Battou
09-07-2010, 04:22 PM
Welcome to Macro 101. In this article we will discuss the basics of macro including terminology, what macro is, common misconceptions, equipment, some common uses of macro photography and we'll finish with some common issues encountered in macro photographs.
Terminology
Magnification: - Magnification is the process of enlarging the appearance something
Magnification ratio: - Is the ratio between the apparent size of an object at the film plane and its true size displayed as a number.
1:2 = image projected on the film plane is half of the subjects actual size.
1:1 = image projected on the film plane and the subject are the same size
2:1 = image projected on the film plane is two times larger than subjects actual size.
Minimum focusing distance: - Minimum focusing distance is the shortest point on a lens where it can focus properly. Focusing distance is always on the lens in feet and meters on the focusing ring. The minimum focusing distance is displayed with a number where the focusing ring stops (the other end usually has an infinity symbol)
Stop down metering: - Stopdown metering is simply put manually reading ones meter with the aperture blades closed into the F/stop to be used during the exposure.
What is Macro Photography
By dictionary definition is that the image projected on the film plane/digital sensor is the same size (1:1) or larger (1.5:1, 2:1 Etc) than the subject. Basically Macro photography will magnify the subject to show small details when enlarged.
Common Misconceptions
In recent years, the term macro has been used in to mean being able to focus on a subject close enough so that when a regular 6×4 inch (15×10 cm) print is made, the image is life-size or larger. This is incorrect, this is what I would call presumed macro or close up photography. With 35mm film this equates to a magnification ratio of roughly 1:4 or 1/4 it's actual size at the film plane. In Macro Photography the magnification ratio is calculated from the film plane, not the final image. Also, some manufacturers call it a micro, which might actually be scientifically more accurate, this can be confusion when looking to buy macro equipment, since it goes against the established convention.
Equipment
What do you need to start shooting macro? Well, this question is not easily answered as times change and equipment changes there is so many options for photographers to explore when looking to start shooting macro. So we'll go over a few of the many pieces of macro equipment available on the market and review some strengths and weaknesses.
Close up filters Close up filters or close-up diopters are a set of auxiliary lenses that can be threaded into the filter threading found in front of the forward element of the lens. These lenses are simply put, putting a magnifying glass in front of the lens. These have the advantage of being inexpensive as well as compatible with any lens provided you have the correct filter threading diameter. One of the drawbacks is, as with any instance of adding layers of glass to the lens the likely hood of lens flare is increased.
Macro enabled Zoom lens - Macro enabled zoom lenses have shorter minimum focusing distances than regular zooms of that focusing range and will magnify the subject at short range. These lenses have the advantage of versatility, One can go from shooting longer shots to close ups without changing lenses. Major drawback to these is the magnification ratio almost never gets greater than 1:3 and the versatility comes at the price of some image quality.
Extension Tubes - An extension tube is a tube with no optical elements designed to move the lens farther from the film plane/digital sensor. The farther away the lens is, the closer the focus, the greater the magnification. Advantages to this are no additional elements of glass to cause flare or other possible image degradation. Draw backs to extension tubes are they are fixed, meaning that one must move the camera around to find the focus point, they also reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane requiring a longer exposure time.
Bellows - A bellows is much the same as an extension tube only it's a pleated expandable device. One advantage is this allows the photographer to keep the camera stationary and move only the lens closer and further from the film plane along a rail for focusing. Another is they will work with macro and non macro lenses alike. Drawbacks to bellows units are that they are large and cumbersome making them not ideal for traveling and outdoor photography and it too like the extension tubes they reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane requiring a longer exposure time.
Reverse Macro Coupler - A reverse macro coupler is a special adapter having no glass elements that attaches to the filter thread on the front of a lens and makes it possible to attach the lens to the body in backwards. An advantage to this is macro up to around 4:1 can be achieved using a standard lens with very high quality pending the lens of course. Wile the adapter does reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane, it is negligible, only one stop or so. A major drawback to reverse lenses setups is that the automatic functions of your camera requiring communication with the lens such as your meter and so on will not work properly.
Reverse Macro Ring - A reverse macro ring operates on the same principal as the reverse coupler except that is is a double threaded ring that enables one to reverse a lens of lesser focal length in front of a normally mounted lens allowing most cameras to maintain the full function of electronic communication with the normally mounted lens for features such as open-aperture metering. Using the electronic communication is not always recommended however, the use of auto focus with the added weight of a second lens could do irreparable damage to the motors that drive the AF system.
Dedicated Macro Prime lens - Is a lens specifically designed for close work with a long barrel for close focusing. These are optimal, many (but not all) can accomplish 1:1 or better with out additional components. When added to additional components like bellows, extension tubes and the like can easily surpass 1:1. One of the draw backs to dedicated macro primes is they too reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane requiring a longer exposure time.
Tripod - a tripod simply put is used to stabilize and elevate the camera. It prevents movement during long exposures commonly necessary in macro photography.
Common uses of macro photography
Some of the most common uses of macro photography can be found in both the professional and hobbyist fields. Professional Macro photography is used in marketing to show detailed imagery of small products such as jewelry and toys. Insurance adjusters sometimes use macro photography to document small valuables to be insured. Some hobbyists like to use macro photography for guessing games, by taking a macro shot of a small detail of some larger object to make people guess what it is. Other uses of macro photography include display of small flowers, and everybody's favorite...Bugs and other creepy crawlies :o
Some examples of Macro photography, Below you will find examples displaying the engraving found on to of a Leica rangefinder, a raspberry, the blossom of an Arizona fishhook cactus and an example of a macro guessing game. (Click one he images to see larger copy)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1455.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1455.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1508.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1508.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1737.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1737.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1575.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1575.html)
Some examples of close up photography or images less than 1:1 enlargement, Below you will find examples displaying a Spotted salamander, A pentax macro lens, a Moth and a Kitten. (Click on the he images to see larger copy)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/968.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-968.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1822.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1822.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1252.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1252.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1534.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1534.html)
Some common issues when shooting macro photography
Some of the most common issues encountered when shooting macro photography include motion blur due to slight camera or subject movement. It is extremely important that one has a stable platform for both the subject and the camera, the greater the magnification, the more susceptable to movement the work becomes. Another is underexposure, Since most of the equipment used in macro photography does not communicate well with the camera body, it is common that the cameras internal meter will read improperly requiring stopdown metering, and finally out of focus results. This has a couple of culprits, the most common is the use of auto focus, AF in cameras often have difficulty finding the contrast required to focus properly and fail to focus on the intended point resulting in the picture being out of focus, the narrow DOF in macro photography exaggerates this. Manual focus is very difficult in macro photography due to the narrow DOF as well as the limited light in the viewfinder, this does take practice and one should expect to miss now and again when just starting out.
This concludes this section on the basics of Macro photography.
Terminology
Magnification: - Magnification is the process of enlarging the appearance something
Magnification ratio: - Is the ratio between the apparent size of an object at the film plane and its true size displayed as a number.
1:2 = image projected on the film plane is half of the subjects actual size.
1:1 = image projected on the film plane and the subject are the same size
2:1 = image projected on the film plane is two times larger than subjects actual size.
Minimum focusing distance: - Minimum focusing distance is the shortest point on a lens where it can focus properly. Focusing distance is always on the lens in feet and meters on the focusing ring. The minimum focusing distance is displayed with a number where the focusing ring stops (the other end usually has an infinity symbol)
Stop down metering: - Stopdown metering is simply put manually reading ones meter with the aperture blades closed into the F/stop to be used during the exposure.
What is Macro Photography
By dictionary definition is that the image projected on the film plane/digital sensor is the same size (1:1) or larger (1.5:1, 2:1 Etc) than the subject. Basically Macro photography will magnify the subject to show small details when enlarged.
Common Misconceptions
In recent years, the term macro has been used in to mean being able to focus on a subject close enough so that when a regular 6×4 inch (15×10 cm) print is made, the image is life-size or larger. This is incorrect, this is what I would call presumed macro or close up photography. With 35mm film this equates to a magnification ratio of roughly 1:4 or 1/4 it's actual size at the film plane. In Macro Photography the magnification ratio is calculated from the film plane, not the final image. Also, some manufacturers call it a micro, which might actually be scientifically more accurate, this can be confusion when looking to buy macro equipment, since it goes against the established convention.
Equipment
What do you need to start shooting macro? Well, this question is not easily answered as times change and equipment changes there is so many options for photographers to explore when looking to start shooting macro. So we'll go over a few of the many pieces of macro equipment available on the market and review some strengths and weaknesses.
Close up filters Close up filters or close-up diopters are a set of auxiliary lenses that can be threaded into the filter threading found in front of the forward element of the lens. These lenses are simply put, putting a magnifying glass in front of the lens. These have the advantage of being inexpensive as well as compatible with any lens provided you have the correct filter threading diameter. One of the drawbacks is, as with any instance of adding layers of glass to the lens the likely hood of lens flare is increased.
Macro enabled Zoom lens - Macro enabled zoom lenses have shorter minimum focusing distances than regular zooms of that focusing range and will magnify the subject at short range. These lenses have the advantage of versatility, One can go from shooting longer shots to close ups without changing lenses. Major drawback to these is the magnification ratio almost never gets greater than 1:3 and the versatility comes at the price of some image quality.
Extension Tubes - An extension tube is a tube with no optical elements designed to move the lens farther from the film plane/digital sensor. The farther away the lens is, the closer the focus, the greater the magnification. Advantages to this are no additional elements of glass to cause flare or other possible image degradation. Draw backs to extension tubes are they are fixed, meaning that one must move the camera around to find the focus point, they also reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane requiring a longer exposure time.
Bellows - A bellows is much the same as an extension tube only it's a pleated expandable device. One advantage is this allows the photographer to keep the camera stationary and move only the lens closer and further from the film plane along a rail for focusing. Another is they will work with macro and non macro lenses alike. Drawbacks to bellows units are that they are large and cumbersome making them not ideal for traveling and outdoor photography and it too like the extension tubes they reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane requiring a longer exposure time.
Reverse Macro Coupler - A reverse macro coupler is a special adapter having no glass elements that attaches to the filter thread on the front of a lens and makes it possible to attach the lens to the body in backwards. An advantage to this is macro up to around 4:1 can be achieved using a standard lens with very high quality pending the lens of course. Wile the adapter does reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane, it is negligible, only one stop or so. A major drawback to reverse lenses setups is that the automatic functions of your camera requiring communication with the lens such as your meter and so on will not work properly.
Reverse Macro Ring - A reverse macro ring operates on the same principal as the reverse coupler except that is is a double threaded ring that enables one to reverse a lens of lesser focal length in front of a normally mounted lens allowing most cameras to maintain the full function of electronic communication with the normally mounted lens for features such as open-aperture metering. Using the electronic communication is not always recommended however, the use of auto focus with the added weight of a second lens could do irreparable damage to the motors that drive the AF system.
Dedicated Macro Prime lens - Is a lens specifically designed for close work with a long barrel for close focusing. These are optimal, many (but not all) can accomplish 1:1 or better with out additional components. When added to additional components like bellows, extension tubes and the like can easily surpass 1:1. One of the draw backs to dedicated macro primes is they too reduce the amount of light reaching the film plane requiring a longer exposure time.
Tripod - a tripod simply put is used to stabilize and elevate the camera. It prevents movement during long exposures commonly necessary in macro photography.
Common uses of macro photography
Some of the most common uses of macro photography can be found in both the professional and hobbyist fields. Professional Macro photography is used in marketing to show detailed imagery of small products such as jewelry and toys. Insurance adjusters sometimes use macro photography to document small valuables to be insured. Some hobbyists like to use macro photography for guessing games, by taking a macro shot of a small detail of some larger object to make people guess what it is. Other uses of macro photography include display of small flowers, and everybody's favorite...Bugs and other creepy crawlies :o
Some examples of Macro photography, Below you will find examples displaying the engraving found on to of a Leica rangefinder, a raspberry, the blossom of an Arizona fishhook cactus and an example of a macro guessing game. (Click one he images to see larger copy)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1455.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1455.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1508.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1508.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1737.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1737.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1575.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1575.html)
Some examples of close up photography or images less than 1:1 enlargement, Below you will find examples displaying a Spotted salamander, A pentax macro lens, a Moth and a Kitten. (Click on the he images to see larger copy)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/968.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-968.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1822.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1822.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1252.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1252.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/700%20and%20smaller/1534.jpg (http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1534.html)
Some common issues when shooting macro photography
Some of the most common issues encountered when shooting macro photography include motion blur due to slight camera or subject movement. It is extremely important that one has a stable platform for both the subject and the camera, the greater the magnification, the more susceptable to movement the work becomes. Another is underexposure, Since most of the equipment used in macro photography does not communicate well with the camera body, it is common that the cameras internal meter will read improperly requiring stopdown metering, and finally out of focus results. This has a couple of culprits, the most common is the use of auto focus, AF in cameras often have difficulty finding the contrast required to focus properly and fail to focus on the intended point resulting in the picture being out of focus, the narrow DOF in macro photography exaggerates this. Manual focus is very difficult in macro photography due to the narrow DOF as well as the limited light in the viewfinder, this does take practice and one should expect to miss now and again when just starting out.
This concludes this section on the basics of Macro photography.