Canon A75 Macro Photography Questions

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

A wide angle lens will get you closer.

<needin4mation@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1117762921.036013.159650@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, I have a Canon A75. I read how folks made macro lenses from
> ordinary magnifying glasses so I tried it. I used a kids toy
> magnifying glass.
>
> I put the camera on macro, put the lens at max telephoto, and then held
> the magnifying glass in front of the lens, focusing through the LCD
> window. Some of my pictures came out okay and some didn't. I expect
> to have to practice.
>
> What I want to know is how close should I expect to get before taking
> the picture. By close I mean how physically close. I read that I can
> get two inches with my a75 in macro mode, but the picture isn't as
> close up as when I am further back with the magnifying glass. Also,
> can I get close or better pics if I get a higher power magnifying glass
> instead of the toy plastic one (makes sense I should)?
>
> Another reason I ask is because although the pictures were okay I found
> they suffered from handshake. I tried the tripod, but it stands back
> so far that I find it hard to lean the tripod close enough to use the
> magnifying glass. In other words I have the camera on a tripod, close
> the legs to make a sort of monopod and then lean in real close to the
> subject, but of course, I will still shake some. I hope that makes
> sense.
>
> Any tips here? Thank you for any help.
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On 2 Jun 2005 18:42:01 -0700, needin4mation@gmail.com wrote:

>Hi, I have a Canon A75. I read how folks made macro lenses from
>ordinary magnifying glasses so I tried it. I used a kids toy
>magnifying glass.
>
>I put the camera on macro, put the lens at max telephoto, and then held
>the magnifying glass in front of the lens, focusing through the LCD
>window. Some of my pictures came out okay and some didn't. I expect
>to have to practice.
>
>What I want to know is how close should I expect to get before taking
>the picture. By close I mean how physically close. I read that I can
>get two inches with my a75 in macro mode, but the picture isn't as
>close up as when I am further back with the magnifying glass. Also,
>can I get close or better pics if I get a higher power magnifying glass
>instead of the toy plastic one (makes sense I should)?
>
>Another reason I ask is because although the pictures were okay I found
>they suffered from handshake. I tried the tripod, but it stands back
>so far that I find it hard to lean the tripod close enough to use the
>magnifying glass. In other words I have the camera on a tripod, close
>the legs to make a sort of monopod and then lean in real close to the
>subject, but of course, I will still shake some. I hope that makes
>sense.
>
>Any tips here? Thank you for any help.

Here are a few web sites you may wish to visit for info. :

http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_...

http://xoomer.virgilio.it/ripolini/CP_4500_2.htm

http://www.photoblink.com/info.asp?Article=articles/bug...

I have had very good results using a Vivitar 28mm lens reverse
mounted on my Canon A70. Used Av mode set to F8, manual focus to
infinity on the A70, used photographed a bunch of tiny ants carrying
away grains of table sugar I put out for them. Focusing gets tricky
because I did it hand held by moving ever so slightly closer or
further away. This was in bright sunlight & still the shutter speed
was often too slow to freeze their motion. Also you need to get VERY
close which tends to block direct sun. Never realized just how fast
these little ants move until I could see them up close.

Took about 30 pictures & only got everything right on a few
but that's the beauty of digital, it's cost effective to learn & try
again. If I get more into this I think the best way to focus would be
to use a homemade focusing rail & a low profile tripod or a mount a
1/4-20 camera mount bolt & nut onto a steel rod. This way you can put
the spike on the ground & mount your camera to it (optional focusing
rail between them) & Even at f8 the depth of field (DOF) was very
narrow. So it's a fair amount of effort to get a good picture but
when you do, it's worth the effort.

Respectfully, DHB


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