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i found a set of close up filters the other day that my grandpa left me that fit my 70-300G so i thought i would have a bit of a play around shooting the lavendar plant out the back. this is what i got. any tips or comments greatly appreciated.

You did very well on your first attempt Nathan... When using close-up filters on a big zoom, you have only millimeters of DOF to play with...

Auto-focus is almost difficult if not impossible to use. The best way I've found of capturing bugs or other moving subjects with these filters is to use manual focus, set the focus to maximum and then rock back and forth slightly while looking through the viewfinder. Try to frame your subject in the centre, because the outer edges of the frame will be distorted and out of focus.

thanks for the tips leek. that is the method i used. i didnt even attemp to use auto focus. im getting a set for my 50mm and kit lens which should make it a bit better as it will be easier to keep the camera still. practise makes perfect.

Good effort Nathan. I know Kerry Pierce uses closeup lens and very well indeed. Leek's right about the caveat using them long lenses. Probably as another tip try to hold a diffuser overhead on the subject to more evenly illuminate the subject and avoid the harsh contrasts and blown highlights. I even hold my reflector overhead to even the light out.

In fact I'm waiting expecterdly for the one to arrive that I have ordered from Birddog the canon 500D. What closeup lens did you use?
cheers
marco

umm they're pretty old i think, but in excellent condition of course. It's a set of Prisma filters. i used a +4 for those shots. I've been seeing the 500d pop up in things i've been reading, what makes it so special?

Apart from the as expected Canon quality its a is a dual lens filter. You should check out some of Kerry's work with it attached on the 80-400VR
cheers
marco

marcotrov wrote:You should check out some of Kerry's work with it attached on the 80-400VR

The 500D is very nice chunk of glass. I've seen some very good shots on here using it.

Here are a couple of my first attempts with the 500D on the 80-400VR.




Daniel

Very nice Daniel can't wait to get mine.
cheers
marco

NJ - very nice shots but as per usual with single lens close-up filters the CA is very apparent with the blue edging. This can be adjusted in PSCS2 with the lens distortion filter.

Thanks Chris good to know when I get mine. Also helps by controlling lighting conditions a little. Mind you now that I have ordered the 150 Sigma Macro from Birddog don't know how much I'll use the 500D. Stil it should give me some more experimentation and I'm sure there will be times, more reach that I'll be using the 500D.
cheers
marco

if only i could afford a macro lens...

NJ why get a set for the 50MM when you could just get stepping rings to convert the thread size to suit the 50MM. That's what I do so that I can use all my 67MM filters on glass with smaller thread sizes. Go to Vanbar in Carlton, they keep them in stock and they're reasonably priced.

G'day,
Daryl's right about the step-up rings, don't duplicate the filters ($'s) just step them down to suit your lens. Try Kirks as they're in Ringwood, should be close to you (I think cnr of Whitehorse Rd and Murray Place?)... Picked up a step-up ring from 58-67 for somewhere around $12 I think from memory...

Was just playing in the backyard hope you don't mind me posting a pic in your thread, just thought as an example, here's a Canon 500d close-up of a bee in the yard (Damn! Clipped his wing)... ISO800, hand-held with the 80-400VR @ 400mm... Spent 10 minutes chasing the little bugger and he kept mooning me

damn thats sharp! do you still have to get mighty close with the 500d? and do u have to be at the wide end of the lens because i know i do otherwise it is useless. oh and i picked up a second set of close up filters for $20 so its not all bad.

nah i go to croydon camera house. they have everything and really know what they are talking about, and they give me good prices so u know...

NJ wrote:damn thats sharp! do you still have to get mighty close with the 500d? and do u have to be at the wide end of the lens because i know i do otherwise it is useless. oh and i picked up a second set of close up filters for $20 so its not all bad.

G'day mate,

That's after sharpening using a highpass filter, then a very slight USM on the jpeg after the resize, focal length was 400mm @ F32! Took me probably 20 shots to get one in bloody focus, just set manual focus then rock back and forth to find where the heck the focus is

MAXIMUM focussing distance is about 500mm away and the minimum's probably about 300mm, so not much leeway... As I just manually set the focus about as far as I could, I guess I'm about 400-500mm from the bee...

Nice crisp image Andrew. Geez I can't wait for that 500D. HAve had it on order for a while now am really looking foraward to gwetting it as I really love my 80-4ooVR and yourt bee shot has just rekindled my desires with the combo
cheers
marco