Thank you very much! Glad to hear that you found it helpful. I am working on a new one, but it wont be ready for a few months on my channel. It is specifically about ‘extreme macro’ when you go beyond 1:1 reproduction, for full frame shots of tiny tiny subjects. Coming soon!
I have watched multiple videos on shooting macro. By far, this is the best detailed video guide I’ve ever seen for all aspects of shooting macro. Excellent!!👏
Thank you, and glad you found it a helpful introduction to macro! I have made a few videos on the topic since then, so do check my channel for the latest macro videos.
Thank you so much for this excellent and inspiring guide. At 63 I have only recently got into photography and as part of my steep learning curve I have started trying macro photography with some success. Although I only have a Panasonic FZ330 it has the ability to focus at less than 1 cm. I’m really inspired to try more and especially experiment with lighting. The main upside to all of this is that you can always go for a safari in your back garden😀 Thank you again.
Thank you for leaving a comment Henry, and glad to hear that you found my tutorial helpful. Now is actually a really good time to be out in the garden, as I have been, chasing ladybugs, ants, bees around trying to capture some close up shots of them. If the wildlife is a bit to challenging then try close up flowers and spray some water droplets on them for extra interest, or go out early morning when there might be moisture on the leaves anyway. Good luck!
Thank you - that was my aim. I have a future tutorial in the making, I will making a video specifically about focus stacking using a focus rail, so make sure you keep an eye out for that if you are interested.
Glad you enjoyed it. Depending upon where in the world you are, and whether there are many wild subjects available, start out getting the technique right with some coins, and small pieces of jewellery etc and see how the depth of field and lighting works best. Then move onto moving subjects and more challenging things (depending upon your experience). Have fun!
Ben, thanks for a very interesting and comprehensive video. Here’s a challenge for you considering the current weather; a macro image of a falling snowflake! No doubt would require 100’s or 1000’s of shots to get a good one, very fast shutter speed and your flash lights. 😃
Hi Christian, its funny you should say that - I attempted to shoot some frozen bubbles this weekend, however the temperature wasn’t quite cold enough. But the next cold snap I will be making a tutorial on how to shoot frozen bubbles and it there is light snow that settles I will make a tutorial on snow flakes. Not easy conditions to film a tutorial, but I will give it a go!
Thank you Ben for such an informative video! Well done, covering so much information in a straight to the point fashion. This was very helpful for me as I am interested in doing more in Macro photography.
You are welcome Gary - glad to hear you found the tutorial helpful. I will probably follow up this with another tutorial on focus stacking using focus rail or using a camera with this built in.
Thank you Alex, I am pleased to hear that. It can be challenging sometimes to find a video that covers everything you need from start to finish, and you end up watching loads of videos! I thought I would bring it all together in one place to help people out.
have never delved into the macro universe yet Ben so was really intrigued to watch your video and found to be extremely informative. Loved the images too, especially the spider one. Another great string to your talented bow
Cheers Jim, its another genre that really fascinates me. It’s one of those things that you can do when the weather is really bad also. A stay in doors project. For each good image I showed in this video there are hundreds of bad ones! Macro photography will increase the shutter count on your camera!
super informative, thank you! I have that 35mm RF lens and wondered why it didn't seem much better than me using extension tubes on an old 50mm lens or zoom lens. But then I reversed a vintage 28mm lens and it was just what I was looking for - Thank you!
Yes indeed, I have the RF 35mm and I believe it has 2:1 reproduction, so close but not 'proper' macro. Love the reversed 28mm, bargain and impressive results.
Yes used to use a Nikon D 500 and a Tamron 90mm Macro lens got some great shots but the focusing was quite difficult, i then watched some Videos on the Olympus cameras and decided that was me, light and compact, First one was the Em1 Mk iii and have just purchased the OM-1, both are fantastic for Macro. Have both lens, the 30mm and the 60mm plus I add the Raynox 250 for extra magnification with flash and homemade diffuser ! Cheers from New Zealand
Good to hear you have found the right gear for your needs Royce. Does the Olympus system have in camera focus bracketing? I look forward to getting a camera with that feature one day. Until then, manual focusing on a rail for me!
@@benharveyphotography Yes it has in camera focus bracketing as well as in camera focus stacking, this stacking mode gives you the finished jpg, you can still use the original raws and stack them in your choice of software. These cameras have so many features, have a look at what some of the visionaries capture. One of them Peter Baumgarten has absolutely outstanding images. Cheers from NZ
That’s a good point Rick. If I am using autofocus (which is dependent upon what I am shooting) then I would usually leave it on the full range. However if the subject has low contrast and the lens is hunting back and froth from 5cm to infinity then I will switch it to the closest range (on the Canon 100mm macro for example). Other times I am just shooting in manual focus, so I am in complete control. I hope that this answers you question.
Thank you Arthur, I have another macro video coming out in about 4 weeks time. This time it is on extreme macro photography, super close up work. Keep an eye out for it :-)
You can fit a 22,3 x 14,9 mm subject full size (corner to corner) with the 1:1 macro on the 550D sensor. Extension tubes are great with shorter lenses and closeup filters are good with longer lenses though i like a couple of tubes with a telezoom for butterflies
Thank you! You will see that my channel is a mixture of landscape photography (mainly), architecture, tutorials and the occasional gear review for something that I have been using and want to share with my audience. If the weather stays cold I intend on making a few more macro tutorials, including how to photograph frozen bubbles and photographing bubble surfaces. Fingers crossed!
I have been reading your website and it is very easy to understand your concept of Macro photography with examples and photos! Again, thank you and happy 2024!
I just bought my first Macro lens, a 50mm Lauwa for my M4/3 Lumix camera, and I’m enjoying it so far, but I have a lot to learn. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge! Next up for me is a flash with a diffuser.😊
Thanks Daniel, glad yo found it helpful. I. Made a tutorial on everything flash related, link below. I don’t cover macro flash options, but it will show you the technical considerations. th-cam.com/video/bADrvAdTI0g/w-d-xo.html
Canon did the 180mm Macro which is still available, I have one and it’s bloody good for butterflies and bees, and also the mp-e65 which I also have and was the choice for me buy Canon, this is one lens that is truly worth it’s weight in gold, it will take months to master, one hell of a lens
Thanks Austin, I think its a natural progression starting with extension tubes, and if you want to explore Macro more then investing in a dedicated macro lens is the way forward. Don’t forget that you can use the extension tubes with the macro lens also!
Yet another excellent video Ben. I'll be dusting off my extension tubes having had my macro interest rekindled by this video. Thanks for the inspiration, Ben.
Thanks Chris, glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I find having a project in mind helps motivate me. Right now its quite easy to shoot ice/frost in the UK. It the temperature drops enough then you can try to photograph a frozen bubble. They don’t last for long, but if you get to say -2/-3 degrees and you can keep the bubble going for 30 seconds the frost will develop and they look amazing!
Another option for focus stacking is using a Promote remote control. Not cheap but it can be used for other things such as bulb ramping, HDR, time lapse and mixing the above.
If you want to use a macro reversing ring or "dumb" extension tubes, here's a WORKAROUND for stopping down the aperture for use with a reversing ring (or extension tubes without contacts) in case you don't have a lens with a manual aperture ring. (You can use the standard 18-55 "kit" zoom). (Note: This workaround is for Canon DSLRs, and it will NOT work with Nikon DSLRs. But for Nikon there's a different workaround - check Mike Browne's macro videos). First mount the lens the normal way (so not reversed), set the camera in manual mode M or aperture mode Av. Then select the aperture that you want to use and half-press the shutter button. (Here comes the fiddly part where you might have liked to have four hands): Press and hold the depth-of-field-preview button and listen for the faint noise of the aperture stopping down. And while you hold the button, remove the lens from the camera while you listen to make sure the noise doesn't come again, because that means you've let go of the button. Look through the lens to check that the aperture is indeed stopped down. If it isn't, try again. When you've successfully stopped down the aperture and removed the lens from the camera, you can now reverse mount the lens and take pictures. Note that unless you use a strong light, you won't be able to see anything through the viewfinder, so use LiveView instead. If your camera has no dof-preview button, check your manual on how to customise the SET button. Now comes my rant: This video is somewhat confused. At the beginning we hear that extension tubes are the cheapest and easiest way into macro. But later we learn that there's a much cheaper way, an old lens with an "adapter". It would have been nice if we had been told the name of this kind of adapter: It is called a Macro Reversing Ring. We're told not to worry too much if the extension tubes have electronic contacts, because in macro we can't rely on autofocus. Well, the contacts do a lot more than allow autofocus: They also allow us to control the aperture from the camera, and they allow us to compose the image in the viewfinder with the aperture wide open and only stop down when we actually take the picture. So MY advice is to make sure the tubes you buy DO have contacts. And please do not buy the cheap plastic ones. I made that mistake, and they ruined my Tele converter. So get some good ones! Talking about macro lenses: If a lens gives a LESS sharp result on an APS-C camera than on a full frame camera, it's because the lens is too old. Always check reviews before buying. Never assume that just because it's a Canon L series lens or a Zeiss lens or whatever, that it must be super sharp. Some are and some aren't. And if your camera is APS-C, make sure to check reviews where it has been specifically tested on an APS-C body! The smaller sensor most often has a much higher pixel density than a full frame sensor, so an APS-C demands much better lens sharpness. Tip: If you're not absolutely certain that you'll very soon upgrade to full frame and that you have the money for the much more expensive cameras and lenses, it might be a good idea to check macro lenses specifically for APS-C. For example Canon has made an excellent EF-S 60 mm Macro which is the equivalent of 96 mm full frame. And there's also the little and very easy to work with EF-S 35 mm Macro (not to be confused with the one mentioned in the video). These lenses both do 1:1. About IS (Image Stabiliser): Like autofocus, if you work really close to the subject for real 1:1 macro, the IS won't work very well either. So don't let the fact that the 60 mm doesn't have IS worry you too much. Personally I never miss it. Other great 1:1 macro lenses include: Venus Laowa 15 mm f4 Macro, Venus Laowa 100 mm f2.8 2X super Macro, Sigma 150 mm f2.8 Macro, all of which I own and love. The Laowa 100 (mentioned in the video) is much sharper than the Canon 100 L, and it has no colour fringing (Chromatic Aberrations). The EF version is available in a version with electronic contacts with all the advantages that come with this, except autofocus. It has no IS, so for handheld portrait work the Canon might be better. The Sigma 150 has sadly been discontinued, but it's very good indeed. If close-up photography is your thing, you might look at the EF 50 mm f1.8 STM or my favourite lens, the EF-S 55-250 STM. And before you buy the expensive Canon MP-E: Venuslens makes what I call a "poor man's MP-E": The Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro. The magnification and image quality is the same, and the price is maybe a third. Beware: the depth of field at 5:1 F2.8 is only 40% of the thickness of normal printing paper. (But the Canon MP-E is no better). Note that these two very special lenses will not work with the inbuilt focus bracketing of modern cameras, as this function requires a lens with autofocus. And these two lenses don't even have manual focus! You can only focus by changing the distance between the lens and the subject.
Hi Ben, thanks for the great video. I have just purchased my first macro lens (Canon 100mm for my R6) and my early attempts at using it were not great. Thanks to your video I now know that the problem was that I was trying to get too close to the subject, with f2.8 aperture. I'd be interested to understand the options regarding the switches on the lens (Full, etc.), I'm assuming this switch is used based on the distance of the subject from the lens?
Hi Donal, if you intend on only shooting close up subjects, then yes do switch the focus limiter to the 0.3m or closer option (I think), whereas if you were shooting say a butterfly and you wanted to capture it flying and then get a really close up shot when it lands then keep the lens set to 0.3m - infinity. Enjoy your purchase, you will get some amazing shots with that combination!
Great video Ben. That Nisi close up lens you mentioned, I believe is a diopter. If you get a quality one they are great. I’ve been using one made by Nikon for over 25 years. Using them on step-up or step-down rings, they’ll fit on most lenses. Plus, there isn’t any light loss like you get with extension tubes. AND, you can auto focus them!
Ah yes, very good point that I missed out - you do lose light using the extensions tubes, well spotted. Providing that the glass in the close up/diopter lenses are equivalent to the your lens (or close enough) then I wouldn’t have an issue using them. I haven’t investigated whether they vary in strengths or not.
@@benharveyphotography , I’ve seen crappy ones and you’re right, they’re horrible. The one I use is make by Nikon and that one’s excellent. But I must admit, I DID just recently buy a Nikon 105mm 2.8 macro. Lol!!!
Rather than guessing the effect of a stack of extension tubes on a 16-35 lens, try it before giving numbers for working distance. There is a lot of good in your video but when you tell people to but manual focus extension tubes to use on their regular lenses without an aperture ring I hope you realize they will have the same problem as when you reverse lenses.
Good point Doug. I have not tested the working distance of each extension tube to have a thorough understanding of working distance for each adaptor (and each variable of the three tubes). I guess that each lens would also be a factor in this regard as it too would have a limited working distance to factor in. I tend to try out say two of the tubes and if the scale of my subject is ‘right’ for what I am after I proceed. But this luxury of trial and error will only work if you have a static subject!
Just found your channel. Awesome video with extremely well explained detail. I’m new to macro and have borrowed a friend’s canon 100 mm macro lens to put on my canon 6d. This is to try the genre before investing in a lens. I have a question regarding your advice on shutter speed. You suggested no slower than 1/100 but can that be less if you’re on a tripod? Is so, what would you suggest? Thank you, I really enjoyed your video.
Hi Lee-Anne, glad you enjoyed the video. Yes, you are right the shutter speed is more relevant if you are a hand holding. If you are on a tripod the shutter speed is only important based upon what you are photographing. If the subject is static then it is somewhat irrelevant, whereas a spider or a butterfly for example you might want to keep it fast enough. If you do use long shutter speeds on a tripod, be sure to use the 2 or 10 second timer to avoid camera shake when you press the shutter button. Enjoy shooting macro, its amazing. Spring is on the way, loads of wildlife potential in spring.
I've watched your video and I was wondering if using the pop up flash on the camera with a defuser that attaches to the front of the lens would work just as well as a external flash?
Hello, it depends what lighting style you are going for. The light (although it will be diffused) will still be straight on and therefore will create an even illumination across the scene. Ideally you can have the light coming from one direction to create light and shadow on your subject creating a 3d appearance. When you light a subject using a flash on camera the subjects shadow is behind them and they therefore appear very flat. You may be able to find a way of bouncing the ops up flash off a small piece of white foam board to achieve a nice lighting effect?
Super helpful video. I have a question about the Canon FE 28mm lens. In such a case, how to control the aperture with a lens attached? For me, the aperture separation never worked. Do I need to block the contacts somehow? Thank you for your reply.
Hello, the aperture is controlled on the lens itself, which you want to stick to medium apertures (around 1-2 stops down from the largest aperture) as lens defects are exaggerated at such close magnification. The lens is mounted backwards, so there is no control from the camera itself and the view that you see through the lens will be dark, as it is already stopped down to the chosen aperture.
@@benharveyphotography All right. What I meant was that there was no complete shutdown. The ring would be blocked, but I've already dealt with that. Regards
Excellent tutorial. Question, I currently have a 60mm 2.8 macro lens, will extension tubes give me a 1 to 1 with more working distance to my subject? Thanks in advance. Mahalo
Hello, it depends which lens you have. Just a quick google search for 60mm f2.8, if its the Canon EF-S then yes it supports 1:1 reproduction without any extension tubes. So it depends upon what the lens straight out of the box provides.
Gawd, I really wish someone doing these tutorials, telling us we can use an old manual lens (I have an old Rokinon 49mm f28 manual lens I want to try), would get into the actual detailed info as to the lens thread size info so we could know what sized step up or down ring we'd need to get- also as someone mentioned below, you are going to need a reverse mount adapter, also getting some more detailed info as to what size you'd need for that (and I think you need to have both the ring and reverse mount adapter?) , would also be helpful. Giving us the full story with specific sizing info examples is critical, just throwing it out there vaguely isn't helpful at all.
Hi. Thanks for the comment. This video is a broad video about all things macro, sorry I didn’t cover that one particular item in more detail. If you are looking to reverse any lens it will depend upon the camera that you are limiting it in (I am not even sure if mirrorless mounts offer a reverse adaptor I am using a Canon EF version) and then the filter thread of the lens that you are mount. Then I would also consider the weight of the lens that you are reversing as the filter thread is not designed to hold the weight of the lens so I would choose the lens carefully. The 28mm lens that I use is a sweet spot, long focal lengths such as 50mm have less magnification when reversed. I am sure there are specific videos out there for reverse lens macro photography that go into more detail.
Hi, I don’t actually use it but the go to is Helicon Focus. Since making this video I have a camera that created focus stacked images in camera, however it creates a jpeg (because the images have been manipulated) so there is less room for editing afterwards.
Thank you Trevor, nice to hear from local photographers, and glad you enjoyed the tutorial. I see from your profile picture that you enjoy shooting small subjects, not the easiest subject but rewarding. My next video will be on shooting butterflies if you are interested. It should be out in the next few weeks.
@@benharveyphotography i will be looking forward to it ben there are so many films about this subject but i must say you are the best for me cheers from trev in sussex near littlehampton
Your comment of the crop camera I'd wrong. Did you measure the space between the mm marks at 1:1 they are 1mm. The crop sensor does not show a magnification of 1.5 it only shows less of the image.
Hi Ben! Thanks for an awesome macro photography video. Part of my gear: Canon M50, recently acquired TT Artisan 40mm Macro Lense, connection tubes are on back order. I'm loving 1:1 but want to get closer... 2x or 3x... sounds like 5x will be well above my skill level for now. Do you know of any vintage macro lenses to consider? Thank you! JoseTheVegan on TH-cam
Hi Jose, Thanks for leaving a comment and glad to hear that you are getting into extreme macro. I don’t know of any vintage macro lenses (I am not sure when they were actually invented?) but for 2x or 3x macro I would consider a reverse lens, as a budget version. Or if you have some more money then probably the Laowo 2x macro lens.
Hello, I have just released an updated extreme macro tutorial which covers the spec of the flash that I am using. See below link. th-cam.com/video/nZo7RbTp4lQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5p4VizbK_qVmBV3U
I had the Nikon 200mm macro but adapted to r5 it just doesn’t provide a good image, too much chromatic aberration, it worked beautiful on Nikon d500 but even on z6 don’t give a good image, probably the mew technology increase the defects on old lenses like this
I think I heard about the Nikon 200mm from Ross Hoddinott when I was on a workshop with him. His macro work is incredible and he is an ambassador for Nikon (no surprise considering his work). It’s a shame that lens doesn’t adapt well because the features of mirrorless cameras does make macro easier - especially if you plan on focus stacking. Depending upon the final size of images you could crop in using a 100mm macro on the R5 since you have lots of pixels to play with.
I have a old Canon AE1 with a 28mm and 50mm lens that I would love to use on my Canon EOS 1100D Is there a certain brand adapter you would recommend to reverse mount? Thank you for your video
Hi Troy, I have only used Kenko, and they work fine. There is no focusing transferred through, and I don’t think that any metadata is transferred across even when the lenses are mounted the correct way around.
@@benharveyphotography Do you know a good source, and what they are called. I am new to this and want to be sure I get the right thing Thank you for your help
Hi Troy, I would recommend getting them from MPB who sell second hand camera equipment. I have provided a link below but this is for a Canon fit. Since they make all camera brand compatible versions just check that they will work with your camera. www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/kenko-dg-af-extension-tube-set-canon-ef-fit
Thanks Ian, I had no idea and had not seen that lens until now. Interesting lens that will get you a good working distance with 1:1 reproduction. Thanks for pointing it out!
Not quite true. With the camera on select the f stop you want. Press the depth of field preview button and whilst holding that button, release the lens and take it off. The lens is now set at the f stop you selected and the blades do not relax.
@@benharveyphotography haha no unfortunately just passing on someone else's genius I'm afraid. But yeah it's a neat hack isn't it. Mainly Canon and a few others 😄
It’s ok talking about macro photography for people who have interchangeable lens cameras but what about people who don’t. For instance I have a sony rx10 m4
Hi Karl, because each of Sony’s RX range has a different lens, aperture and zoom range it is difficult to cover them. If the RX10 mk4 has a close focus capability (which might have a macro symbol on it) you may get close to maybe 1:2 production ratio, but you will be wanting more if you are wanting to get into macro more. All of the principles in this video stand though, whichever camera you use.
Hi Roy, fortunately most brands now have a god line up of macro lenses, I just happen to come from a Canon background and invested in their Macro lens. New mirrorless cameras have the advantage of providing in camera focus stacking, which I would really appreciate one day.
Hands down best macro video I have ever watched. Outstanding. Thank you.
Thank you very much! Glad to hear that you found it helpful. I am working on a new one, but it wont be ready for a few months on my channel. It is specifically about ‘extreme macro’ when you go beyond 1:1 reproduction, for full frame shots of tiny tiny subjects. Coming soon!
I have watched multiple videos on shooting macro. By far, this is the best detailed video guide I’ve ever seen for all aspects of shooting macro. Excellent!!👏
Thank you for the kind words and I am glad that you found it helpful!
I'm thinking of dabbling with macro photography and this was was a very informative and fun video to watch. Thank you.
Thank you, and glad you found it a helpful introduction to macro! I have made a few videos on the topic since then, so do check my channel for the latest macro videos.
Thank you so much for this excellent and inspiring guide. At 63 I have only recently got into photography and as part of my steep learning curve I have started trying macro photography with some success. Although I only have a Panasonic FZ330 it has the ability to focus at less than 1 cm. I’m really inspired to try more and especially experiment with lighting. The main upside to all of this is that you can always go for a safari in your back garden😀
Thank you again.
Thank you for leaving a comment Henry, and glad to hear that you found my tutorial helpful. Now is actually a really good time to be out in the garden, as I have been, chasing ladybugs, ants, bees around trying to capture some close up shots of them. If the wildlife is a bit to challenging then try close up flowers and spray some water droplets on them for extra interest, or go out early morning when there might be moisture on the leaves anyway. Good luck!
I now know my camera does focus stacking. I did not know that before I saw your tutorial, thankyou. Life was quicker with manual aperture rings.
Very nice and comprehensive video.
Thank you very much.
Excellent video Ben....I'm itching now to get out with my macro lens!
Glad to have inspired you!
Without doubt the most helpful/best Macro tutorial I’ve seen so far 👍🏻 many thanks
Thank you - that was my aim. I have a future tutorial in the making, I will making a video specifically about focus stacking using a focus rail, so make sure you keep an eye out for that if you are interested.
Nice video. Puts everything in perspective, plus you have an easy storytelling manner.
Thank you. I appreciate that. There are many outtakes to get the message across, but I enjoy teaching.
One of the best videos on macro I have seen
Very well done! Thank you for the information!
I am for sure going to look up the how to photograph bubbles! Thanks for the video.
Wow Ben, a brilliant presentation on Macro photography.
Thank you Sarah, I hope that you found it helpful.
I got a lot of useful information from your video, thanks! got my OM-1with 90mm macro today, will test it soon ;)
Glad you enjoyed it. Depending upon where in the world you are, and whether there are many wild subjects available, start out getting the technique right with some coins, and small pieces of jewellery etc and see how the depth of field and lighting works best. Then move onto moving subjects and more challenging things (depending upon your experience). Have fun!
Great video Ben and lots of useful info and tips, thank you.
Glad you found it helpful Lee. I hope it sparks some interest in the genre of Macro for you!
Ben, thanks for a very interesting and comprehensive video. Here’s a challenge for you considering the current weather; a macro image of a falling snowflake! No doubt would require 100’s or 1000’s of shots to get a good one, very fast shutter speed and your flash lights. 😃
Hi Christian, its funny you should say that - I attempted to shoot some frozen bubbles this weekend, however the temperature wasn’t quite cold enough. But the next cold snap I will be making a tutorial on how to shoot frozen bubbles and it there is light snow that settles I will make a tutorial on snow flakes. Not easy conditions to film a tutorial, but I will give it a go!
Thank you Ben for such an informative video! Well done, covering so much information in a straight to the point fashion. This was very helpful for me as I am interested in doing more in Macro photography.
You are welcome Gary - glad to hear you found the tutorial helpful. I will probably follow up this with another tutorial on focus stacking using focus rail or using a camera with this built in.
That has to be the best introductory video to across that I've seen! ....and I've seen loads
Thank you Alex, I am pleased to hear that. It can be challenging sometimes to find a video that covers everything you need from start to finish, and you end up watching loads of videos! I thought I would bring it all together in one place to help people out.
have never delved into the macro universe yet Ben so was really intrigued to watch your video and found to be extremely informative. Loved the images too, especially the spider one. Another great string to your talented bow
Cheers Jim, its another genre that really fascinates me. It’s one of those things that you can do when the weather is really bad also. A stay in doors project. For each good image I showed in this video there are hundreds of bad ones! Macro photography will increase the shutter count on your camera!
super informative, thank you! I have that 35mm RF lens and wondered why it didn't seem much better than me using extension tubes on an old 50mm lens or zoom lens. But then I reversed a vintage 28mm lens and it was just what I was looking for - Thank you!
Yes indeed, I have the RF 35mm and I believe it has 2:1 reproduction, so close but not 'proper' macro. Love the reversed 28mm, bargain and impressive results.
Yes used to use a Nikon D 500 and a Tamron 90mm Macro lens got some great shots but the focusing was quite difficult, i then watched some Videos on the Olympus cameras and decided that was me, light and compact, First one was the Em1 Mk iii and have just purchased the OM-1, both are fantastic for Macro. Have both lens, the 30mm and the 60mm plus I add the Raynox 250 for extra magnification with flash and homemade diffuser ! Cheers from New Zealand
Good to hear you have found the right gear for your needs Royce. Does the Olympus system have in camera focus bracketing? I look forward to getting a camera with that feature one day. Until then, manual focusing on a rail for me!
@@benharveyphotography Yes it has in camera focus bracketing as well as in camera focus stacking, this stacking mode gives you the finished jpg, you can still use the original raws and stack them in your choice of software. These cameras have so many features, have a look at what some of the visionaries capture. One of them Peter Baumgarten has absolutely outstanding images. Cheers from NZ
I have a 30 mm Sony and a 90 mm tameron for my Sony a 58 and 77 and i have to say the tameron is my favourite
Best tutorial ever, so easy to follow. Thanks heaps!
Thank you for the kind words, much appreciated. I hope it has inspired you to capture some macro images :-)
I would like to have you talk about the the focus limiter switch and when to use each setting
That’s a good point Rick. If I am using autofocus (which is dependent upon what I am shooting) then I would usually leave it on the full range. However if the subject has low contrast and the lens is hunting back and froth from 5cm to infinity then I will switch it to the closest range (on the Canon 100mm macro for example). Other times I am just shooting in manual focus, so I am in complete control. I hope that this answers you question.
Very informative, good presentation. Thanks
Thank you Arthur, I have another macro video coming out in about 4 weeks time. This time it is on extreme macro photography, super close up work. Keep an eye out for it :-)
You can fit a 22,3 x 14,9 mm subject full size (corner to corner) with the 1:1 macro on the 550D sensor.
Extension tubes are great with shorter lenses and closeup filters are good with longer lenses though i like a couple of tubes with a telezoom for butterflies
Hello and Thank you so much for sharing your techniques of Macro photography ! You won my subscription.
Thank you! You will see that my channel is a mixture of landscape photography (mainly), architecture, tutorials and the occasional gear review for something that I have been using and want to share with my audience. If the weather stays cold I intend on making a few more macro tutorials, including how to photograph frozen bubbles and photographing bubble surfaces. Fingers crossed!
I have been reading your website and it is very easy to understand your concept of Macro photography with examples and photos! Again, thank you and happy 2024!
Thank you very much, Great tuutorial ❤️
thank you, I found this very helpful
What a fantastic video Ben, extremely informative and helpful, thank you.🍷
Cheers!
I just bought my first Macro lens, a 50mm Lauwa for my M4/3 Lumix camera, and I’m enjoying it so far, but I have a lot to learn. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge! Next up for me is a flash with a diffuser.😊
Thanks Daniel, glad yo found it helpful. I. Made a tutorial on everything flash related, link below. I don’t cover macro flash options, but it will show you the technical considerations. th-cam.com/video/bADrvAdTI0g/w-d-xo.html
Wow! I just found your channel and this was very well done. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience... Great work!
You are welcome Rich :-)
Thank you. I've just been researching getting into macro photography and your video has helped me understand a lot
Great, I am glad to hear that this was helpful.
This was absolutely amazing! Thank you!
You are welcome Teresa, glad to hear you enjoyed the video.
Canon did the 180mm Macro which is still available, I have one and it’s bloody good for butterflies and bees, and also the mp-e65 which I also have and was the choice for me buy Canon, this is one lens that is truly worth it’s weight in gold, it will take months to master, one hell of a lens
Hello, good news - since making this tutorial I bought the 180mm Macro lens - I just released an entire video dedicated to it :-)
Great video; I tried tubes but couldn't hack it so I bought a 105mm macro and slowly getting better. It's also a great portrait lens as you said.
Thanks Austin, I think its a natural progression starting with extension tubes, and if you want to explore Macro more then investing in a dedicated macro lens is the way forward. Don’t forget that you can use the extension tubes with the macro lens also!
Yet another excellent video Ben. I'll be dusting off my extension tubes having had my macro interest rekindled by this video. Thanks for the inspiration, Ben.
Thanks Chris, glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I find having a project in mind helps motivate me. Right now its quite easy to shoot ice/frost in the UK. It the temperature drops enough then you can try to photograph a frozen bubble. They don’t last for long, but if you get to say -2/-3 degrees and you can keep the bubble going for 30 seconds the frost will develop and they look amazing!
Amazing video! Thank you very much!
Another option for focus stacking is using a Promote remote control. Not cheap but it can be used for other things such as bulb ramping, HDR, time lapse and mixing the above.
Interesting, I had not heard of this product before. Thanks for sharing Rob.
Cheers Ben really enjoyed that.......👍
If you want to use a macro reversing ring or "dumb" extension tubes, here's a
WORKAROUND for stopping down the aperture for use with a reversing ring (or extension tubes without contacts) in case you don't have a lens with a manual aperture ring. (You can use the standard 18-55 "kit" zoom).
(Note: This workaround is for Canon DSLRs, and it will NOT work with Nikon DSLRs. But for Nikon there's a different workaround - check Mike Browne's macro videos).
First mount the lens the normal way (so not reversed), set the camera in manual mode M or aperture mode Av. Then select the aperture that you want to use and half-press the shutter button.
(Here comes the fiddly part where you might have liked to have four hands):
Press and hold the depth-of-field-preview button and listen for the faint noise of the aperture stopping down. And while you hold the button, remove the lens from the camera while you listen to make sure the noise doesn't come again, because that means you've let go of the button. Look through the lens to check that the aperture is indeed stopped down. If it isn't, try again. When you've successfully stopped down the aperture and removed the lens from the camera, you can now reverse mount the lens and take pictures.
Note that unless you use a strong light, you won't be able to see anything through the viewfinder, so use LiveView instead.
If your camera has no dof-preview button, check your manual on how to customise the SET button.
Now comes my rant:
This video is somewhat confused.
At the beginning we hear that extension tubes are the cheapest and easiest way into macro. But later we learn that there's a much cheaper way, an old lens with an "adapter". It would have been nice if we had been told the name of this kind of adapter: It is called a Macro Reversing Ring.
We're told not to worry too much if the extension tubes have electronic contacts, because in macro we can't rely on autofocus. Well, the contacts do a lot more than allow autofocus: They also allow us to control the aperture from the camera, and they allow us to compose the image in the viewfinder with the aperture wide open and only stop down when we actually take the picture. So MY advice is to make sure the tubes you buy DO have contacts. And please do not buy the cheap plastic ones. I made that mistake, and they ruined my Tele converter. So get some good ones!
Talking about macro lenses: If a lens gives a LESS sharp result on an APS-C camera than on a full frame camera, it's because the lens is too old. Always check reviews before buying. Never assume that just because it's a Canon L series lens or a Zeiss lens or whatever, that it must be super sharp. Some are and some aren't. And if your camera is APS-C, make sure to check reviews where it has been specifically tested on an APS-C body! The smaller sensor most often has a much higher pixel density than a full frame sensor, so an APS-C demands much better lens sharpness.
Tip: If you're not absolutely certain that you'll very soon upgrade to full frame and that you have the money for the much more expensive cameras and lenses, it might be a good idea to check macro lenses specifically for APS-C. For example Canon has made an excellent EF-S 60 mm Macro which is the equivalent of 96 mm full frame. And there's also the little and very easy to work with EF-S 35 mm Macro (not to be confused with the one mentioned in the video). These lenses both do 1:1.
About IS (Image Stabiliser): Like autofocus, if you work really close to the subject for real 1:1 macro, the IS won't work very well either. So don't let the fact that the 60 mm doesn't have IS worry you too much. Personally I never miss it.
Other great 1:1 macro lenses include: Venus Laowa 15 mm f4 Macro, Venus Laowa 100 mm f2.8 2X super Macro, Sigma 150 mm f2.8 Macro, all of which I own and love. The Laowa 100 (mentioned in the video) is much sharper than the Canon 100 L, and it has no colour fringing (Chromatic Aberrations). The EF version is available in a version with electronic contacts with all the advantages that come with this, except autofocus. It has no IS, so for handheld portrait work the Canon might be better. The Sigma 150 has sadly been discontinued, but it's very good indeed.
If close-up photography is your thing, you might look at the EF 50 mm f1.8 STM or my favourite lens, the EF-S 55-250 STM.
And before you buy the expensive Canon MP-E: Venuslens makes what I call a "poor man's MP-E": The Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro. The magnification and image quality is the same, and the price is maybe a third. Beware: the depth of field at 5:1 F2.8 is only 40% of the thickness of normal printing paper. (But the Canon MP-E is no better).
Note that these two very special lenses will not work with the inbuilt focus bracketing of modern cameras, as this function requires a lens with autofocus. And these two lenses don't even have manual focus! You can only focus by changing the distance between the lens and the subject.
Hi Ben, thanks for the great video. I have just purchased my first macro lens (Canon 100mm for my R6) and my early attempts at using it were not great. Thanks to your video I now know that the problem was that I was trying to get too close to the subject, with f2.8 aperture. I'd be interested to understand the options regarding the switches on the lens (Full, etc.), I'm assuming this switch is used based on the distance of the subject from the lens?
Hi Donal, if you intend on only shooting close up subjects, then yes do switch the focus limiter to the 0.3m or closer option (I think), whereas if you were shooting say a butterfly and you wanted to capture it flying and then get a really close up shot when it lands then keep the lens set to 0.3m - infinity. Enjoy your purchase, you will get some amazing shots with that combination!
Great video Ben. That Nisi close up lens you mentioned, I believe is a diopter. If you get a quality one they are great. I’ve been using one made by Nikon for over 25 years. Using them on step-up or step-down rings, they’ll fit on most lenses. Plus, there isn’t any light loss like you get with extension tubes. AND, you can auto focus them!
Ah yes, very good point that I missed out - you do lose light using the extensions tubes, well spotted. Providing that the glass in the close up/diopter lenses are equivalent to the your lens (or close enough) then I wouldn’t have an issue using them. I haven’t investigated whether they vary in strengths or not.
@@benharveyphotography , I’ve seen crappy ones and you’re right, they’re horrible. The one I use is make by Nikon and that one’s excellent. But I must admit, I DID just recently buy a Nikon 105mm 2.8 macro. Lol!!!
There is no looking back now. You have a dedicated macro lens.
A really interesting video Ben :)
Thank you John, it was longer than my normal videos - but there was a lot of information to cram in! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Thank you.....you enlightened me on this incredible subject 👍👍
Thanks for leaving a comment and glad you enjoyed the video!
This is good,thanks.
Very informing. Thank you very much. 🤗 Cheers from Denmark. 🇩🇰
Thank you very much :-)
Rather than guessing the effect of a stack of extension tubes on a 16-35 lens, try it before giving numbers for working distance. There is a lot of good in your video but when you tell people to but manual focus extension tubes to use on their regular lenses without an aperture ring I hope you realize they will have the same problem as when you reverse lenses.
Good point Doug. I have not tested the working distance of each extension tube to have a thorough understanding of working distance for each adaptor (and each variable of the three tubes). I guess that each lens would also be a factor in this regard as it too would have a limited working distance to factor in. I tend to try out say two of the tubes and if the scale of my subject is ‘right’ for what I am after I proceed. But this luxury of trial and error will only work if you have a static subject!
Just found your channel.
Awesome video with extremely well explained detail.
I’m new to macro and have borrowed a friend’s canon 100 mm macro lens to put on my canon 6d. This is to try the genre before investing in a lens. I have a question regarding your advice on shutter speed. You suggested no slower than 1/100 but can that be less if you’re on a tripod? Is so, what would you suggest?
Thank you, I really enjoyed your video.
Hi Lee-Anne, glad you enjoyed the video. Yes, you are right the shutter speed is more relevant if you are a hand holding. If you are on a tripod the shutter speed is only important based upon what you are photographing. If the subject is static then it is somewhat irrelevant, whereas a spider or a butterfly for example you might want to keep it fast enough. If you do use long shutter speeds on a tripod, be sure to use the 2 or 10 second timer to avoid camera shake when you press the shutter button. Enjoy shooting macro, its amazing. Spring is on the way, loads of wildlife potential in spring.
Macro photographer expertise ❤
Thank you Joe :-)
I've watched your video and I was wondering if using the pop up flash on the camera with a defuser that attaches to the front of the lens would work just as well as a external flash?
Hello, it depends what lighting style you are going for. The light (although it will be diffused) will still be straight on and therefore will create an even illumination across the scene. Ideally you can have the light coming from one direction to create light and shadow on your subject creating a 3d appearance. When you light a subject using a flash on camera the subjects shadow is behind them and they therefore appear very flat. You may be able to find a way of bouncing the ops up flash off a small piece of white foam board to achieve a nice lighting effect?
Nice easy to follow vid Ben.
Thanks Paul. Much appreciated.
I'm so broke for starting new hobby lol. I just ordered a Kodak 15x Macro lens for Mobile phones. I hope it will do the job done.😅
Photography can be very expensive, depending upon your will power! Phones are pretty good nowadays, I would be interested to hear how you get on!
Awesome sit
Super helpful video. I have a question about the Canon FE 28mm lens. In such a case, how to control the aperture with a lens attached? For me, the aperture separation never worked. Do I need to block the contacts somehow? Thank you for your reply.
Hello, the aperture is controlled on the lens itself, which you want to stick to medium apertures (around 1-2 stops down from the largest aperture) as lens defects are exaggerated at such close magnification. The lens is mounted backwards, so there is no control from the camera itself and the view that you see through the lens will be dark, as it is already stopped down to the chosen aperture.
@@benharveyphotography
All right. What I meant was that there was no complete shutdown. The ring would be blocked, but I've already dealt with that. Regards
Thank you very much!
You did amazing job. New subscriber. Stay connected and have a great day
Thanks for that 🙏🏻 Watch this space 😉
Suggest the Best cheap and best mobile mcro lens
Hi, mobile phone photography is not something that I do, I am not going to be able to help with the recommendation, sorry.
Excellent tutorial. Question, I currently have a 60mm 2.8 macro lens, will extension tubes give me a 1 to 1 with more working distance to my subject? Thanks in advance. Mahalo
Hello, it depends which lens you have. Just a quick google search for 60mm f2.8, if its the Canon EF-S then yes it supports 1:1 reproduction without any extension tubes. So it depends upon what the lens straight out of the box provides.
Thanks.
Elegantly avoided naming the exact number of a spiders eyes
Just bought a set had 2 only
Gawd, I really wish someone doing these tutorials, telling us we can use an old manual lens (I have an old Rokinon 49mm f28 manual lens I want to try), would get into the actual detailed info as to the lens thread size info so we could know what sized step up or down ring we'd need to get- also as someone mentioned below, you are going to need a reverse mount adapter, also getting some more detailed info as to what size you'd need for that (and I think you need to have both the ring and reverse mount adapter?) , would also be helpful. Giving us the full story with specific sizing info examples is critical, just throwing it out there vaguely isn't helpful at all.
Hi. Thanks for the comment. This video is a broad video about all things macro, sorry I didn’t cover that one particular item in more detail. If you are looking to reverse any lens it will depend upon the camera that you are limiting it in (I am not even sure if mirrorless mounts offer a reverse adaptor I am using a Canon EF version) and then the filter thread of the lens that you are mount. Then I would also consider the weight of the lens that you are reversing as the filter thread is not designed to hold the weight of the lens so I would choose the lens carefully. The 28mm lens that I use is a sweet spot, long focal lengths such as 50mm have less magnification when reversed. I am sure there are specific videos out there for reverse lens macro photography that go into more detail.
Nice
Do you recommend any dedicated focus stack software for macro. I use Affinity Photo’s focus stacking. But are there any better ones?
Hi, I don’t actually use it but the go to is Helicon Focus. Since making this video I have a camera that created focus stacked images in camera, however it creates a jpeg (because the images have been manipulated) so there is less room for editing afterwards.
hello ben and thank you so much this was the best about MACRO i have found just loved it all the best from trev in sussex uk
Thank you Trevor, nice to hear from local photographers, and glad you enjoyed the tutorial. I see from your profile picture that you enjoy shooting small subjects, not the easiest subject but rewarding. My next video will be on shooting butterflies if you are interested. It should be out in the next few weeks.
@@benharveyphotography i will be looking forward to it ben there are so many films about this subject but i must say you are the best for me cheers from trev in sussex near littlehampton
Your comment of the crop camera I'd wrong. Did you measure the space between the mm marks at 1:1 they are 1mm. The crop sensor does not show a magnification of 1.5 it only shows less of the image.
Hello. Canon cropped sensors have a 1.6x magnification. Different camera brands vary. So it’s not wrong what I said, it is specific to Canon.
Hi Ben! Thanks for an awesome macro photography video. Part of my gear: Canon M50, recently acquired TT Artisan 40mm Macro Lense, connection tubes are on back order. I'm loving 1:1 but want to get closer... 2x or 3x... sounds like 5x will be well above my skill level for now. Do you know of any vintage macro lenses to consider?
Thank you! JoseTheVegan on TH-cam
Hi Jose, Thanks for leaving a comment and glad to hear that you are getting into extreme macro. I don’t know of any vintage macro lenses (I am not sure when they were actually invented?) but for 2x or 3x macro I would consider a reverse lens, as a budget version. Or if you have some more money then probably the Laowo 2x macro lens.
@@benharveyphotography Thank you Ben! ;-)
Can you please tell me what the lighting you use us called?
Hello, I have just released an updated extreme macro tutorial which covers the spec of the flash that I am using. See below link. th-cam.com/video/nZo7RbTp4lQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5p4VizbK_qVmBV3U
I had the Nikon 200mm macro but adapted to r5 it just doesn’t provide a good image, too much chromatic aberration, it worked beautiful on Nikon d500 but even on z6 don’t give a good image, probably the mew technology increase the defects on old lenses like this
I think I heard about the Nikon 200mm from Ross Hoddinott when I was on a workshop with him. His macro work is incredible and he is an ambassador for Nikon (no surprise considering his work). It’s a shame that lens doesn’t adapt well because the features of mirrorless cameras does make macro easier - especially if you plan on focus stacking. Depending upon the final size of images you could crop in using a 100mm macro on the R5 since you have lots of pixels to play with.
I have a old Canon AE1 with a 28mm and 50mm lens that I would love to use on my Canon EOS 1100D
Is there a certain brand adapter you would recommend to reverse mount?
Thank you for your video
Hi Troy, I have only used Kenko, and they work fine. There is no focusing transferred through, and I don’t think that any metadata is transferred across even when the lenses are mounted the correct way around.
@@benharveyphotography
Do you know a good source, and what they are called. I am new to this and want to be sure I get the right thing
Thank you for your help
Hi Troy, I would recommend getting them from MPB who sell second hand camera equipment. I have provided a link below but this is for a Canon fit. Since they make all camera brand compatible versions just check that they will work with your camera. www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/kenko-dg-af-extension-tube-set-canon-ef-fit
@@benharveyphotography thank you again for your help and videos
Canon have produced a 180mm L series lens
Thanks Ian, I had no idea and had not seen that lens until now. Interesting lens that will get you a good working distance with 1:1 reproduction. Thanks for pointing it out!
Not quite true.
With the camera on select the f stop you want. Press the depth of field preview button and whilst holding that button, release the lens and take it off. The lens is now set at the f stop you selected and the blades do not relax.
You sir, are a genius. I just tried it, it works. That is a great hack, thank you for sharing!
@@benharveyphotography haha no unfortunately just passing on someone else's genius I'm afraid. But yeah it's a neat hack isn't it. Mainly Canon and a few others 😄
1:1 at F4.8 that is.
I like the macro of waterdroplet.
It’s a whole new world through a macro lens isn’t it!
It’s ok talking about macro photography for people who have interchangeable lens cameras but what about people who don’t. For instance I have a sony rx10 m4
Hi Karl, because each of Sony’s RX range has a different lens, aperture and zoom range it is difficult to cover them. If the RX10 mk4 has a close focus capability (which might have a macro symbol on it) you may get close to maybe 1:2 production ratio, but you will be wanting more if you are wanting to get into macro more. All of the principles in this video stand though, whichever camera you use.
cannon has a 1.4x macro lens "very impressive"... ***Laowa enters the chat***
And then the MP-E 65 mm comes along....?
The Canon Mp-E 65 was the first lens that came along, I did mention that in the video. I wish they would update it.
H😊
Nice advert for Canon, not so much other good brands.
Hi Roy, fortunately most brands now have a god line up of macro lenses, I just happen to come from a Canon background and invested in their Macro lens. New mirrorless cameras have the advantage of providing in camera focus stacking, which I would really appreciate one day.