Taking a macro photo with my Rebel XTi

[nigelisabelle]

Not sure what I'm doing wrong but I can't figure out how to take a macro photo with my Canon Rebel XTi 400D. I have a 0.2m/0.9ft lens....I'm thinking that I should be able to take a macro photo of a dime, which is my subject.

I'm going batty trying to figure out why I can't do this. Is it my lens?

Anyone recommend a good macro lens for this type camera.

Cheers,
Joanne

[Giya]

I have had a lot of success with Canon's 100mm 2.8 Macro lens. It's a little pricey ($499.99 give or take), but is a great investment. It uses internal focusing, has a full time manual focus, and produces tack sharp images. Apart from a long focal length, it's a great portrait lens and pretty good telephoto. I happen to have my bag with me today at work and took this quick snap with the 100mm 2.8.

[BeardyWeirdy]

put it on manual focus - set it as shot a focus as you can - move in and out until you find the focus - this is a large as it wil get - use extension tubes or diopters if you want to get closer

[Giya]

Manual focus works pretty well, but if you are hand holding and not leaning on something, you'll probably get some movement.

If you are trying to compose a shot the best trick I've learned with my XTi is change the AF point of focus to a particular spot and and change your AF mode to Servo.

First, AF point. You do this by pushing the button on the upper right-back side that looks like either magnifying glass with a + sign or the cross of little squares. Then use your selector dial to choose the AF point that matches your composition (i.e. you want center, choose the center node, you want upper left, choose upper left).

Then change your AF mode to Servo. The servo mode will constantly adjust the focus amount to take into account your back and forth movement or the subjects movement. Then snap away!

[nigelisabelle]

Thank you so much. Crikey that's one heck of a shot of a dime! The lens is awesome but totally out of my price range and too much for my needs. I'm just a newbie to this and wanted something I could take good closeups with without my husband divorcing me from spending too much money!! hahah!!!

[LightChaser]

Short of buying a new lens, you can try mounting your lens in reverse to get a makeshift macro lens. You won't be able to adjust your aperture the way you normally do, but I found a hack to let do that here - it's about halfway down the page near the image of the mantis or grasshopper.

Mind you, this isn't the easiest way to shoot macro, but it sure is the cheapest.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by nigelisabelle

Not sure what I'm doing wrong but I can't figure out how to take a macro photo with my Canon Rebel XTi 400D. I have a 0.2m/0.9ft lens....

Um.. I'm trying to translate this in my head. Do you mean you have a 200mm lens? Or a lens with a minimum focus distance of 0.2m/0.9ft? Being a foot away from a dime isn't necessarily going to help you fill the frame.

Not all lenses can focus close. Most lenses have a "minimum focus distance", which determines the limit of how close an subject can be to the lens and held in focus. Typically, the longer the lens, the larger the minimum focus distance is (e.g., my 400mm prime's mfd is about 3.5m/11.5ft).

Macro lenses are specifically designed to be able to focus closely, and as a result they are optically superb lenses. But you can also do close-up photography with other equipment, like a reversed lens, extension tubes, or a close-up filter. Or just use a point-and-shoot.



Powershot G9. Macro mode. 1/250s. f/2.8. iso 100, focal length=7.4mm (~37mm).

The G9 has an astounding minimum focus distance of 1cm at the wide end of the lens. (That's the real trick with P&S macros--don't zoom).

[nigelisabelle]

Originally Posted by inkista

Um.. I'm trying to translate this in my head. Do you mean you have a 200mm lens? Or a lens with a minimum focus distance of 0.2m/0.9ft? .

I have a lens with a min. focus distance of 0.2m/0.9ft. Sorry...I'm not explaining myself very well here am I!

[inkista]

Ah. No worries. Except that 0.2m = 0.65ft, and 0.9ft is 0.27m.

Let's see, my EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens's minimum focus distance is 0.2m (0.65 ft), and this is how close it can get to the quarter:


XT. EF-S 60mm Macro, 1/160s, f/11, iso 1600.

So you should be getting something roughly equivalent to that (obviously, focal length will change the magnification a bit), if your minimum focus distance really is 0.2m.

[nigelisabelle]

Originally Posted by inkista

Ah. No worries. Except that 0.2m = 0.65ft, and 0.9ft is 0.27m.

The 50mm f/1.8 has a minimum focus distance of 0.45m (1.5 ft.), so this is the closest it can get to a quarter and still focus:



My EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens's minimum focus distance is 0.2m (0.65 ft), and this is how close it can get to the quarter:

OMGOSH! Okay..now I don't feel so bad. I guess I'm still learning what my lens is capable of. I want YOUR lens crikey that's some close up job. How awesome. Maybe I can twist Doug's arm (husband) and get this lens! Yikes..it's awesome. I'm going to Google it and see where I can get the best deals!
Thanks.