How to do macro shot with non macro lens

Goneforagasper

Goneforagasper

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Peter
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Can anyone advise please. I am looking to do a macro type shot of wedding rings and I dont have a macro lens. What I have are Nikon 17-55 2.8, 50mm 1.8 and 18-200 3.5-5.6
What do you think?

Thanks
Peter
 
Well Im only a novice but the 50mm is your prime so in theory should be the sharpest.

Dont have it now but I took this with a Nikon D80 & 50mm 1.8 lens on F8 back in 2009 I think. a bit bright perhaps and not a true macro but to give you an idea.


no8 by Yeksel, on Flickr
 
50mm probably doesn't focus as close as the 17-55 @ 50/55mm....

50mm f/1.8 is about 45cm and i think the 17-55 is about 35cm.... plus you have a bit more reach :)

Other than that, you could try extension tube for the 50mm, a reversing ring or one of the screw-in close-up filters :)
 
Cheapest option is probably a reversing ring (about £13 from www.premier-ink.co.uk) then supplementary close up lenses that screw on like filters - the best of which are apparently made by Raynox. After that, extension tubes (about £100 for a set from srb-griturn.com). Beyond that price range, you're into the realm of proper macro lenses and from there, the sky is almost the limit. At least the rings shouldn't be too camera shy so you'ld be able to use one of the shorter macro lenses without spooking them!
 
cheap set of extention tubes AF on the 50mm give 1.1 macro and give full controll over the apature as well on the 13mm and 21 mm

Merc
 
I will probably get a ticking off for saying this but if you carefully reverse the 50mm and hold it onto your camera body you can get away with this method instead of waiting for a reversing ring to arrive from china. Especially as it would appear to only be a one off shot.
 
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I have the kenko extension tubes which work well. I think they are 36mm, 20mm & 12mm and you can stack them together to give different magnification.
I didn't realise they were so much money now. I bought them second hand.
They do work really well with a 50mm lens
 
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