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Do-it-yourself macro photography equipment. Macro photography equipment

There are two reasons why close-up photography attracts the attention of camera owners. When shooting macro creative process largely depends on the technical skills of the photographer and the level of technology. The artist in this case is nature itself. The second reason is that the results consistently please the wallet when we are talking about shooting items for advertising catalogs. In both incarnations, macro is complex in technically direction of photography, requiring serious equipment costs.

Camera selection

A shallow depth of field forces you to look for the most convenient angles. Most often, the object is shot "in profile", placing it parallel to the lens. If you shoot only "in profile", the pictures become too similar to each other. There are alternative solutions to provide the required depth of field:

Shooting on a high-quality pseudo-reflex camera. Due to the small matrix, the depth of field zone is much wider than that of DSLRs. A good candidate for sale is the Fujifilm S9600 Pro.
Shooting on reflex camera with the aperture covered to maximum values.
Processing in graphics editor several shots taken with different depth of field.
Using a gimbal camera with movement. Those interested should pay attention to the Rollei X-Act2 monorail camera with electronic control and format up to 6 x 7 cm www.franke-heidecke.ru , as well as Horseman gimbal cameras www.fotoworld.ru and Sinar www.fotoworld.ru . These options have the ability to shoot on film and install digital backs.

The capabilities of cameras with non-replaceable optics are expanded by macro nozzles (Close-UP, Macro Close-UP), which are mounted on the thread for filters. By reducing the minimum focusing distance, the macro lens allows you to take pictures at a larger scale. The story goes back to the Rolleinar attachments that Franke & Haideke made for bayonet mounts on twin-lens cameras. Today, macro nozzles from Japanese manufacturers are popular - Hoya, Kenko, Marumi.

The simplest, most common version of a macro lens is a single convex-concave lens with plus diopters, placed in a threaded frame. Such a simple design inevitably leads to a deterioration in image quality, although in practice very good results can be achieved with such lenses.

Recently, dual-lens attachments with higher performance have become more popular. For cult pseudo-DSLRs, their creators themselves offer such “macro lenses” (for example, VCL-M3367 for Sony R1). In terms of price, such accessories are close to the camera itself, but the resulting set is still inferior SLR camera with a special lens.

Lens selection

A macro lens must provide high sharpness and contrast of the resulting image. The main characteristic of a macro lens is the shooting scale (lens magnification), which indicates the ratio of the dimensions of a real object and its image projected onto a film or matrix. When shooting an object 10 mm long, 1:1 scale allows you to get an image 10 mm long on a matrix or film, 2:1 scale - 20 mm, 1:2 - 5 mm.

Most macro lenses are capable of shooting at 1:1 at the minimum focusing distance (MFD). MDF indicates the smallest distance to the subject at which a sharp image can be obtained. As a rule, the minimum focusing distance depends on the focal length: the longer it is, the larger the MDF.

It should be borne in mind that the MDF is calculated from the plane of the focused image (matrix, film), and not from the front lens, as in compact cameras. Therefore, the distance from the front lens to the object is always less than that specified in the characteristics of the MDF lens. Let's say a Micro-Nikkor 200 mm f/4 lens, which has a 50 cm MDF, is capable of shooting an object from a distance of 26 cm from the front lens.

For shooting small insects, a lens with a focal length of 150-200 mm is considered optimal, which allows you to get a normal scale at a distance of about half a meter. Lenses 50-100 mm have to be brought closer to the subject, but for photographing static scenes this option is more convenient.

For macro photography, any special lens will do. The main qualities of conventional optics are - focal length and aperture - in macro are not so important. The distance to the object can be reduced or increased to achieve the desired scale. At the same time, the focal length affects the nature of the transmission of space: the higher it is, the more “flat” the picture is. This feature is a plus for studio shooting items. Long focal length and high aperture allow you to reduce the depth of field, leaving any fragment of the object in focus. Along with aperture, the minimum aperture is usually indicated in the characteristics of a macro lens, since depth of field is a critical parameter for many scenes.

The "artistic" properties of the picture are affected primarily by the optical design. Some lenses at any aperture draw a hard image with high detail (among them, one of the highest quality and most popular is the Tamron 90 mm f / 2.8). For shooting portraits, as a rule, fast macro telephoto lenses are used with success. The Olympus 50 mm f / 2 and Sigma 150 mm f / 2.8 are considered excellent images of “portrait” macro optics. These lenses are much smoother at open apertures.

	MDF	Increase	Design	Dimensions	Filters	Notes
Canon EF-S 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM	0.2 m	1x	12 lenses in 8 groups	73 x 70 mm, 335 g	52 mm	For digital cameras(crop 1.6x)
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8	0.31 m	1x	12 lenses in 8 groups	79 x 119 mm, 600 g	58 mm	ultrasonic motor (USM)
Canon EF 180 mm f/3.5 L Macro USM	0.48 m	1x	14 lenses in 12 groups	82.5 x 186.5 mm, 1100 g	72 mm	one of the best in the Canon line
60 mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor	0.22 m	1x	8 lenses in 7 groups	70 x 74.5 mm, 440 g	62 mm	very sharp
105 mm f/2.8G AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor	0.31 m	1x	14 lenses in 12 groups	83 x 116 mm, 720 g	62 mm	built-in stabilizer (VR)
200 mm f/4D ED-IF AF Micro-Nikkor	0.50 m	1x	13 lenses in 8 groups	76 x 104.5, 1190 g	62 mm	for shooting small animals
Olympus Zuiko Digital 35mm f/3.5	0.15 m	1x	6 lenses in 6 groups	71 x 53 mm, 165 g	52 mm	sharp, cheap, compact
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50 mm f/2	0.24 m	0.52x	11 lenses in 10 groups	71 x 61.5 mm, 300 g	52 mm	beautiful drawing
Pentax D FA Macro 50 mm f/2.8	0.2 m	1x	8 lenses in 7 groups	67.5 x 60mm, 265g	49 mm	rare lens
Pentax D FA Macro 100 mm f/2.8	0.3 m	1x	9 lenses in 8 groups	67.5 x 80.5 mm, 345 g	49 mm	analog Tokina 100 mm
SAL-50M28 50mm f/2.8	0.2 m	1x	7 lenses in 6 groups	71.5 x 60mm, 295g	55 mm	hard to find for sale
SAL-100M28 100mm f/2.8	0.35 m	1x	8 lenses in 8 groups	75 x 98.5 mm, 505 g	55 mm	expensive, harsh
Sigma Macro 50mm F2.8 EX DG	0.19 m	1x	10 lenses in 9 groups	71.5 x 66.5 mm, 315 g	55 mm	inexpensive but good quality
Sigma Macro 105 mm f/2.8 EX DG	0.31 m	1x	11 lenses in 10 groups	55.2 x 102.9 mm, 470 g	58 mm	nice drawing
Sigma APO Macro 150 mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM	0.38 m	1x	16 lenses in 12 groups	80.5 x 142.4mm, 920g	72 mm	beautiful drawing
Tamron AF SP 90 mm f/2.8 Di Macro	0.29 m	1x	10 lenses in 9 groups	71.5 x 97mm, 405g	55 mm	sharp and inexpensive
Tokina ATX PRO D AF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro	0.3 m	1x	9 lenses in 8 groups	73 x 95 mm, 540 g	55 mm	sharp, solid

digital macro photography and close-up opens up new possibilities for your digital images. Wherever you see landscapes and portraits, you can now turn your camera into a tiny bug crawling on the ground or a mole on the subject's neck. You get intimate images that show the world anew. But you need to overcome new challenges for this to happen.

Equipment for macro photography and macro photography

To achieve macro and macro photographic results, you need to focus on subjects at a closer distance. To get close to your subjects, you will need specialized macro and large scale equipment and machinery. Here are some of the ways macro and macro photography get the shots they want:

Use a fixed lens with macro photography. Unlike conventional lenses, macro lenses allow you to shoot very close to your subject while maintaining sharp focus. Most macro lenses zoom in on you to capture a 1:1 magnification ratio. This means your subject is displayed life-size on your camera's digital sensor.

Use an extension tube to complement your lens. Extension tubes are hollow accessories that connect between the camera body and the lens. They provide space between the lens and the sensor, allowing you to focus closer than usual. The relationship between extension tube size and lens focal length determines how close you can get. A 50mm extension tube paired with a 50mm lens provides a maximum ratio of 1:1, however a 50mm extension tube paired with a 100mm lens provides a maximum ratio of 1:2.

Attach teleconverter towards the lens to increase the magnification. Teleconverters are optical devices that connect between a camera and a lens. They magnify the image created by your lens in order to magnify it on your camera's digital sensor. When using the teleconverter, the image is enlarged, but you do not need to get close to the subject. This makes teleconverters ideal for photographing subjects that are easily frightened or in hard-to-reach places.

Rotate lens to increase your ability to focus near your subjects. By detaching the lens and rotating it (so that your camera views the front element and out of the back element), you can get closer to your subject and achieve greater magnification. Try this method by simply holding the lens in front of the camera. If you are happy with the results, consider buying a ring shifts (an accessory that allows you to fix the facing lens to the camera body) to hold the lens in place.

Illumination of subjects for macro photography and macro photography

Macro and macro photography usually requires you to be very close to your subjects. This can be problematic when it comes to light, as your camera lens (or your head) can cast a shadow on the scene or on the subject. The closer you are to the subject, the more likely you are to block out the light.

When working with natural light, choose scenarios where the subject is lit from the side, there is an ambient light type, or the subject is backlit. The front lit situation forces you to be between the subject and the light.

When your scene doesn't provide the ideal lighting situation for a shot, you can take matters into your own hands:

Use a reflector to reflect light in your scene. This will help you control the direction of the light and ensure that your subject is not in shadow. You can use any surface that reflects light, such as a mirror, a white piece of foam core, or a shiny metal surface.

Keep a small, battery-powered flash in your camera bag. The flash allows you to illuminate subjects in any direction. Just make sure you have the proper setting for triggering the flash from the camera, as the on-camera flash is somewhat useless in close-up and close-up situations.

Attach a macro lens to the lens. A ring of light surrounds the edge of the lens, providing even, even light in close-up scenes. This allows you to light your subject from the front without having to worry about putting your shadow on it.

Depth of field control for macro photography and macro photography

High magnification levels mean that your depth of field naturally becomes shallower than normal. This can be fine when you really want to emphasize your subject, but if you want more depth of field, you need to tweak.

If you want to use a shallow depth of field to compose with selective focus(only one spot in the image appears in sharp focus), you can use a large aperture setting (e.g. f/2.8). Your focus needs to be precise in this situation, so it appears exactly where you want it to. Use a tripod to stabilize the camera; this ensures that your focus point doesn't move after you've set it. A guide rail(a device that allows you to move your camera precisely towards and away from your subject) can help you control your focus point.

If you want to increase your depth of field, you will need a small aperture (like f/22). This type of aperture lets in a small amount of light and requires you to use more slow speeds shutter to display your scene correctly. A tripod helps to hold the camera during exposure by eliminating the motion blur that causes camera shake.

Improvement of macros and macro photography in post-production

All is not lost if you don't get the perfect shot. Software Postproduction photo editing software allows you to improve the macro and macro photography of digital images, as well as correct minor errors that occur during shooting. By learning how to use this type of program, you can make your pictures popular and achieve technical excellence.

sharpening a post-production image helps create sharper edges and can be used to enhance an already sharp image or to correct an image that has been made slightly out of focus. (This tool isn't a miracle worker, so remember it's always better to shoot an image in sharp focus than rely on aftermarket sharpness.) Be careful not to sharpen the image, which causes halo around your edges - a sure sign to viewers that you're used the sharpening tool.

Adjust exposure by enlarging or darkening the image in post-production. You can make small adjustments or correct an error. But like most post-production techniques, adjusting the exposure too much can result in a significant loss in image quality and may seem obvious to viewers. You can use curve adjustment to adjust the exposure in certain areas without affecting others. For example, if your highlights look great but your shadows look too dark, raise the shadow area of the curve while keeping the highlight area as it is. Do this to lighten up your shadows without affecting your highlights.

Retouch imperfections to eliminate distractions. When your focus is very close to the lens (particularly if you use a small aperture for a large depth of field), dust on the lens is often clearly visible in your photo. Any dust, scratches, unwanted hotspots or shadows can take the viewer's eye away from your subject or make the image look dirty. Most photo editing programs offer a variety of tools that allow you to define, clone, or retouch an image. Use these tools to eliminate flaws and distractions to keep your viewers engaged with your topic.

— Sean, you kind of cut off one frame from the last film. Please answer, could you say, forget to send it to me?
Are you talking about the last photo?
- Yes.
— about the twenty-fifth?
- Yes…
- you sit on it.

2014 (C) "The Incredible Life of Walter Mitty".

So I sat for a very long time, not noticing that there was an excellent lens under me! More precisely, not the lens itself, but, so to speak, a macro ring. We are talking about a chair, about the repair of which I wrote six months earlier. And again, a mallet with a knife was used ... I already had a lens, it seems from a slide projector, but before that it was not clear how to fix it on the lens. The ideal option for the adapter turned out to be a casing from a gas lift chair! Moreover, one of the knees was ideally stretched over the lens, and the second was perfectly fastened inside the thread made for the light filter. I chose the second option. All work was reduced to cutting off the ring of the desired height (about 3.5 cm). Inside the ring tightly entered the lens, wrapped in a single layer of black electrical tape. In general, everything is simply impossible, and you do not need to spend thousands on optics. The quality of the pictures is certainly not for glossy covers, but I think it's better than buying a reverse ring, because. You can't control aperture with it. And when shooting, you have to cover the aperture, and the more, the better. Someone will say that the image has terrible distortion at the edges, on the other hand, distortion and chromatic aberration can be considered a peculiar effect. It's like in music, someone is struggling with sound distortion, and the owners of electric guitars, on the contrary, are trying to amplify them. Pictures can be taken from a distance of 3-5 cm. To remove blurring at the edges, the aperture has to be covered completely. Therefore, the shutter speed increases, and you need to take pictures with a tripod, or in very bright light.

This is how the nozzle from the uncut casing looks like. Now with a camera you can safely go outside and scare passers-by, however practical application there is no one for it due to the overlap of the entire review with such a pipe. As a result, in all the photos we get a bright light at the end of the tunnel ...

And here is a cut ring of the desired width. Pipe edges can now only be detected at minimum zoom.

Working photo attachment in action

Macro photos taken with the attachment:

The greatest distortions are noticeable when shooting geometrically correct objects.

Macro lovers can easily find on sale the so-called reversible rings that allow you to attach a lens to the camera. reverse side. But despite the simplicity of the design, immodest money is asked for this accessory ... Why give your hard-earned money if the problem can be solved with a piece of ordinary wire? You won't see any difference in the pictures.

Unlike using an attachment, an inverted lens allows you to take photographed objects in a closer view. This is what the laptop display looks like. I did not crop the frame, but rather reduced the image. Those. when viewed at full scale, the pixels will be generally gigantic!

The world around us is amazingly diverse and colorful, rich in details and patterns. You just need to take a closer look at it. Most often, photographers are passionate about general views. In addition to event photography, among the genres, landscape and less often still life enjoy special attention. It has been noticed that if there is a foreground with its inherent relief and texture in a landscape shot, then the effect of presence is enhanced. And in still life, it is almost always necessary to emphasize the detail and texture of objects. But there is a special genre in which close attention to individual objects and its details is inevitable due to the short distance of photographing. This genre is called macro photography.

The remarkable advantages of amateur digital cameras - DSC, of course, include the ability to shoot from a distance of several cm. Even entry-level amateur DSCs can shoot from a minimum distance of 5 - 20 cm. close range without using additional accessories. Advanced DSCs in "macro" mode allow you to shoot from distances up to 1 - 5 cm. Therefore, even beginners from photography can put into practice the versatile advantages of macro photography. The photographer can capture fairly close-up small objects - flowers, insects, coins, see the texture of wood and stone, "examine" the micro-patterns on the subject, barely visible to the naked eye. In general, shooting from very close range is one of the effective creative techniques. A little experience with patience and you can get a variety of topics and impressive unusual images. Carefully peering into the natural world from a close distance, you can capture unusual shots with increased detail, juicy texture of the subjects.

About zooming in macro shots

To more accurately imagine what actually refers to macro photography, let's turn to the concept of image scale. Scale is understood as the ratio of the linear size optical image object in the focal plane of the camera (i.e. on the film of a conventional camera or on a photosensitive matrix of the DPC) to its actual size. This ratio is also called linear increase. It is generally accepted that macro photography called the type of shooting, in which the scale of the resulting images on the photographic material lies in the range from 1: 10 to 5: 1, as set out in the classic encyclopedia "Fotokinotekhnika" (edited by E.A. Iofis, 1981). Usually macro photography applied in scientific photography– geology, biology, medicine, etc. But now it is becoming one of the popular genres of artistic photography.

Once again, we would like to draw the reader's attention to the fact that in the DPC, the role of a photodetector instead of a film is performed by a photosensitive matrix, the dimensions of which determine the size of the frame. The size of the matrix in amateur digital cameras is 3-5 times smaller than the frame size of a narrow film, equal to 24x36 mm. The linear dimensions of the matrices used in the CTF of the primary class, secondary amateur and semi-professional are given in Table.

Table

Photosensitive pad dimensions DTF matrices
Size in inches	Length, mm	Width, mm

The size of the photosensitive matrix of the DSC of the middle and semi-professional classes with a built-in lens is, as a rule, 1/1.8 or 2/3 inches. In reality, this means that in “full growth” you can take a picture of small insects (bees, bugs, bumblebees). Others will be fascinated by shooting small everyday objects, for example, jewelry, coins, badges, etc. On a smaller scale, you can photograph flowers, details of household items, or individual parts of the face.

The original scale of the optical image (on the photosensitive matrix) for the DSC does not exceed 1: 2.5 - 1: 5. It is obvious that the scale of the image on the print increases by the magnification factor when printing. For a 1/1.8-inch image sensor form factor (a common size for mid-range DPCs), the sensor size along the long side is about 7.2 mm. Therefore, at a print size of 15 x 20, the magnification ratio is about 28x and the image ratio is about 11:1 - 6:1. Those. it is achievable to increase the subject of shooting up to 10 times on a print with its moderate format. This means that on the print we look at the object as if through a powerful magnifying glass. Improved detail than when observing under normal conditions is manifested if the object is viewed even on the DSC display monitor. When viewing images on a computer monitor, the magnification factor will be up to 50 times (depending on the size of the matrix and the size of the monitor).

Learn more about macro cameras

So, for shooting especially close-ups, the DPC with a built-in lens is functionally designed, as it were, from the very beginning. To do this, it is enough to activate the “macro” mode with one press of a special button. This allows you to photograph small objects in an enlarged plan from a distance of several cm from the object without special devices. Some cameras even have two sub-ranges for macro photography macro and super macro. Super macro mode allows you to get even closer to the subject. However, most models are equipped with one macro mode. However, some of them allow you to take pictures from a distance of up to 1-2 cm. But, not very many DTF models provide a minimum focusing distance (MFD) within up to 1 cm. These are, for example, DTF Nikon Coolpix 5400, FujiFilm FinePix S602Z, FujiFilm FinePix S7000, Ricoh Caplio RR1, Ricoh Caplio RR30 and Ricoh Caplio G3.

A number of models from Nikon Olympus and Pentax allow you to take pictures from a minimum distance of 2 cm. The minimum shooting distance for most DSC models in macro mode is from 5 to 20 cm. 20 cm, for middle-class cameras - 5-10 cm, and for semi-professional MDF cameras often less than 5 cm.

In fairness, one important and curious detail should be noted. It is not at all necessary that cameras with a lower MDF value provide a larger image scale. The linear magnification of the image depends on two parameters - on the distance to the subject and on the focal length of the lens. This dependence is linear in both cases, and the scale of the object increases both with increasing focal length and with decreasing shooting distance. So the linear magnification of the object can be even large, although the shooting is carried out from a greater distance, but with a telephoto lens. The fact is that the “macro” mode in digital cameras is usually available for a certain range of focal lengths of the built-in zoom lens. Most often, in many models, confident focusing in the “macro” mode is possible for the wide-angle position of the zoom lens, i.e. at minimum focal lengths. In this case, the macro mode icon turns green (or yellow). At other zoom ranges of the lens, autofocus does not work and the icon turns off. In some models, macro mode is available in the middle zoom range. And in very rare models, the macro mode has a wide zoom range up to the telephoto position of the zoom lens.

For example, for the Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 model, the shooting zoom in the mode macro photography maximum at the longest position of the lens - the equivalent value of 200 mm. The minimum focusing distance (MFD) in this case is 13 cm from the front surface of the lens. The maximum size of the shooting area in this case is 52x39 mm. The size of the photosensitive area of the matrix of this camera on the long side is 8.8 mm, therefore, the image scale is almost 1:6. When macro shooting in the wide-angle position of the lens, the MDF is 21 cm from the front surface of the lens and the shooting scale is much smaller. Thus, this camera with MDF of 13 cm is a pleasant surprise for lovers of photography in macro mode. In passing, it should be noted that switching to macro mode for the DiMAGE A200 camera is performed using a mechanical switch located on the lens barrel.

Another remarkable feature of a digital camera should be mentioned - a large depth of field. When macro shooting, not only the scale is significant, but also the depth of the sharply depicted space - the depth of field of the objects being photographed. DOF depends on both the distance to the subject and the focal length of the lens. The depth of field increases with increasing distance to the shooting scene, but decreases with increasing focal length of the lens. To an even greater extent, the depth of field also depends on the value of the installed aperture. The larger the aperture value, the greater the depth of field. It is known from the theory of optics that there is an inverse quadratic dependence of the depth of the sharply depicted space on the focal length and a linear dependence on the distance to the subject. Thus, with an equal shooting scale b O Greater depth of field is provided by short throw lenses. The focal length of CPC lenses is several times shorter than that of film cameras. Therefore, the depth of the sharply depicted space at an equal shooting scale will be several times greater. (For the convenience of users, the actual focal length of DSC lenses is often given to the equivalent focal length for a narrow film camera lens.)

Macro accessories

The most essential accessory for macro photography of stationary subjects is a stable tripod. Indeed, in macro photography, in all cases, almost the maximum aperture of the lens is preferable to ensure the maximum depth of the sharply depicted space. Faster shutter speeds that do not change when the lens is stopped down can cause image blur when shooting handheld. Another important accessory is the remote control. This attachment will also help eliminate potential camera shake when the shutter is pressed. To reduce blur in the absence of a remote control, it is useful to use the auto-detach mode. In this case, the shutter is released after 2 or 10 seconds. after pressing down.

When shooting outdoors, any unusual butterfly or bug, a tripod is hardly an assistant. In this case, when “prey” appears at an acceptable distance, the hunter must find a shooting point, take a stable position, choose the moment and hold his breath when pressing the shutter key. But the use of the optical viewfinder should be adjusted for the effects of parallax shift when shooting at close range. Trimming the plot is best done using the display monitor.

As mentioned, optical macro lens attachments are designed for some models of compact DSCs. Light filters at macro photography With digital cameras find limited use. A polarizing filter may be useful. It allows you to soften or eliminate the glare of glossy surfaces, and in some cases improves color reproduction. Light filters are mounted on the lens barrel through a special nozzle or directly on the threaded fastening of the lens barrel.

macro lighting

Properly selected lighting is a prerequisite for obtaining impressive photographs. With many years of practice, photographers have worked out lighting schemes with various sets of flashes, diffusers and reflectors. In nature, natural sunlight is usually sufficient. For additional highlighting of shaded details, you can use a sheet of plain white paper. To reveal the texture of the objects being filmed, the most acceptable side lighting is directed at an acute angle to the surface of the filmed plot. Therefore, morning or evening hours for shooting horizontal surfaces are preferred. This allows you to work out the texture of the subject well. But, in addition, it is advisable to make sure that the shadow from the camera does not fall on the object. Midday hours may be preferred when shooting vertical subjects. Please note that when shooting at very close range, lighting problems may occur due to the shadowing of the subject by the body of the camera.

The scheme for constructing artificial lighting is similar. A sharply directed side light contributes to a good study of the texture. When highlighting deep shadows, reflectors will also help. The use of the built-in flash is not always justified, as it usually leads to overexposure of the image and to the probable uneven illumination of the object. Of course, you can set the mode of reduced flash intensity, but in this case it is advisable to install a diffuser in front of the flash. An example of such a survey, performed by the Nikon Coolpix 990 DSC, is shown in Fig. 1.

For high quality macro photography Digital cameras have developed special flash units. Of course, cameras must have a hot shoe or sync pin. For example, mounted on Nikon Coolpix series digital cameras, the lightweight and compact MACRO COOL-LIGHT SL-1 lets you shoot macro photography without the use of sophisticated lighting equipment. The SL-1 flash has 8 bright LEDs that illuminate the subject. For "digital SLRs" from Nikon for macro photography there is also an SB-29s shadowless flash with flexible and independent intensity control for both modules.

Similar flashes have been developed by other companies. For example, Canon for macro photography The CTF developed the MT-24EX twin flash and the MR-14EX ring flash. For Konica Minolta CFCs are designed for macro photography Macro Twin Flash 1200 and Macro Ring Flash 2440.

Consideration should also be given to the choice of background for the scene being shot. The object should stand out well against the background, and the background itself should not be distracting. It is usually better to choose a uniform background of muted tones. Applicable and white, gray and black backgrounds. The gray background is the most neutral, while the black enhances the perception of the color nuances of the subjects. Among the color tones, cold and soft colors are preferred. This creates the effect of approaching the subject. Warm and bright tones can create the illusion that the subject is further away from the background.

The camera as a scanner for macro photography

One of the successful directions can be called the use of the DPC in the " macro photography”as a kind of simple digital scanner. It is advisable to use DTF for recapturing drawings or text and for digitizing ordinary photographic prints. A useful activity is reshooting negatives or slides to quickly create a home digital photo library. For this, special attachments have been developed (they are also called slide scanners), which are put on the lens barrel through an adapter ring. With a matrix size of 1 / 1.8 inches, the scale of shooting a slide measuring 24x36 mm is approximately 1: 5. Some DSCs have a special shooting mode for a negative image. This allows you to immediately convert the filmed negative into a positive image. However, you can use the capabilities of graphic editors for this purpose, for example, Adobe software photoshop. This makes it possible to neutralize the effect of the masking layer of photographic film, which has been practically verified by the author.

Using the DSC in the "macro" mode can also be useful for creating a family electronic retro archive. For example, to retake small photos from various documents (ID cards) various organizations and societies, passes, etc.). After additional computer editing of old photographs, or rather their restoration, they are distributed into electronic folders. The convenience of using the DSC in scanner mode is obvious, because there is no need to wait until the entire film is used up. Therefore, the archive can be periodically replenished with each new find.

Macro photography with digital DSLRs

In conclusion, let's talk about macro photography with digital SLR cameras. Such cameras may also have a special “macro” shooting mode, but its effectiveness is doubtful. The success of the business is decided by the same traditional method macro photography, similar to the technique macro photography conventional SLR cameras. There is a large amount of information about methods and devices for macro photography with film cameras, contained in numerous photographic literature. By analogy with "digital SLRs", numerous accessories designed for macro photography can be used. These are positive attachment lenses that screw onto the objective; extension (intermediate) rings or attachments with extension bellows installed between the camera body and the lens; teleconverters, which are also installed between a conventional lens and a camera. Of course, special macro lenses (lenses designed for shooting objects at close range) can also be used.

The use of attached lenses is justified only for macro photography with cameras with built-in lenses. It is advisable to use expensive branded teleconverters with long-focus lenses in the field when shooting relatively distant moving objects - butterflies, dragonflies, etc. Quality special lenses for macro photography also not cheap. Depending on the focal length, they allow you to shoot from a minimum distance of a few cm to half a meter in a fairly close-up. For stationary shooting, it is easier and cheaper to use bellows or extension rings with conventional lenses. You can also use a wraparound ring that allows you to turn the shooting lens on the back side, i.e. front surface towards the frame window. This allows you to increase the scale of the image several times and is technically the most simply feasible.

A little about macro photography

I will describe below the method I use. macro photography SLR digital camera Nikon D70. I note right away that it was possible to purchase special branded accessories designed for this. But since there was a domestic attachment for macro photography PZF with a sliding fur, designed for use with Zenit-type cameras, it was possible to successfully use it. In addition, only an adapter ring was purchased from the bayonet "Nikon" connection to the threaded "Zenith". But this was still not enough to connect the D70 to the PZF attachment. The projection of the viewfinder protruding forward interfered. Therefore, ring No. 2 from a set of threaded extension rings for Zenith was attached to the adapter ring. Then Nikon D70 with a set of adapter and extension rings was attached to the PZF attachment. On the other hand, a “Zenith” lens was installed to the attachment, but not directly, but through a special wrapping ring, to which the lens was docked through a threaded connection designed for filters. It is necessary to explain to the reader that macro photography You could also use a set of extension rings. But it is more convenient to work with the sliding bellows attachment, since the magnification can be changed smoothly, and it is convenient to place the removed objects on the attachment frame. The size of the optical image in this case is close to the natural size of the subjects being photographed and larger. And for shooting with a lower magnification, simply various extension rings from the kit were used. For macro photography at a scale of no more than 1:3 -1:5, you can only use the wraparound ring, which allows you to turn a regular lens with its back side towards the subjects.

Used for macro photography I used two high-quality domestic lenses - the normal Industar-61L Z-MS 2.8 / 50 and the short-focus Mir-1 2.8 / 37, which received the grand prize for international exhibition in Brussels in 1958 (there was no second adapter ring from threaded connection to bayonet for Nikon lens).

Since the optical system for an autofocus camera was not standard, shooting was performed only in manual mode “M” ( macro photography). In other modes (A, P, and Auto), the shutter would not release and an error message would appear in the control panel. Exposure metering worked, but the exposure was set incorrectly automatically. The correct exposure was selected by the method of successive approximations. To do this, the shutter speed and aperture value were set using many years of personal photographic experience, and a test shot was analyzed using a histogram. Large and colored (orange) histogram on the monitor Nikon cameras The D70 made it easy to spot deviations from normal exposure. After some exposure or aperture correction, the exposure was optimized. The original shooting scale was set in the range of 1.5:1 - 2:1. Focusing was performed by mechanically changing the distance between subjects and the optical system.

For additional illumination with a strong aperture of the lens, I had to use a flash. Using the built-in flash resulted in failure as the subject was heavily shadowed. Therefore, I had to apply external flash. The branded SB-600 and SB-800 flashes recommended for the D70 were not available. As a result, an external "Nikon" SB-28 flash with a diffuser mounted in a hot shoe was used. The remote distance of the illuminator from the axis of the optical system made it possible to uniformly illuminate the object being photographed. But still, in this case, in TTL mode, the flash was inactive, and it fired only in mode "A". But, apparently, due to the peculiarities of the optical scheme, the exposure had to be adjusted as well.

It remains to note once again the fact that macro photography SLR cameras showed the advantage of digital over film. When building sophisticated optical circuits with adapter and extension rings, the exposure metering system does not always work correctly. For film cameras, exposure compensation is usually entered using special tables that take into account the degree of linear magnification. But the result of the correction can only be determined after the film has been developed. Using a histogram in a digital SLR allows you to quickly optimize exposure.

The material presented in the article does not exhaust all the possibilities of macro photography with digital cameras. Nevertheless, the expediency and usefulness of this shooting mode for amateur photographers is quite obvious. Dare lovers of photographic creativity.

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Choosing equipment for macro photography

There are two reasons why close-up photography attracts the attention of camera owners. When shooting macro, the creative process is more dependent on the technical skills of the photographer and the state of the art. The artist in this case is nature itself. The second reason is that the results consistently please the wallet when it comes to shooting items for advertising catalogs. In both incarnations, macro is a technically complex area of photographic art that requires serious equipment costs.

Camera selection

small depth of field forces you to look for the most convenient angles. Most often, the object is shot "in profile", placing it parallel to the lens. If you shoot only "in profile", the pictures become too similar to each other. There are alternative solutions to provide the required depth of field:

Shooting on a high-quality pseudo-reflex camera. Due to the small matrix, the depth of field zone is much wider than that of DSLRs. A good candidate for sale is the Fujifilm S9600 Pro.
Shooting on a SLR camera with the aperture covered to maximum values.
Processing in a graphics editor several images taken with different depth of field.
Using a gimbal camera with movement. Those interested should pay attention to the Rollei X-Act2 electronically controlled monorail camera with a format up to 6 x 7 cm www.franke-heidecke.ru, as well as Horseman www.fotoworld.ru and Sinar www.fotoworld.ru gimbal cameras. These options have the ability to shoot on film and install digital backs.

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Recently, dual-lens attachments with higher performance have become more popular. For cult pseudo-DSLRs, their creators themselves offer such “macro lenses” (for example, VCL-M3367 for Sony R1). In terms of price, such accessories are close to the camera itself, and the resulting set is still inferior to a SLR camera with a special lens.

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Lens selection

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It should be borne in mind that MDF is calculated from the plane of the focused image (matrix, film), and not from the front lens, as in compact cameras. Therefore, the distance from the front lens to the object is always less than that specified in the characteristics of the MDF lens. Let's say a Micro-Nikkor 200 mm f/4 lens, which has a 50 cm MDF, is capable of shooting an object from a distance of 26 cm from the front lens.

For shooting small insects, a lens with a focal length of 150-200 mm is considered optimal, which allows you to get a normal scale at a distance of about half a meter. 50-100mm lenses have to be brought closer to the subject, but this option is more convenient for photographing static scenes.

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For macro photography, any special lens will do. The main qualities of conventional optics - focal length and aperture - are not so important in macro. The distance to the object can be reduced or increased to achieve the desired scale. At the same time, the focal length affects the nature of the transmission of space: the higher it is, the more “flat” the picture is. This feature is a plus when shooting studio subjects. Long focal length and high aperture allow you to reduce the depth of field, leaving any fragment of the object in focus. Along with aperture, the minimum aperture is usually indicated in the characteristics of a macro lens, since for many scenes the critical parameter is depth of field.

The "artistic" properties of the picture are affected primarily by the optical design. Some lenses at any aperture draw a hard image with high detail (among them one of the highest quality and most popular is the Tamron 90 mm f/2.8). For shooting portraits, as a rule, fast macro telephoto lenses are used with success. The Olympus 50 mm f / 2 and Sigma 150 mm f / 2.8 are considered excellent images of “portrait” macro optics. These lenses are much smoother at open apertures.

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	MDF	Increase	Design	Dimensions	Filters	Notes
Canon EF-S 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM	0.2 m	1x	12 lenses in 8 groups	73 x 70 mm, 335 g	52 mm	for digital cameras (crop 1.6x)
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8	0.31 m	1x	12 lenses in 8 groups	79 x 119 mm, 600 g	58 mm	ultrasonic motor (USM)
Canon EF 180 mm f/3.5 L Macro USM	0.48 m	1x	14 lenses in 12 groups	82.5 x 186.5 mm, 1100 g	72 mm	one of the best in the Canon line
60 mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor	0.22 m	1x	8 lenses in 7 groups	70 x 74.5 mm, 440 g	62 mm	very sharp
105 mm f/2.8G AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor	0.31 m	1x	14 lenses in 12 groups	83 x 116 mm, 720 g	62 mm	built-in stabilizer (VR)
200 mm f/4D ED-IF AF Micro-Nikkor	0.50 m	1x	13 lenses in 8 groups	76 x 104.5, 1190 g	62 mm	for shooting small animals
Olympus Zuiko Digital 35mm f/3.5	0.15 m	1x	6 lenses in 6 groups	71 x 53 mm, 165 g	52 mm	sharp, cheap, compact
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50 mm f/2	0.24 m	0.52x	11 lenses in 10 groups	71 x 61.5 mm, 300 g	52 mm	beautiful drawing
Pentax D FA Macro 50 mm f/2.8	0.2 m	1x	8 lenses in 7 groups	67.5 x 60mm, 265g	49 mm	rare lens
Pentax D FA Macro 100 mm f/2.8	0.3 m	1x	9 lenses in 8 groups	67.5 x 80.5 mm, 345 g	49 mm	analog Tokina 100 mm
SAL-50M28 50mm f/2.8	0.2 m	1x	7 lenses in 6 groups	71.5 x 60mm, 295g	55 mm	hard to find for sale
SAL-100M28 100mm f/2.8	0.35 m	1x	8 lenses in 8 groups	75 x 98.5 mm, 505 g	55 mm	expensive, harsh
Sigma Macro 50mm F2.8 EX DG	0.19 m	1x	10 lenses in 9 groups	71.5 x 66.5 mm, 315 g	55 mm	inexpensive but good quality
Sigma Macro 105 mm f/2.8 EX DG	0.31 m	1x	11 lenses in 10 groups	55.2 x 102.9 mm, 470 g	58 mm	nice drawing
Sigma APO Macro 150 mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM	0.38 m	1x	16 lenses in 12 groups	80.5 x 142.4mm, 920g	72 mm	beautiful drawing
Tamron AF SP 90 mm f/2.8 Di Macro	0.29 m	1x	10 lenses in 9 groups	71.5 x 97mm, 405g	55 mm	sharp and inexpensive
Tokina ATX PRO D AF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro	0.3 m	1x	9 lenses in 8 groups	73 x 95 mm, 540 g	55 mm	sharp, solid

Alternatives

Modern autofocus macro-optics with a fixed focal length is the most expensive and serious tool that can provide best quality and shooting scale. However, there are several alternative, more affordable options for SLR cameras:

Versatile autofocus zoom lenses with macro function. Ordinary zoom lenses with the ability to shoot at close range. One lens is used to solve completely different tasks. The most economical and convenient option, but inferior in terms of results and capabilities to special optics. Popular members of the family are Sigma 17–70 f/2.8–5.5 DC Macro, Tamron AF 18–250 mm f/3.5–6.3 Di-II Macro.

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wide angle lenses. The wider the angle, the smaller the MDF. On crop factor DSLRs, moderate wide-angle lenses can be used as standard optics. For example, fast lens Sigma AF 20 mm F1.8 EX DG allows you to shoot from a distance of 6.5 cm from the front lens (MDF 20 cm). This option is not suitable for shooting small objects (such as insects), as it does not provide enough zoom to get close-up photos of them. Strong geometric distortion at the edges of the frame.

Fixed focus lens with adapter ring. Rings increase the distance from the tail lens to the film/matrix plane, allowing you to bring the focus point closer to the front lens and zoom in on the image. To enhance the effect, you can use several rings together. An inexpensive set of Kenko Extension Tubes (12.20 and 36 mm) is popular. Using them retains the autofocus function, but manual focus is recommended as AF is not always possible. More often you have to focus by simply changing the distance between the camera and the subject. The greatest effect is achieved if you have a sharp “fifty kopeck” or a 35 mm lens at your disposal. Rings can be used with any lens - even in combination with special macro lenses to change them specifications. But owners of Canon digital SLRs with a crop factor of 1.6x should take into account that Kenko rings cannot be used with lenses of the EF-S series: the rings have a “regular” EF mount. For this case, branded rings from Canon are suitable.

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Manual focus options are usually purchased on the used market for reasons of economy (autofocus in macro is not always necessary). Or these are modern lenses of the highest quality (for example, the new Zeiss Macro Planar 100/2). Allows you to achieve excellent results when shooting static scenes. This category also includes creative monocle lenses (see www.lensbabies.ru) and shooting small objects with macro bellows. Owners of Canon and Pentax DSLRs are in demand with Soviet macro-mech with M42 thread, used together with an adapter for a camera mount and an inverted standard lens from Zenit.

Lighting equipment

Unlike artistic types shooting, much less attention is paid to the pattern of light and shadow in macro. Nevertheless, it is light that is the main thing in macro.

There is a separate class of remote flashes that allow you to get uniform shadowless lighting. TO hot shoe only the controller that is responsible for the operation of the flash is connected. The emitter in the form of a ring is attached directly to the thread of the lens - like a lens hood. Hence the name - ring flash(Ring Flash). The emitter is connected to the controller using a wire (less often, an IR synchronizer). The thread generally fits most macro lenses - 55mm. If the threads of the flash and the lens do not match, you can use an adapter (they are sold, for example, by Photomaster DCS - www.camera.ru). Note that using a down-converter (for example, from 55mm to 49mm) may result in vignetting.

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Due to the uniform bright illumination of the object ring flash allows you to achieve maximum image sharpness. The reverse side of the coin is the loss of image volume, a “flat” picture (this effect is further increased by a large depth of field and a high focal length). The “artistic” feature of such a flash is the halo effect around the object with a glare on three-dimensional forms. Due to the specific “glossy” pattern, ring flashes are traditionally used not only in macro, but also in fashion photography. David LaChapelle, the author of famous portraits of Hollywood stars, achieved impressive results using his models when shooting ring flash and wide angle lens.

The choice of ring flashes is varied: Canon MR-14EX, Olympus SRF-11, Sony HVL-RLAM, inexpensive compatible ring flashes for Canon and Nikon - Bower SFDRL14, Dot Line DL-DRF14, Sigma EM-140 DG, Phoenix RL-59N, Sunpack Dmacro. We have indicated only the models of compatible ring flashes that are most interesting in terms of consumer characteristics and are available for Canon and Nikon DSLRs. The undoubted leader among them in Russia is the Sigma EM-140 DG (due to the presence of this flash in stores). There are also attachments for conventional on-camera flashes that allow you to turn them into a kind of ring.

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For compact digital cameras you can buy a slave ring flash, which is triggered by the main - for example, Digi-slave L-Ring Ultra II LED. Due to the large depth of field characteristic of digital compacts and the enviable uniformity of illumination, the “primitive” system based on ring flash and "digital soap box" will allow you to achieve very good results. Of interest is the AcmePower RL-1200 low-power LED constant light ring illuminator, which is able to operate on batteries or from the mains.

Recently, an intermediate option between a ring and a regular flash is becoming more and more popular - Twin Flash. This is a design based on two flashes fixed with a ring on the lens at an equal distance from each other. This design provides a uniform brightness of the picture, while maintaining the volume of the image (due to the resulting shadows), and has a higher power than the ring. Such flashes have replaced ring flashes in the lines of leading manufacturers: Canon MT-24EX, Nikon R1C1, Olympus STF-22. Guide number- 22 meters for Canon and Olympus, 20 meters for Nikon. Owners of Nikon and Olympus DSLRs can purchase these flashes separately from the control module.

daylight and incandescent lamps. For shooting on film, you should purchase a set of special halogen lamps. For example, Rekam Light Kit - three 250 W lamps on racks, complete with reflectors. Such a set costs from 6 thousand rubles, but only three light sources may not be enough for our tasks.

A more serious option is a powerful halogen source on a stand, complete with a soft box. The soft diffused light produced by the soft box is effective when shooting subjects. Another option is a shadowless tent (Light Cube). This is the "tent" in which the object is placed. It is made of translucent thin matte plastic and, as a rule, is illuminated in the light. external source. The cost of such a product starts from 3 thousand rubles.

Often a table is used for subject photography with a set of low-power halogen lamps. The table is a flexible, but fairly solid white plastic background, mounted on a metal frame. It can be illuminated frontally (with the help of lamps fixed around the perimeter of the table) or through the light, working in the latter case on the light table (Light Table). Simple medium-sized tables from manufacturers such as Rekam or Falcon Eyes will cost from 3.5 to 5 thousand rubles. There are more complex, flexible, expensive solutions - for example, Cubelite Light Table www.lastolite.com.

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