Blog Archives
Extension tubes, close-up filter or macro lenses – What to choose for macro photography?
What is the best way to get closer to the object?
You can choose for example macro rings, extenders, close-up filters or you can go for the real deal and buy a macro lens.
The good thing with extension tubes is that you do not need to have a macro lens to use them on. Any lens can become a macro lens with a little help of macro equipment’s. Although the real deal, a macro lens, always gives the best result. Since a macro lens is intended for macro photography it is easy to get good result without any fuss. If you use close-up filters it might take longer time to get ready when you change between the different strengths. There are usually 4 options to choose from. They are for example +1, +2, +4 and +10. It also depends on what brand you buy. Some brands are cheap and might not be as good in clarity like the more expensive and well known brands. It all depends on how much time and money you want to spend on macro photography. If you only want to try something out then it is fine with the cheaper versions but if you want a good result you need to go for the more expensive versions.
On the picture above I am displaying one extender with 2x magnification and one with 1.4x from Canon. There is also a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens. Close-up filters from Hoya and extension tubes and another extender with 2x magnification from unknown brands.
If you are not happy with the magnification you can always combine 2 equipments. For example I have combined a Canon Extender 1.4 with a 65mm macro lens 1-5x. This combination gives me a chance to come really close to any object. For example if you would take a picture of salt you would be able to see the crystals on the grain of salt. With the combination seen on the picture above I get this close to the grain of salt:
Try your own combination. Let me know which one is your favorite macro equipment?
2014©Expressive Photos
Testing Canon 65mm f2.8 1-5x macro lens
Come closer to your object
Elasmucha grisea
I recently wrote about the Canon 65mm macro lens, but I had not yet taken any pics at that time. Now I have tried it out and I will show you a picture of a bug called Elasmucha grisea. The bug is barely 1 centimeter. When I took this picture I was using 3-4 times magnification. The shot was taken outdoor on a windy day. The picture was also taken handheld. The odds were against me but I managed to capture this bug in the right moment when the wind was not blowing to much.
If I would have used the 5 times magnification on this lens, think about how close I could have got but that is almost impossible to do since it was handheld. It needs to be on a tripod to take a picture with 5 times magnification.
2014©Expressive Photos
Don’t want to bug you…
…but it is summer and it is a great time for macro.
Wherever you go you will find a insect, weather you like it or not. The bugs are easier to spot and there are more chances to take those nice macro shots.
I found a nice looking creature when I was out walking. I found a colorful orange/black striped bug called Graphosoma lineatum in Latin. It probably have several names in different languages. It was easy to work with the bug because it was completely still and staring at me. It made a good pose on that stone too. When the bug had enough it just walked away.
Picture of a Graphosoma lineatum
The picture was taken with Canon 70D and the Tamron 90mm f2.8 lens. The picture has the following setup f/11, ISO 2000 and 1/160 sec.
Copyright©2014 Expressive Photos
Flowers in a macro world
I have posted a lot of articles about Tamron 150-600mm. This time it will be about Tamron 90mm f2.8. I have used a Canon 70D for this picture. I can really recommend Tamron 90mm 2.8 as a great macro lens. It is also a cheaper alternative to the Canon 100mm macro lens. Tamson 90mm do not have image stabilizer, but I have been able to take really nice pictures even without that. I am using the older model of the 90mm lens. Now there is a newer version which is waterproof.
I love to take macro pictures. It is like being in another world. You can look at a flower and see its beauty, but only if you get really close you can see all the amazing details.
Macro of a rose
Close-up of a yellow flower
Macro is a world of it’s own
There are many ways to show the same flower
You don’t have to be very close it is still macro photography
That is it for this time, feel free to comment. Don’t forget to like me on Facebook to keep yourself updated on new articles about photography.
Copyright©2014 Expressive photos
Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro Lens
The Tamron 90 mm 2.8 macro lens is a superb lens to have. It is a good lens for taking pictures of insects, flowers and portraits etc but do not limit yourself only to those objects. This lens is good for so many more things. That I will prove here.
-
Tamron 90 mm 2.8
I have also found that it takes good picture in sport events. For example when I took pictures in a dance competition it took clear pictures even if the dancers were moving fast. That means it is a fast lens as well.
Fast moving object in a dark enviroment
Have you ever tried to catch a clear picture of fireworks but failed? I know the feeling. With this lens you will be able to get clear pictures of fireworks because the lens gives detailed pictures of the object you take. Check it out:
Here are some examples that I have taken with the Tamron 90 mm:
Here are some more pictures taken with the Tamron 90 mm:
If you have any questions you are welcome to ask and comment.
2013©ExpressivePhotos
Expressive photos 
