Is there a sudden upsurge to macro

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Jeff
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Seeing a lot of posts from people on various media that are either buying or have on order macro lenses , I presume due to the lockdown
 
I've always liked a spot of macro, but yeah, it makes more sense now in that you can shoot macro pretty much anywhere. If you're lucky enough to have a garden, all the better, search hard enough and you'll find all sorts that can make interesting close ups. Macro photography can also be as cheap as you like, as most very close up macro is done using manual focus - even cheap old vintage macro lenses using even cheaper adapters can get it done.

Just very recently bought a new macro lens myself, but it wasn't because of this whole lock down thing, I like to have some form of macro option in the bag at all times - even it's just a Raynox or a set of cheap macro tubes. I love me some close ups of interesting textures
 
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I’ve always been into macro anyway
At least hopefully will be able to find something interesting in the garden
 
I tried a spot of focus bracketing today for the first time.
Might give it a go with a macro lens tomorrow if I'm really bored
 
Been busy in the garden since I finished work Tuesday sadly not with the macro lens but will be using it plenty next week.
 
I actually did some close-up (I won't call it macro you purists would complain) for the first time in many years - well that wasn't at a Wedding

Just a stroll and snapping away at "signs of life", newly emerging flowers, buds, that sort of thing

I both enjoyed myself and got a few decent shots too :)

So much so I may even do it again sometime

Dave
 
I actually did some close-up (I won't call it macro you purists would complain) for the first time in many years - well that wasn't at a Wedding

Just a stroll and snapping away at "signs of life", newly emerging flowers, buds, that sort of thing

I both enjoyed myself and got a few decent shots too :)

So much so I may even do it again sometime

Dave

I know some get a little tetchy about what constitutes 'real macro' but for me personally, if it's beyond 1:2 magnification, it's 'proper' macro. 1:1+ is the standard, but for larger subjects like say, a butterfly where you want the full creature in frame, you're going to be a little further back and shooting more at 1:4 or 1:3, I've never really thought of images like this as macro more, close up photography. For butterflies, macro will be detail of a section, usually the head and antennae or close up detail of a wing section

I would just ignore zoom lenses that have 'macro' slapped on there, as they are usually only 1:4 at best, some can do 1:3 which is decent close up, but I think you need a little beyond that for what most deem to be macro - where you don't need to crop much to fill the frame with your subject
 
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I know some get a little tetchy about what constitutes 'real macro' but for me personally, if it's beyond 1:2 magnification, it's 'proper' macro. 1:1+ is the standard, but for larger subjects like say, a butterfly where you want the full creature in frame, you're going to be a little further back and shooting more at 1:4 or 1:3, I've never really thought of images like this as macro more, close up photography. For butterflies, macro will be detail of a section, usually the head and antennae or close up detail of a wing section

I would just ignore zoom lenses that have 'macro' slapped on there, as they are usually only 1:4 at best, some can do 1:3 which is decent close up, but I think you need a little beyond that for what most deem to be macro - where you don't need to crop much to fill the frame with your subject

Yup - macro was 'stolen' many years ago to just mean close-up or at worst, closer-than-most-focusing

My 'macro' may be capable of true macro but I'm not really interested in anything that small, preferring instead to use it as a close-up lens

Dave
 
I’m the other way, used to do a lot of macro but it doesn’t interest me anymore and sold my macro lens. Kept the raynox 250 just in case though (y)
 
Yup - macro was 'stolen' many years ago to just mean close-up or at worst, closer-than-most-focusing

My 'macro' may be capable of true macro but I'm not really interested in anything that small, preferring instead to use it as a close-up lens

Dave

My preference is for close ups too, I love interesting textures and I don't always need to get 1:1 close to achieve my desired result, it is a nice option to have though. Just because you have a 1:1 capable lens, doesn't mean you can't use it further back too - The most recent macro lens I've bought is capable of 2:1 - which can be fun but very tricky to master, I've mostly used it from 1:2 to 1:1 so far
 
I’m the other way, used to do a lot of macro but it doesn’t interest me anymore and sold my macro lens. Kept the raynox 250 just in case though (y)
Bought and sold quite a few over the years myself .. could never really get my head around it ... this lockdown has forced my hand into a new direction so full circle and this time hopefully doing it properly
 
I think its time I dusted off the 105mm f2.8 :)
 
It's more close-up stuff for me too - I already had an interest in insect close-up work so already had most of the kit and intended to get more practice in this year anyway but lock down has meant I've done a lot more with it so far than I expected to. Being limited to what's about in the back garden can be frustrating, but I'm trying to make the best of it.
 
Used to do a lot of macro, still have quite a bit of kit including a Canon MP-E 65mm and twinflash which work very well on the little M5 but even though I have a garden I find very little there insect wise to photograph and flowers don't interest me at all.
 
Used to do a lot of macro, still have quite a bit of kit including a Canon MP-E 65mm and twinflash which work very well on the little M5 but even though I have a garden I find very little there insect wise to photograph and flowers don't interest me at all.

It's a bit slow here too (Lancashire), but things are starting to pick up a bit now the weather is improving :)
 
I`ve pretty much always had a macro lens, but in these time i`m tending to use it a fair bit more than usual. There can be a bunch of interesting stuff to snap at in the kitchen, and around the house, if you look for shapes. So it doesn`t need to be bugs all the time.
 
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