Macro / close-up lens sets

[RobinP]

I've noticed these on that popular auction site, they seem very cheap and just screw onto your existing lens. They come in sets of four, x1, x2, x3/4 and x10 (macro). Are they just a poor substitute for a decent lens and do they render A/F unusable?

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

I used a 10x one years ago and it was shocking. You'd be better off with a standard lens and extension tubes.

neil

[mh68]

Hi Robin, the cheapo closeup filters really arent worth the bother,especially the higher strength ones.Chromatic abberation can be a nightmare with them, and you rapidly lose image quality away from the centre of the image.
If you want to go this route, look at the Nikon 4T and 5T,the Canon closeup filters, and Sigma achromatic closeup filters, these are constructed of several glass elements and give much better image quality.All these filters do, is reduce your lens` minimum focus distance, which varies depending on the strength of the closeup filter.The better quality ones, such as those mentioned above, dont degrade image quality very much and give good results.
For the Nikon closeup lenses, you`d have to buy from the States, while the Sigma can often be found on Ebay. Not sure about the Canons. Theyre a bit pricier than the Ebay cheapos, but its still a lot cheaper than a dedicated macro lens.

Mark H

[RobinP]

Thanks, I can't find the Nikon or Sigma ones anywhere so I'm trying a Hoya version, sounds like reasonable quality, only 45 notes (sob!). it can always go on E b a y if no good.

[SteveF48]

The biggest problem with them is depth of field.
I used a 4x one with my film camera and the depth of field was about 4mm at the 100mm end of my zoom. A 10x will be even less.
I bought a proper (Tamron 90mm) macro lens for my Samsung GX10 and depth of field on that is only 1mm, however once you get used to it the results are amazing.

[Leif]

Originally Posted by mh68

If you want to go this route, look at the Nikon 4T and 5T,the Canon closeup filters, and Sigma achromatic closeup filters, these are constructed of several glass elements and give much better image quality.

I can but agree. Do not touch most other brands. Unfortunately the Nikon lenses are no longer made. I got mine from Grays of Westminster and they might have some left. Otherwise try ebay for used examples.

£45 sounds a lot for a Hoya.

[RobinP]

About the cheapest I could find, £40+ seems the going rate.

[denisg]

Robin, close-up-LENSES are exactly that and should in no way be confused with filters, they just fit a filter thread. They are also better known as cul's.

Cul's are a great way to get into this type of photography but a lot of the above comments are also true. The Nikon and Canon ones lead the way by miles although they are around £100 apiece if you can find them. A Hoya at £45 'ish is either a very large diameter or a 10 dioptre. If it's a 10 you are looking at, forget it. You will classify all cul's by the performance of it and that would be grossly unfair. The 10 dioptre is not a good performer.

If at £45 you are talking about a package of 4, forget it. They are cheap and nasty and often the glass loosens in the mount very quickly. The above comments regarding ca and out-of-focus edges are very true with these.

I would suggest that you look at the least for Hoya individuals and start with a 3 dioptre (+3). The £45 though could also buy you a B+W +3 and although a single element they are superb quality in use and build. B+W are a manufacturer.

Cul's do not absorb any noticeable amount of light and therefor have no effect on autofocus. Extention tubes do though, and if used with say a kit lens of f6.3 or so, it is highly likely that AF will tend to hunt more or not work at all. Also bear in mind that light loss with tubes does not give an increased dof, quite the opposite in fact as with all tools that move your lens closer to the subject. With tubes, like cul's, do yourself a favour and stay away from the very cheapest such as Jessops. Used individually they will probably be fine but used in combinations may result in occasional "Lens not fitted" errors.

Cul's can give you a great in-route to macro photography but be very carefull, it is seriously addictive and the next step would be possibly The Tammy 90mm macro lens Steve mentions above (my choice too!) and then you will be in a different ball park. Don't say you weren't warned...........

Denis.

[mh68]

Re the Sigma achromat filters. I`ve seen quite a few on Ebay pretty cheap, you just have to be patient until one turns up. The first one I bought I paid £15 inc. P+P for it, the second came as a freebie with a Sigma zoom.Most of those i`ve seen have been going for around the £15-25 mark.Even if you get an alternative lens in the mean time, its worth snapping up a Sigma if you ever see one at a good price.
The only powerful closeup lens/filter worth considering would be the raynox dcr-250, this is a +8 dioptre, but the working distance on a DSLR/zoom lens setup would be very short indeed,probably down to about 1-2 inches. Ive used the +4 dioptre raynox dcr-150 on my old Sigma 70-300, and it`ll give over 1:1 magnification, but even with this the working distance was around 4 inches from the front of the lens. Image quality wasnt far off that of a proper macro lens though.Both of these come with a clip-on adaptor that fits to the filter threads on the front of the camera`s lens.
The setup i`m using now, a Sigma achromat on a Canon 90-300EF, gives around a 1:1 magnification at a distance of about 18" at full zoom,very handy for skittish subjects.

Mark H

[denisg]

Good post Mark. I think I should add that the only reason I didn't mention the Sigma and Raynox items is simply no direct personal experience of them.

Couple of other points here. The close-up items mentioned here can, of course, be used on the macro lenses too.

Secondly, and mainly for users of pro-sumer or 'Bridge' cameras, if you use a screw-on type telecon such as the Olympus Tcon 17 or similar Raynox ones the standard type culs such as the Sigma (possibly?), Hoya or B+W can be used between the lens and telecon. In macro mode, this gives greater working distance, in standard camera mode it reduces the minimum focus distance. All with little or no light loss.

Denis.