Macro lens

[Cussy]

This might sound like a stupid question, but what is the point of a macro conversion lens? Is this a bit of kit that would be a good addition to my Olympus setup? The one I've seen is an Epoque DML-2.
http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/g...nses/epok.html
So what does it do?
Rob

[KenByrne]

It's simply like putting a magifying glass in front of your lens. It will allow you to focus closer so that you can take shots of smaller subjects than with the camera's macro facility alone.

I'm not sure it will provide much improvement over the super macro mode but I've never used one.

I used something similar on a Nik V but that was with a 35mm lens that wouldn't focus close enough for macro shots without it.

[Mike W]

Hi Rob,

What a macro lens does is to reducee the maximum distance on which your camera lens will focus.

If you add the Epoque (My macro is an Epoque) to your camera it will focus on subjects about 16cm from the camera - but, and this is the difference between using a macro lens and the macro or super-macro setting on the camera, it will focus on subjects at this distance at all focal lengths. Macro and super macro modes usually fix the zoom at the wide end. This means you can use the long end of your zoom and have the camera further from the subject whilst still filling the frame, useful for shy critters and for positioning external lights or a strobe.

Downside is that for anything further than 16cm from the camera you'll need to remove the macro lens, and vignetting can be a problem with the wide end of the zoom. Depth of field also becomes quite shallow with these lenses.

In use, I put the camera where it needs to be then use the zoom to fill the frame, move it back and forth to get things roughly in focus, then half press the shutter release and watch for a green light to say things are in focus before taking the shot. Then repeat a number of times because I can never tell if the shot really is in focus or where on the subject the plane of sharpest focus has fallen.

Close up lenses are often given powers in dioptres, so you'll see +4 or +2 lenses, for example. If you divide 100cm by the power of the macro lens you get the maximum focusing distance, so a +4 will focus at 100/4cm, which equals 25cm, and so on.

[Cussy]

Thanks Mike and Ken
I now see the point of the lens and it looks like I might be parting with some cash
Rob

[triplefin]

Good lens but can be difficult to use, lots of practise to get it right