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How to shoot really close close-ups
Techniques
24 October 2007 09:18
For jaw-dropping macro shots you can’t really get close enough to your subject... yet one of the pitfalls of getting this close is the fact you’ll scare off most insects and even with static subjects, such proximity can cast a shadow over your subject, or make using flash more difficult.
What you really need is a macro lens with a longer-than-standard focal length, so you can get frame-filling lifesize magnifications from a less claustrophobic distance.
Although you can take close-up images with a standard lens or telephoto zoom, a dedicated macro lens offers better sharpness at close-range, versatility and convenience. One of the cheapest lenses to offer life-size reproductions is the Sigma 50mm f/2.8. At around £200 it’s excellent value, though its main disadvantage is the short focal length which again means you’ll need to get within a few inches of the subject for 1:1 lifesize images.
For greater distance between lens and subject you need a longer focal length. There are a host of options, from 70mm to 105mm, which range in price from about £300 upwards. 150mm macro lens can prove very useful for flighty little insects, though for most other subjects you’ll find a shorter lens a more versatile option.
Cheaper alternatives include supplementary close-up lenses (from £10). These attach to the front of your lens like screw-in filters and come in a range of strengths known as dioptres, commonly from +1 to +4. The higher the number, the closer they allow you to focus your lens, with a +2 or +3 dioptre versions being generally most useful. On the plus side, these lens attachments allow you to retain all the automatic functions on your camera, although you’ll probably find it easier to switch to manual focus to get the subject sharp. Quality can also suffer compared to using a dedicated macro lens, especially when shooting at wide apertures.
You could also try extension tubes. These are hollow tubes that fit between camera and lens, physically moving your existing lens elements much closer to the subject. Those from independent manufacturers (such as Kenko, Teleplus and Jessops), commonly come in sets of three different lengths that can be used individually or together. The greater the length of the tube, the closer you can focus.
Most of the main camera manufacturers supply extension tubes too – but individually. Priced around £70 to £120, tubes are still cheaper than a dedicated macro lens, but for many photographers the cost-saving isn’t enough to offset the irritation of needing to take the lens off each time they want to vary the focusing distance and magnification. When buying tubes, make sure they maintain all your camera’s functions and are the correct lens-mount fitting. Recent changes, such as the Canon EF-S and Nikon AF-S mounts, as used on their latest digital SLRs are not compatible with most extension tubes.