Poorman's Macro

I wasnt sure where to put this. So i figure why not in the general section.

I have discovered a revolution in cheap digital photography. I have found a very inexpensive way to get extreme close-up shots. AKA Macro shots.

Normally you need a good camera and a macro lens.

Here is an example. This was taken with my friend's Canon 20D and his Sigma Macro Lens






Now you will have noticed that the areas outside of the main focus ("UR" of surefire) are out of focus. This can be solved by upping the F-Stop (actually I think you make it smaller but anyway this is what it looks like)








Now here is as close as I can get with my friend's Macro lens. The subject is the MN21 bulb of my M6. Please excuse the large size. im showing that by leaving the image in rather hi-res you can get up closer than the camera can. sort of a "digital" zoom.

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3973/img0417bj6.jpg




This next picture is taken with my GF's Point and shoot Sony camera.








This next pic was taken with the Macro "flower" feature. Some cameras have a "magnifying lens" feature that can get closer. But this is as close as I can get with the Sony before it is too close and cant focus properly.






Now here is my revelation/revolution. Again this was taken with the same Sony as above. please excuse the slight blurriness. it is hard to keep the camera still when you shoot macro.




Here is another example of my "revelation", This is one of the nubs of the M6 grip.







Here is the "caution: Hot Surface" logo from my 6PL



If I zoom a little with the camera's optical zoom, then I can get a little tighter.













So what is this revelation? A simple film/slide loupe. those little magnifiers to look at slides or film with.


Here is the Sony camera and my film loupe.


And to use it, I just put it over the lens.





You can also flip the loupe around and use it.

thats so cool!!!!

The other way is to use a flat bed scanner. Most people are amazed when I tell them that's how many of my pictures are taken.

Please resize or link to that oversize image. [EDIT: I don't intend to sound mean]

I've gotten great results with a 10x loupe and a Sony 5MP point-and-shoot.

Very nice accessory for little cams with lens tubes small enough to fit into the loupe housing.

very nice!

also, if you have a DSLR, you can take extremly close macros by just reversing the lens.ie, take the lens off (assuming a normal sized one) and hold it so that youre shooting "into" the outer part of the lens. you can do stuff like this









Crenshaw