Macro or Closeup?

[NobleEagle]

Can someone please explain to me the difference between a closeup and macro? I don't have a "macro lens" and I don't want to claim to be doing something I am not. Thanks in advance.
(example below)

[Iguanasan]

I'll give it a try. A close up is exactly as it sounds. You take a picture close up to something so you'll end up with some exactly the same size as it normally is but you'll be very close up to it.

A macro actually causes magnification. Think of taking a shot through a microscope as an extreme case of macro photography. Generally, macro shots are magnifications of the original image.

Here's a macro shot:

From Bugs

And here is a close up:

From Pics From the New Camera

[NobleEagle]

Well then thank you that seems simple enough . The picture in my first post would be considered macro then because here's the full shot. Natural sponge taken in Tarpon Springs Florida at the sponge docks.

[Nathan deGargoyle]

I think that macro is pedantically defined as giving a 1:1 image on the sensor.

Your D80 has a sensor that is 23.6mm wide so if something that is 24mm wide fills the width of the uncropped image then that's macro.

I know that a British penny is 2cm wide so this is just about macro:



and this definitely is

[Iguanasan]

You're welcome and yes, you have it exactly. Generally, taking a regular photograph shrinks the original down to "film size" -- a picture of a house is generally not the size of the house! When you go the other way (magnification) it's macro photography

I like taking lots of macro shots because it lets me see things in a way that I don't normally see them.

[daft_biker]

As has been mentioned, macro means recording at lifesize(1:1) or greater. Often macro shots are taken at a known magnification on a known size of film/sensor so the size of the subject is recorded.

If you don't care about scale don't worry about whether it's macro or not...I'd use the term close up unless you are shooting to scale and at lifesize or greater magnification.

I rarely shoot at less than lefesize but I call many of my shots close ups because they don't show the whole subject. (am guessing the grasshopper posted above was either a small one or it was shot on a big sensor? )

[wulf]

You'll find many macro lenses that only go as close as 1:2 (eg. on the average DSLR sensor an object that is about 5cm long will fill the screen). In practise, there is still plenty of fascinating detail to explore even that that level and I don't think it is unreasonable for the definition to be left a little fuzzy.

Wulf

[Iguanasan]

Originally Posted by daft_biker

I rarely shoot at less than lefesize but I call many of my shots close ups because they don't show the whole subject. (am guessing the grasshopper posted above was either a small one or it was shot on a big sensor? )

Yes, the grasshopper was only about 3cm in length.

Regards, Iguanasan

[NobleEagle]

I thank everyone for the feedback and responses on this topic. I have to say I like things as simple as possible as if it gets too technical, my over analytical side comes out and the enjoyment disappears. So, on that note, I will just call my stuff in this realm "close ups" LOL. Thanks again as now I at least realize the difference and know what to look for.

[jiminyClickit]

After rereading an explanation on Wikipedia, this makes sense: if your sensor were a Xerox copier, and an ant crawled onto it and made a copy, it would give the same result as if you'd placed your face on a real Zerox glass and made a copy at a 100%. If you know your sensor size, deciding what's Macro is easier.

Closeup:



Macro:



The sensor on a Fuji S3100 is about the size of your little fingernail. If you were to lay that on this half-inch wildflower and make a "copy," the result would be 1:1, as a Macro.