose the ability to focus at infinity. Also, they reduce the amount of light that actually gets to the camera's sensor, so you either need a longer exposure, or a larger aperture. You don't gain something for nothing.

    As Tandaina has said, a dedicated macro lens is always the best bet. Extension tubes are a good replacement provided you are aware of the limitations of them.
    Last edited by hark40; August 17th, 2014 at 06:54 AM. Reason: Forgot light loss

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    Senior Member Tony Rex's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    Quote Originally Posted by ainterne View Post
    I only want to do this occasionally and looking for a non expensive solution. (I prefer to spend my money on pens:-) )......
    Other cheaper options:
    1. Lens reverse rings. This might be the cheapest, but really cumbersome.
    2. Close up filters
    3. Camera phone macro lens

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    The Nibsmith dannzeman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    Using extension tubes will increase the effective magnification of the lens making it more macro-like. Look up the magnification factor of your lens and use the calculator on this page to determine the new magnification factor based on your choice of extension tube.

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    Senior Member ainterne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    So just by chance I was looking on my phone and I found a magnifying app called Magnifier and gave it a try not expecting any worthwhile results.

    If fact it was not to bad.... what do you think? No depth of field, but not bad for a free app I thought......

    With that said thanks for all your help, I have put in an order for a couple of the options suggested and will see how it turns out. Yes the auto-focus disappears, but I am OK with that, at that distance.

    I have decided I want to sell my Mont Blanc and the only fair way to do it, I think anyway, is to take some really close up shots also for potential buyers to see. I have never sold a pen on line before but am trying to get
    it right first time.


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    Senior Member oldstoat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    The Canon 100D has a decent sized sensor at 18MP. You can use a slightly longer lens and get a very sharp image, then crop down. Dedicated macro lenses are more expensive than most pens

    Using a tripod also makes a huge difference, especially with precise focus
    Some days, it's hardly worth chewing through the leather straps....

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    Senior Member ainterne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    So the extension tube came in today and here are the first couple of shots with it...... Not perfect by any means, but not bad I don't think.... Thoughts?

    I didn't realize it would be quite so close, so I should have cleaned the nib first.... will do that on next attempt :-)
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    Senior Member tandaina's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    That close you really need a flash or at least expose for longer, photos are underexposed on my screen.
    ---
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    Senior Member Brisboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    Yep, looks good but under exposed. Tripod and self time with longer exposure, or flash (even the pop up one) with some kind of diffuser or both will get it even better.

    I've seen a few home made diffuser options such as thin white paper to bounce and diffuse or an old clear film canister (if you shot or did shot film) w with a section cut out to fit over the pop up flash. There's many ways to skin a cat (as they say around here).
    Last edited by Brisboy; August 19th, 2014 at 06:12 PM.

  12. #12
    Senior Member ainterne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    Yes, quite right... I just pulled it out of the box and tried it. I did run one with the flash on, and it was to bright (Shown below) ..... I am going to try with some lights on the weekend and as suggested play with the exposure times etc. I realized as soon as I started using it that it's not the best tool for really good photography, but as a "cheap and cheerful" fix for a few close up nib shots then I think its ok. Certainly enough to show how much is material is left on the nib etc.I really did want to diffuse the flash or use some bounced light as I have noticed the nibs will reflect the flash to easily. I did try the Magnifier app on my Galaxy 5 and was quite impressed with the result. Included a quick shot of one my tests. Not bad for a free app.Thanks for your input though, I do appreciate it. Do either of you have any nib pics you can share? Phil
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    Last edited by ainterne; August 19th, 2014 at 09:30 PM.

  13. #13
    Senior Member Brisboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Camera help please.

    Don't think I've taken any pics of nibs. Usually bugs and flowers or domestic textures are what I end up doing macro-wise. I'll have to have a play.

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