[Jon L]

Quote:

You guys are absolutely killing me with these macro shots. I need a macro lens more than ever! Towert7, what macro lens were you using so i can compare?
 
 

The EXIF data shows 35mm F2 lens, so technically it's not a macro lens, but that lens has minimum focus distance of only 25 cm, so one can focus close and crop later..
 
My macro shots above were not cropped at all, so the frame you see is what was on the entire sensor.  There are people doing some crazy super macro's using things like reversed lens, macro bellows, very long macro extension tubes, etc.  Macro gets more and more difficult as magnification gets larger and larger in terms of very stable platform (tripod), manual focus (more like manually moving the entire camera back and forth), true macro lighting (expensive ring flashes or DIY rigs), etc.  But it's SO fun!

 

[OPrwtos]

Quote:

You guys are absolutely killing me with these macro shots. I need a macro lens more than ever! Towert7, what macro lens were you using so i can compare?
 


 

if u wana see real macro shots then look here - http://1x.com/#!/photos/macro/popular-ever
 
 

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

if u wana see real macro shots then look here - http://1x.com/#!/photos/macro/popular-ever
 
 

Yup, some of those shots are miraculous.  They are real pro's, and it takes TONS of patience, dedication, and preparation to produce many of those shots.  Not as selective, but I also enjoy the SLR Macro group here:
 
http://www.flickr.com/groups/slrmacrophotography/pool/
 

 

[Exediron]

On the subject of macro, this is probably the closest macro performance you're ever going to see from a 70-200 f/2.8 VRII:
 

 
This is handheld, so the focus isn't perfect; it's supposed to be on the '$1'. This is the latest product of my continued quest to turn the 70-200 f/2.8 into all the lenses I need.
 
If it reads correctly, I assume the EXIF data for this one is a mouthful.
 
EDIT: I could have focused a bit closer, but I pulled it out for composition - the lens does about 1:1 reproduction with this setup.

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

The EXIF data shows 35mm F2 lens, so technically it's not a macro lens, but that lens has minimum focus distance of only 25 cm, so one can focus close and crop later..
 
My macro shots above were not cropped at all, so the frame you see is what was on the entire sensor.  There are people doing some crazy super macro's using things like reversed lens, macro bellows, very long macro extension tubes, etc.  Macro gets more and more difficult as magnification gets larger and larger in terms of very stable platform (tripod), manual focus (more like manually moving the entire camera back and forth), true macro lighting (expensive ring flashes or DIY rigs), etc.  But it's SO fun!

What's so specific about a ring flash? I see them, as they are ring shaped but is it the way the light is directed? Wow, i really need photography skills now. I could totally spend $5,000 on good macro gear. Here is a video that shows soo many unique ways to take pictures, haven't even mastered 1/4 of this stuff. Probably because i dont have a Canon...
 

 
Quote:

if u wana see real macro shots then look here - http://1x.com/#!/photos/macro/popular-ever

Wow! Those are amazing, this is what im talking about when getting down to the real deal! I was the absolute molecule of the object, just depends on the object. These photo's are taking forever to retrieve though...
 

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

Towert7, what macro lens were you using so i can compare?

 
Believe it or not, that was taken with a Nikon 35mm F2.0 @ F/4.0.
The image was not cropped at all, that is the full image.
 
Imagine what a True macro lens would look like!
 
The little 35mm F2.0 is nice because you can focus in close, and still get a pretty nice DOF.
 
Here is another photo from the same lens, this time at F/2.8 instead of F/4.0 (no blurring added)
 

 
 
 
To give you a little comparison, I also have a dedicated macro lens, the nikon 60mm F2.8 micro.  This is the sort of true crazy macro photos you can get with it:
 







 



Some of them are almost at the point of being unrecognizable!

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

if u wana see real macro shots then look here - http://1x.com/#!/photos/macro/popular-ever
 
 

wow, I'm impressed!

 

[grokit]

Quote:

 

Very nice!
 
 
 
Quote:

This too!

 

[thenorwegian]

Speaking of macro.. This is an ordinairy ice cube in a regular kitchen glass with coke, lit up by 4 spotlights and photographed with the sigma 150mm and a sigma x2 teleconverter. It's the most "extreme" macro I've shot:
 

 
This is a leaf right after some rain on a sunny day, I shot with the (awesome) nikkor 105mm vr lens:
 

 

[majestic12]

Seeing these pictures makes me want to pick up a macro lens so badly!  If only the Mrs. would give me permission...

 

[Thumpindrivers]

 
Full size and some more adjustments available here:
http://f-infinity.deviantart.com/#/d4ku5sm

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

Seeing these pictures makes me want to pick up a macro lens so badly!  If only the Mrs. would give me permission...

x2, i feel like blowing a few grand on a 150mm or 500mm macro, but having to really "experiment" to get some good shots. I feel like a total amateur not knowing how to take a good macro shot, instead of a telescopic senic shot of animals that i see alot of times with macro lens's. Im not sure why people do this, as i want "macro shots," not telescopic/macro shots of animals.
 

 

[Exediron]

People do it because they like taking pictures of animals and want to take closer pictures of them. What's to understand? A macro lens is just a lens that focuses closer than normal.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

 the lens does about 1:1 reproduction with this setup.

Can't view the EXIF info.  Which "setup" is that, bunch of extension tubes and/or one of those Raynox lens attachments?  I really like the extension tubes on Canon 70-200 II, but going 1:1 will take a ton of them and the consequent light loss!
 

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

People do it because they like taking pictures of animals and want to take closer pictures of them. What's to understand? A macro lens is just a lens that focuses closer than normal.

Nothing really, but when i think of "macro" i like to think of highly magnified pictures like of ants,flowers,etc. I understand all you have to do it dial a macro lens back a bit to get a "picture" and not so macro, but that's my $.2.