Macro Photography - Stupid questions

ShawWellPete

ShawWellPete

Messages
3,699
Name
Pete
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi All,

So, I have a Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro Lens which I bought for my Konica Minolta 7D. I bought it as a relatively cheap zoom lens.

Can it be used for proper macro photography? I have read that manufacturers slap Macro on lots of lenses but it doesn't mean a lot. I have bought some close up lenses which seem to work Ok with my shorter lenses but are very difficult to focus on the 70-300.

Forgive the ignorance...
 
Uhm, technically speaking, "no".
Macro photography refers to when the object you're photographing is magnified to the same level as you're imaging sensor // film - so if you were shooting 35mm film, and your subject filled the frame, it would be 35mm (or is it actually 36mm? :thinking:) across in real life.

However, what most of us "think of" as macro photography is often nowhere near that magnification - truemacro lenses can reproduce images at 1:1 ratio, which means that, as above, a 35mm ruler would fill the frame at full magnification (on full frame). Your sigma lens can do 1:2 magnification, which means a 70mm ruler would fill the frame (on full frame) - cba to do the sums for what that works out as on your 7D :)

That's all a bit waffly, but basically you can certainly have a go at faux macro photograhy with your sigma - with no need to splash out on anything else. Don't bother with the close up filters just yet, they're just making life awkward.

Noah has had some pretty good results with this very lens - I'll try to dig up his most recent buzzing escapades!
Edit : here we go!. Pretty nice, eh?
 
For starters they're not stupid questions, just parrt of the learning curve! I would disagree with Hoodi about the close up filters, they are a relatively inexpensive way of dabbling in macro without the expense of a dedicated lens but as he said, jus get out there and practice using what you've got.

I wrote this guide a couple of months ago, it might help answer some questions.
 
Thanks for the response guys.

I have read it is better to keep the camera on Manual focus and adjust the distance to the object by small amounts to get it in focus. The problem I'm finding is that the Sigma lens has to be pretty far away for the subject to be in focus, and the close up lenses seem to have a microscopic DOF.

Is that par for the course or am I missing something?
 
_DSC0135.jpg


Hacker, this is an amazing photo you took with a close up lens. Can you tell me how you set it up and set the focus?
 
This was handheld and I focussed on the bush, luckily I fired the shutter at the right time, I was just starting out macro when I took this and there is a lot of trial and error (and a lot of deleted shots!)

When shooting macro/close up I would always advise manual focussing and either rotate the focus ring or move back and forth using small movements to keep the subject in focus.

Thanks for the comments btw.
 
SW4peter said:
I'm finding is that the Sigma lens has to be pretty far away for the subject to be in focus, and the close up lenses seem to have a microscopic DOF.
Click to expand...
When photographing stuff in ‘macro mode’ or using a macro lens the depth of field will be extremely small. You’ll have to stop your lens down to an aperture of a least F11 to achieve a wide in focus area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top