Macro photography is very popular, ‘getting in closer’ is just so appealing. If a macro lens is too costly right now, or you just want a taste, a cost effective way to get in close is by adding a lens on the front of your existing lens. You still get to keep full auto-focus, Image Stabilizer (or any image stability offered by your lens brand) and exposure operation. Phottix produce a kit with 4 lenses. Each lens offers a greater degree of magnification. They are typically purchased in a set size where all 4 filters will be either 52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm or 77mm.
In the Youtube production below, I briefly show the use of a +10 filter (the strongest in the kit) vs a 100mm macro lens. I photograph a watch face as close as the filter allows and match the view with the 100mm macro. I must admit, I was impressed with the results.
Although it is recommended you use your longer focal length for ‘correct’ images, you can create some fantastic effects with a few changes. For example, if you are using the common 18-55mm kit lens, using it at 18mm with a filter will bend the light so much, it will create a vignette which can make for some artistic effect.
We are certainly not saying that a close up filter will replace a macro lens but we can certainly say you can have lots of fun and get brilliant images when you work within the parameters available to you.
Have fun!
Kurt