Camera Labs

Welcome to our Macro Photography forum!

This is the place to share your macro photography tips or ask any questions about macro photography!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Macro lens versus telephoto lens for Macro shots.

I have seen some nice macro shots from telephoto lenses. What is the difference between shooting a macro shot with either lens?

Can a macro lens be used for anything else besides macro shots? Is it much easier to shoot macro shots with the macro lens vs. a telephoto?

Thanks for any feedback!

Typically, fixed focal length macro lenses have a magnification of 1x, so the subject is the same size at the sensor. Focal lengths tend to be relatively shorter, with the longer ones getting expensive fast, but lenses have relatively big apertures. They can be used like any other normal fixed focal length lens.

Telephoto zoom macro lenses tend to have lower magnification, smaller apertures but longer focal lengths. The subject size typically wont get as big as it could with a fixed focal length one, but the longer focal length allows you to be much further away from the subject. This is particularly useful for subjects that tend to run away if you get close.

When deciding on the lens, standard considerations apply with respect to trading off focal lengths and motion blur risk, aperture settings for depth of field vs brightness vs shutter etc...

Personally I use both (300mm tele zoom and 90mm prime) depending on the situation. If I have to pick one for walkabout, then the zoom is much more versatile.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I don't quite understand this whole magnification thing. For example, I read all the time about how the Olympus 35mm macro lens is a "true" macro lens with 1:1 magnification while the Olympus 50mm macro lens is not a "true" macro lens because of it's 1:2 magnification. If I am standing at the same distance from a flower using the two aforementioned lenses, shouldn't the image of the flower I capture with the 50mm be naturally bigger because of the focal length of the lens? How does this magnification factor come into play? And what does this magnification thing really mean anyway?

While at that, what exactly is the definition of macro? Does it mean taking a photo of an object at a close distance? Or does it mean taking a photo of an object at any distance, as long as the object looks really big in the photo? Or something else altogether?

Sorry if the questions sound elementary. I truly am very inexperienced about photography.

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Olympus E620 | 25/2.8 | 50/2 | 12-60 | 14-42 | 14-54 | 40-150 | 70-300
Olympus E-P2 | Panasonic GH2 | 20/1.7 | 14-42 | 14-140
Leica M7 | M9 | 21/4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2.5 | 50/1.5 | 70/2.5 | 90/2
Sony NEX-3 | 16/2.8| 18-55
My FlickR!

I wrote more about my understanding of macro here.

Short version is, while the 50mm 1:2 will typically give a bigger image at a given distance, the shorter 35m 1:1 macro will let you get closer and hence a bigger size of the subject is captured.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Very nice thread Popo. It gets my vote for a sticky.

Is the ability to get closer to the subject of the 35mm a function of the 1:1 magnification or something else altogether?

Thanks for the help Popo!

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Olympus E620 | 25/2.8 | 50/2 | 12-60 | 14-42 | 14-54 | 40-150 | 70-300
Olympus E-P2 | Panasonic GH2 | 20/1.7 | 14-42 | 14-140
Leica M7 | M9 | 21/4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2.5 | 50/1.5 | 70/2.5 | 90/2
Sony NEX-3 | 16/2.8| 18-55
My FlickR!

Roughly speaking, the lens will be designed for an operating region. A 1:1 macro lens will give 1:1 at some point, which is related to focal length. Less magnification lenses are not designed to work so close, although in many cases you can get a similar ability using extension tubes, within the limits they impose too.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

For best result on macro photography first Select Macro Mode this is a fairly obvious first step but I’m always surprised by how many digital camera owners haven’t explored the shooting modes that their camera has,macro mode is generally symbolized with a little flower and when selected it will tell your camera that you want to focus on a subject closer to your lens than normal (the minimum distance allowed will vary from camera to camera – consult your instruction manual to find yours). Macro mode will also usually tell your camera to choose a large aperture so that your subject is in focus but the background is not.

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r4 revolution