Macro Photography while hiking / backpacking / in the field

[BCampbell]

Hi folks,

I have a blog post about macro photography while hiking / backpacking / in the field. I go on a lot of hikes and have been really frustrated by the limitations of most macro approaches -- having to switch lenses, carry extra lenses, mount extension tubes, etc. I wanted a compromise that lets me carry the least amount of gear possible and have the most shooting options possible.

I finally settled on using closeup lenses, the kind that screw on like filters. They aren't perfect, and don't quite get me to 1:1 macro without a fair hit to image quality, but they're an elegant solution to get closer for detail shots. That's the summary, you can read more about my experiences and reasoning in the blog post. Enjoy!

[sk66]

Honestly, for "closeup" type macro shots I prefer a good P&S like my G10....mostly for the increased DOF.

[RichardTaylor]

+1 sk66's comment.

[BCampbell]

Yep, that is one of my general suggestions actually, bring a smaller camera instead of the DSLR. The higher end compacts like the G12 can mount filters (I believe the thread diameter is 52mm on that one and Canon makes a 58mm step-up ring) so you can actually use the closeup lenses with it, too.