Starting out on MACRO Photography..

I have come across a lot of people who are afraid or don't know how to start dipping into the world of macro photography. But once you do, it will open up a whole new amazing world for you. The start up kit is the biggest question people find... How much do I have to spend to get into it? Do I need a fancy lens? ... Well it all depends on what kind of Macro you are interested in. In my opinion, there s only two kinds of macro shoots.

1) Small stationary objects -  Model cars, water droplet shots, patterns and textures

You need not spend much for this type of shots. Reversal rings were not that attractive for me. But there are two other cheap options for macros. One is called "Close up filters"....they are just like the UV filter that goes in front of your lens which acts like a magnifying glass (price $20-99). They do give you fast shutter speeds (So can be tried out on bugs even), but don't give you the best picture quality as far as sharpness is concerned. The second solution is a set of extension tubes ($35-250). A cheap knock off brand would cost you around $40. These are simply hollow tubes, so need not worry about optical qualities. They just places your lens far from the sensor and thus giving your the macro ability. When buying, its always important to purchase some tubes with autofocus capabilities...which can electrically connect your lens with the body. The down side is, you lose light. The amount depends on how long the extension tube/s are. Works great for still objects, but with bugs, you may need a ring flash to get faster shutter speeds.

2) Insect photography - Butterflies, bugs etc...

This is a totally different beast altogether. The two options I mentioned above would still work here, but would have very limited applicability. Mainly because for both methods, the end of your lens needs to be so close to the bug, you will be literally breathing down its neck. So, shy insects will be out of your reach. This is where you have to spend some good bucks to get a descent lens. I myself is a Canon shooter, so very limited knowledge about Nikor lenses. Always keep an eye for third party lenses made by Sigma, Tamron etc... The only thing you need to pay attention is about the focal length. The longer the focal length, the further away from the subject you ll be shooting from...so less chances of scaring it away. + Its always great to have IS or VR to minimize camera shake. Not a critical factor, but will help.

In my personal opinion, its always best to start with something cheap. Extension tubes and a ring flash would not cost you more than a $100 (unless you go for high end brands).. and will let you know if you are up for it or not. As I understand, its not everyone's cup of tea...Certainly is mine though.


Here are two sample shots I have taken last summer without a dedicated macro lens.

Shot 1 - Taken with a Vivitar close up filter (10X) on my telephoto lens. Shot with natural (harsh) daylight.

Shot 2 - Taken with a knock off extension tube set (31+12 mm) on my 50mm 1.8 portrait lens. Shot with natural (harsh) daylight.

The only requirement was pure GUTS to stand that close to these bees while almost touching them with the lens (specially with the second shot) :D


PS - Can provide links for those interested in buying these stuff.
Akila.