Tele-Macro?

[Schnappi]

One of my favorite things to shoot is macro.
I would almost be interested in shooting even closer (micro?).
But I’ve got this problem where I have to put the front of my glass about 2-3 inches from my subject. I think it might just be an artifact of the fact that I’m using a screw-on macro converter connected to a 14mm lens… is it? Don’t be too harsh, I’m poor and said converter was like $50.

As the sig says, I have an Olympus E-500 so I’m a little limited in my lens choices as well as limited by the fact that they all cost a bazillion dollars.

So does anyone know a good 3/4ths macro lens that can shoot from more like a FOOT or two away and doesn’t cost an entire month’s pay?

All schooling, advice, and cries of “Noob!” accepted. (Noob)

[soosh]

You’re going to need something like a 180mm or longer lens to get that kind of working distance. I don’t know how that translates to the olympus 4/3rds land, but that’s a pretty long lens. (And comes with its whole other group of problems, shooting-wise. My 180mm macro drives me nuts). Your best bet might be to get a nice telephoto and look for macro filters that lower the minimum focusing distance.

[Schnappi]

Ok. Show and tell time.
Here’s a few examples (which got shranked and exif stripped because I use free photobucket)
First one is 14mm and front of lens is about 1 inch from the subject.

Second is 45mm (about 3 inches from subject. I take blame for camera shake)

Third is 100mm (about 6 inches from subject. Some wierdness that I DON’T take responsibility for.)

Last one is 150mm (8 inches from subject. REALLY hard to focus, the AF couldn’t get it at all… so I set it to “max” which should be infinity but with the macro filter on it’s really really not. I opened up the fstop to 4.5 which is wide open for this lens and then moved back and forth until I found this kind of “sort of” focus.)

er… ok.. so my img got snipped for some unknown reason…
So in order…

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/Raziel_ad/farktography/14mm.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/Raziel_ad/farktography/45mm.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/Raziel_ad/farktography/100mm.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/Raziel_ad/farktography/150mm.jpg

[staplermofo]

NOOB! (it never gets old)
Is it possible your lens and/or filter is getting fogged up and/or catching light from the side?

I had very similar problems when I was holding the front my lens steady with one hand, the camera with another, and focusing with another.

[U-Man]

I had very similar problems when I was holding the front my lens steady with one hand, the camera with another, and focusing with another.

I have nothing technical to add. I just came here to say that I love the way you write. 🙂

[nobigdeal]

NOOB! (it never gets old)
Is it possible your lens and/or filter is getting fogged up and/or catching light from the side?

I had very similar problems when I was holding the front my lens steady with one hand, the camera with another, and focusing with another.

Three hands huh?

I always was suspicious you were an alien, with the stapler obsession and all.

[sleeping]

Is it possible your lens and/or filter is getting fogged up and/or catching light from the side?

A hood might help a bit, but I think that’s mostly optical aberration from using a strong closeup lens wide open – stopping down 3 or 4 stops might help quite a lot (but would also require a tripod or flash unless you’re shooting in bright light)

[jpatten]

I have noticed something similar. I have a +10 diopter macro filter that I use occasionally. It works decently on the Kit lens 18-55mm But if I put it on my 70-300 it quickly gets unusable. I always assumed it was a limitation of using a macro filter instead of a true macro lens. Also with that much magnification, you are going to want to shoot with a tripod and remote release if at all possible.

[sleeping]

I have noticed something similar. I have a +10 diopter macro filter that I use occasionally. It works decently on the Kit lens 18-55mm But if I put it on my 70-300 it quickly gets unusable.

You need a lower diopter on a longer lens – a +3 or so would probably work a lot better. For a given diopter power, the magnification increases with the focal length of the main lens, but this also increases the optical aberrations in the system.

[Author]

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