Macro and closeup

[victor408]

What is the difference between macro and close-up?

I am shooting with a Panasonic DMC-FZ-18.

The camera comes with a macro setting. Do you need a different lens to do macros and/or closeups.

Thanks.

Howard

[saeedasack]

Hi
the macro shot or macrography is very very close shot from objects but clos-up a type of portrait .

i think...

[diminutives]

Macro photography is when you photograph something at a ratio of at least 1:1 magnification. Close-up photography is simply taking a picture "close-up" and filling the frame with that object.

There still seems to be debate as to whether or not you can actually shoot a macro shot without a dedicated macro lense. Me? I believe that you don't have to have a macro lense... this picture, for example, was shot using a basic 18-55 mm lense:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/...b221d34bda.jpg

Here is another using a dedicated macro lense (it is the center of a marigold flower):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/...057bbb9f8c.jpg

Definitely a difference, but it all depends on what one person's definition of macro is versus another's definition.

Hope this helps!

[wulf]

To work out if you are getting a true macro (1:1) photo, you need to know how big the sensor is in your camera. However, like Christine (and all the manufacturers who sell 1:2 lenses and less as "macro" ), I tend to go for a slightly looser definition - if it is closer than you would be able to get with the naked eye, you can probably be justified in calling it macro (so, taking her first picture, how often do you get to look at a grasshopper so close you can see the hairs on its back?).

Wulf