Close-Up Photography

Photographer: Al Jurina

Close-up photography, also known as Macro photography can be a fun and creative realm of photography. Many people will be delighted to know that point-and-shoot cameras usually have an edge in being able to take Macro photos without expensive gear. This is given to their small sensor sizes and the ways that their lenses are manufactured. To start with a point-and-shoot camera, just find the Macro Mode (usually designated with a flower symbol) on your camera and start shooting.

Dslr users will have a bit more to learn before they can begin. First off, many dslr lenses are have a focus-distance limit. This means that they are not able to achieve focus under a certain length from the subject. Most basic lenses limit you to about 10-15 inches.

To overcome this focus issue, there are many options: reversing rings, close-up filters, extension tubes, and dedicated macro lenses are among them.

1. Reversing rings: these are designed to allow you to reverse your camera lens, which, depending on the focal length of your lens, can allow you to get very close to your subject. The down sides are that by reversing your lens, you lose autofocus and aperture control from the camera.

2. Close-up filters: These are filters that act as magnifying glasses. You can usually find these for an inexpensive price, and also, depending on what you get, you may have the option of stacking them together for greater magnification. Because of the exaggeration in magnification, you often need to manual focus the camera, as the autofocus will usually have a hard time finding it's target.

3. Extension tubes: Extension tubes are hollow tubes that allow you to move your camera lens away from the sensor on your camera, thus, enlarging the image projection. Many people love using these because, unlike the above two options, you can purchase one set of extension tubes and use them with all of your lenses (the other two options require you to select them based on the specific lens diameter you have). Extension tubes can be cheap, but these ones usually do not autofocus, and thus also will not allow you to control aperture. It is my recommendation that if you choose this option, you may want to look at extension tubes with automatic focus and aperture control.

4. Dedicated Macro Lens: This option is by far the most expensive choice. However, dedicated macro lenses do a very good job at what they are designed for: taking macro photos. They are specifically manufactured for Macro, and come in varying focal lengths. They can also work as decent portrait lenses, although it seems that even the best macro lenses can be slow at autofocusing.

So there you have it! If you have a photography question that you'd like us to answer, please send it in!

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