Anyone ever use...

[DianaS]

Anyone ever used a Canon 500d Lens? Canon 72mm 500D Close-up Lens - $120.00 I can't afford a full macro lens and I realize this won't do the exact same job as a macro lens, but I have heard it's pretty close. Just wondering if anyone has used this one before.

[OsmosisStudios]

$120?!

Save up: Canon 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Autofocus Lens 2537A003 B&H Photo

[inkista]

Errr... not the 50/2.5 compact Macro. That's only a 1:2 mag lens. Save up for the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro or the 100 f/2.8 USM Macro (not to be confused with its much more expensive red-ringed L brother). It'll be about $400. That would be the best solution.

A close-up filter is essentially just putting a magnifying glass in front of your lens. For the same money, I would actually recommend blowing cash (if you don't have one) on an EF 50mm f/1.8 II, and then reversing it with a male-to-male "macro coupling" ring. You mount the 50mm backwards onto the face of another lens, and it will act just like the filter, but be higher quality. And (bonus) you'll have a good, low-cost, low-light portrait prime to shoot with regularly, or (plan C, if you already do have a 50/1.8 II), on extension tubes. Extension tube sets do not have any glass in them, so they don't affect the optical quality, and with three tubes of different lengths, you can vary the amount of magnification/subject distance you need for a shot. Here is a macro I did with nothing but a 50/1.8 II and a set of Kenko tubes:


Canon XT/350D. EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Kenko extension tube set, all three tubes stacked, 68mm extension.
iso 1600, f/11, 1/200s. Handheld.

Just make sure that the tubes you get have electronic contacts so that you can control the aperture of the lens.

Close up filters are probably one of the more limited and lower-quality ways to do macro, and that particular one seems excessively expensive.

[DianaS]

Originally Posted by inkista

Errr... not the 50/2.5 compact Macro. That's only a 1:2 mag lens. Save up for the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro or the 100 f/2.8 USM Macro (not to be confused with its much more expensive red-ringed L brother). It'll be about $400. That would be the best solution.

A close-up filter is essentially just putting a magnifying glass in front of your lens. For the same money, I would actually recommend blowing cash (if you don't have one) on an EF 50mm f/1.8 II, and then reversing it with a male-to-male "macro coupling" ring. You mount the 50mm backwards onto the face of another lens, and it will act just like the filter, but be higher quality. And (bonus) you'll have a good, low-cost, low-light portrait prime to shoot with regularly, or (plan C, if you already do have a 50/1.8 II), on extension tubes. Extension tube sets do not have any glass in them, so they don't affect the optical quality, and with three tubes of different lengths, you can vary the amount of magnification/subject distance you need for a shot. Here is a macro I did with nothing but a 50/1.8 II and a set of Kenko tubes:


Canon XT/350D. EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Kenko extension tube set, all three tubes stacked, 68mm extension.
iso 1600, f/11, 1/200s. Handheld.

Just make sure that the tubes you get have electronic contacts so that you can control the aperture of the lens.

Close up filters are probably one of the more limited and lower-quality ways to do macro, and that particular one seems excessively expensive.

Thank you! I do actually have a canon EF 50mm 1.8 II! I did a quick search on Amazon, just to see and found this Amazon.com: Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG 12mm 20mm and 36mm Tubes for Canon EOS AF Digital and Film Cameras - AEXRUBEDGC: Camera & Photo. Is that what you were talking about?

[inkista]

Originally Posted by DianaS

Thank you! I do actually have a canon EF 50mm 1.8 II! I did a quick search on Amazon, just to see and found this Amazon.com: Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG 12mm 20mm and 36mm Tubes for Canon EOS AF Digital and Film Cameras - AEXRUBEDGC: Camera & Photo. Is that what you were talking about?

Yes, that's what I was talking about, but you can find cheaper sets if you have a lower budget. Just make sure they have electronic contacts, otherwise you won't be able to control the aperture. Focusing will probably be done strictly by the camera's distance to the subject.

The amount of magnification will come from how much extension you add to the lens, and with three lenses that you can stack in several combinations, you have a variety of magnifications to choose from. The longer the extension, the closer you can get.

[DianaS]

Thanks! I did order the 500d lens. I have 21 days to decide if I like it. If its not doing what I want, I will for sure check those out! I just wish I were rich so I could go out and buy all the best stuff But, ya do what ya can with what ya got. Thanks again!