• Please use real names.

    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

    Firstname Lastname

    Register

    We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know!
  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Question about macro vs close-up photography

Jim Olson

Jim Olson

Well-known member
I was in the backyard yesterday using the macro adapter on my wide-angle lens to take a few shots of moss on a twig. This adapter is part of a set of filters and lens from Neewer.com that my father-in-law got me for Christmas.
So is it still only close-up or can I say macro since I now have a macro adapter on my lens?
I’m bored because I had surgery last week (2-10-2022) and I can’t do a lot right now.

There is 4 filters for close-up marked +1, +2, +4 & +10 to increase magnification, and I have extension tubes.

So any thoughts? Can I call this Macro?

One more thing. Here is a definition of macro photography I found.

Close-up means you're just shooting at a short distance from the subject. You can use virtually any lens to achieve close-up photos. Macro means you're taking super close-ups of objects at 1:1. Meaning, the size of the image on your sensor is equal to the size of the item you're photographing in real life.

So my sensor is 22.3 x 14.9 mm.
I guess I'll have to measure what I'm shooting the next time.


Here is the twig on top of our hot tub w/o the macro adapter.
Twig.jpg




Here is a shot with the macro adapter.
cropped sun lit.jpg



Another shot in the sun
Sun lit cropped.jpg



Same shot just shadowed from the sun
Shadowed from the sun.jpg
 
Last edited:
Paul Iddon

Paul Iddon

Moderator
It's an old debate.

Technically, no it's not, because as you alluded to, macro is defined by the use of a dedicated lens that magnifies at 1:1 ratio - zoom lenses or portrait lenses cannot achieve this. That said, as part of my ambassador role with LAOWA they have let me use their 15mm wide angle lens - you say you were using a WA lens, but the lens I have can focus at 1:1 as long as you get close enough to the subject though tint subjects like springtails are most likely not going to feasible, whereas berries, flowers and petals, etc., can be.

Using a +dioptre filter will recreate the magnification artificially, so in a way, yes you are doing macro, but not by the letter of the law as it were because the purist will say any lens that is not 1:1 isn't a macro capable lens.

The debate will go on forever I suspect..

Adobe has very interesting read here >> LINK

Paul.
 
Last edited:
Jim Olson

Jim Olson

Well-known member
Paul Iddon said:
It's an old debate.

Technically, no it's not, because as you alluded to, macro is defined by the use of a dedicated lens that magnifies at 1:1 ratio - zoom lenses or portrait lenses cannot achieve this. That said, as part of my ambassador role with LAOWA they have let me use their 15mm wide angle lens - you say you were using a WA lens, but the lens I have can focus at 1:1 as long as you get close enough to the subject though tint subjects like springtails are most likely not going to feasible, whereas berries, flowers and petals, etc., can be.

Using a +dioptre filter will recreate the magnification artificially, so in a way, yes you are doing macro, but not by the letter of the law as it were because the purist will say any lens that is not 1:1 isn't a macro capable lens.

The debate will go on forever I suspect..

Adobe has very interesting read here >> LINK

Paul.
Click to expand...


TNX for the clarification.
So I guess if I post more I'll just call them close-up.
Also thank you for the link. Very good info.
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 55

Guest
If yo ge 1to1 optically it is not artificial , thus using a screw on adapter to get there is absolutely macro!

If you use photoshop to upsize it would be artificial!
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Jerome Marot said:
Macro, micro and close-up are just words and we know that a picture is worth a thousand words. ;)
Click to expand...
Jérôme,

Well said!

@ Jim,

From the “consumer standpoint”
ordinary folk like myself, looking for the wonders of close up work, “macro” tells me what to expect.

How you get to the beauty I don’t need to know unless I want to learn from you!

Asher
 
Paul Iddon

Paul Iddon

Moderator
You could also try extension tubes Jim, which would increase magnification in the lens you use - often a fixed focal length such as a 50mm standard lens is a popular choice.

Paul.
 
Jim Olson

Jim Olson

Well-known member
Okay... I have a few shots right out of my camera no edits with & w/o the extension tubes. This should be 1:1
BV6A1647.JPG


Here is w/o the ext. tubes and as you can see it is less than 22.3 mm and my sensor is 22.3 mm

BV6A1650.JPG
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top