Using Macro Lens Cameras

Additional equipment may not be absolutely necessary, but it can offer new photographic possibilities. One of the most useful accessories is some means of taking close up shots.

There are several ways of doing this. The cheapest is a close up lens which is fitted over the normal camera lens. This does not, however, give a very high quality image. When using such a lens on an SLR camera, focusing and framing are relatively easy, but when it is fitted to a camera with a viewfinder the distance to the subject must be measured. The lens will come with instructions about the correction to make to the focus setting. Because the viewfinder is offset, an educated guess will have to be made about how to point the camera.

For some SLR cameras it is possible to buy a reversing ring. This allows the lens to be mounted back to front, which makes it possible to focus on closer objects. The lens is not designed to be used backwards, so the image will not be of the best quality.
 

The only really satisfactory methods are to use extension rings or bellows, or to buy a separate macro lens. The rings or bellows are fixed to the camera as a lens would be, and the lens is attached to the front.

Extension rings usually come in sets of three, and can be used singly or together. When using them with certain lenses 1:1 magnification can be obtained, which means that the image is the same size as the object. Bellows work in the same way, but can be moved smoothly in and out so that any degree of magnification within their range can be obtained.
 

A macro lens allows close up work without having to fuss with these awkward devices. However, some macro lenses can be used with rings or bellow to give even greater magnification.
 

Tips in close up photography and how to use macro lens cameras: When working at high magnifications, exposure time has to be increased considerably, and if electronic flash is used, try to attach it with a very soft diffuser.

Another problem that usually occurs when using close to full magnificaton or 1:1 life size magnification is the depth of field. With very high magnification, depth of field is almost nonexistent. Sometimes when a small things are rightly focus, the background with mere 5mm away would have already been blurred; hence, extra care have to take expecially during focusing.

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