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You can make your own focal reducer (macro filter) for
your lens. This will of course loose quality but if you are only going to
use 6x4 prints. It's probably a good way to try out macro photography
before you can afford to buy quality equipment
note: This is not a permanent solution for Macro photography, for serious
professional results a consumer focal reducer is advised.
All you need is a 40mm objective lens. The one I use is out of a Tasco
#54T I
had given to me as a kid, I can�t guarantee that all 40mm objective lenses
will work though as I have only tested this one. I have come across a web site
that used the 40mm objective lens to make a focal reducer to take pictures
of stars. So if
you have a broken pair of 40x binoculars handy, it might be worth a try.
Please contact me if you have tried this to tell me if it worked for you.
This focal reducer has both worked on my Canon 50mm/f1.8 and my
80-200mm/f4.5-5.6 lenses and both of them have successfully auto focused
with the focal reducer on. It has taken the minimum focus distance on my
50mm from 1.5ft to under a foot which is very handy in macro
photography...
What I used:
1 Tasco 40mm objective lens (a bit smaller in size than lens)
1 piece of solid cardboard cut into the shape of the lens with the center
cut out
Sticky tape to hold it into place and so you can get it out
Steps�
Get the lens from the telescope. For my telescope you had to jiggle the
end until the seal snapped.
Cut out the cardboard to just a bit smaller than the camera lens so it
will fit in.
Cut out a hole in the center of the cardboard just enough to fit in the
telescope lens.
Put a folded over piece of sticky tape at 90 degrees of the lens then put
sticky tape over 4 sides on each side for both sides (see diagram) and cut
around edge of cardboard so that it is round.
Done�place it inside the lens when the focus is fully back into the lens
(for external focus).
note: I am going to add some pictures
describing this in the short future so if you are not to sure what's going
on just hold off for a few weeks...
The next article: Fluorescent
lighting...
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