Macro Advice

alcal

alcal

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Name
Alan
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Hi folks

Ive been really taken by the Macro section as i`ve always been fascinated with pictures of insects.

Like the idea of the Raynox DCR-250 Macro/Close-Up Lens Attachment to add to my Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM Lens , was also looking at a 4 way rail and a ring light , but unsure if I could fit the 250 and the ring light at the same time.
Also ive seen a lot of jury rigged speedlights , so I was hoping to lean on your experience to make some good choices from the onset about lighting.

Looking at picking up one of these two:
JJC LED-48A 48 Piece Macro Ring Lighting Unit - Whole Ring, Left Ring or Right Ring
http://www.amazon.co.uk/JJC-LED-48A-...+Lighting+Unit

JJC LED-48B 48 Piece Macro Ring Lighting Unit - Whole Ring, Inner Ring or Outer Ring. For lenses with 49mm, 52mm, 55mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm thread
http://www.amazon.co.uk/JJC-LED-48B-...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ok well I would appreciate any and all advice from you guys

Many thanks Alan
 
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I don't know about the ring flashes but I would always recommend a set of Auto extension tubes rather than the Raynox, especially as you can get this set from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polaroid-Fo...r=1-1&keywords=polaroid+extension+tubes+canon

Extension tubes contain no optics so do not degrade your own lens, plus with 3 different rings coupled to your lens you can get a wide variety of magnifications.

I use extension tubes on my own Canon 70-300mm L IS USM lens and get very good results with them.

.
 
petersmart said:
I don't know about the ring flashes but I would always recommend a set of Auto extension tubes rather than the Raynox, especially as you can get this set from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polaroid-Fo...r=1-1&keywords=polaroid+extension+tubes+canon

Extension tubes contain no optics so do not degrade your own lens, plus with 3 different rings coupled to your lens you can get a wide variety of magnifications.

I use extension tubes on my own Canon 70-300mm L IS USM lens and get very good results with them.

.
Click to expand...

Not true, and different lenses react differently, but using tubes takes the lens so far beyond its normal operating range that quality is degraded, typically edge sharpness is reduced and field curvature increased, ie not good for 2D subjects like stamps or coins.

They're still capable of very good results though. I use tubes on my 70-200 for macro, and that's a good combo - similar to yours. However, tubes on my 24-105 don't work that well at all, and only at the long end where working distances are very close. I would imagine the OP's 24-70 would be similar.
 
Ok guys thankyou for your input so far . The 24-70 also has a 0.7 macro function inbuilt how would this effect the set up.?

Cheers AL
 
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HoppyUK said:
Not true, and different lenses react differently, but using tubes takes the lens so far beyond its normal operating range that quality is degraded, typically edge sharpness is reduced and field curvature increased, ie not good for 2D subjects like stamps or coins.

They're still capable of very good results though. I use tubes on my 70-200 for macro, and that's a good combo - similar to yours. However, tubes on my 24-105 don't work that well at all, and only at the long end where working distances are very close. I would imagine the OP's 24-70 would be similar.
Click to expand...

Well I certainly can't agree with that and these pics will, I think, prove my point:

Many taken with the Canon 50mm f1.8 and extension tubes:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/sets/72157625975281497/

Here with a 450D and extension tubes coupled to the ordinary kit lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/4530729376/

And another:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/5074143343/

So I cannot understand the troubles you are having with yours.
 
The point I wanted to make was that it's not true image quality is unaffected with tubes, just because there's nothing inside them. Otherwise there would be no need for macro lenses. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
 
if you want to hang stuff off a raynox, I suggest you get a filter adapter ring, so it screws I
onto lens, and not clips
 
pingu666 said:
if you want to hang stuff off a raynox, I suggest you get a filter adapter ring, so it screws I
onto lens, and not clips
Click to expand...

I don't think I have a choice the Raynox doesn't fit the EF lens if i`ve read it correctly,thanks though makes sense.

AL
 
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