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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,311 |
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
I'm new to DSLR coin photography and just found this great forum. I've been using my little Canon point and shoot in the macro mode on a copy stand for a few years and got decent results, but it's time to run with the big dogs.
I purchased a Canon 40d that works great and have a 18/55 and a 35/105 lens. I purchased a set of screw-on close up lens and a macro tube set thinking that was the best way for macro coin photography, but in reading here it seems that that setup is not commonly used.
From what I read people seem to be using enlarger lenses or dedicated 1:1 macro lenses. Am I reading this correctly, or are there people using the close-up filter sets and macro tubes as well?
I'm trying hard to get great results; and feedback would be appreciated!
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4944 Posts |
Hey Jeff,  to CCF I used the Canon 18-55mm lens and got great results.   There are quite a few coin photography experts on the forum, I'm sure they will be able to answer all your photography questions. |
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Valued Member
 United States
70 Posts |
Thanks for the kind welcome! Those are nice shots- were with the 18-55 bare or with a close-up filter?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4944 Posts |
Those were done with just the lens. This is the lens I was using.  |
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
Same lens I have. We're you shooting in macro (close-up) mode using automatic focus?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3180 Posts |
I'm in the dedicated macro. This is what I use...  absolutely love it... Edited by srs77
01/24/2014 2:07 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4944 Posts |
Quote:
Same lens I have. We're you shooting in macro (close-up) mode using automatic focus? I used Manual Focus, and tethered to my Laptop. |
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Pillar of the Community
2087 Posts |
You might want to look at this product with the lenses you already have. Its a reversing ring system that keeps the AF connection. I sometimes dream that one day they will produce something like this for sony A or e mount. That said I prefer manual focussing http://www.novoflex.com/en/products...r-eos-retro/Edited by austrokiwi
01/24/2014 2:29 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4593 Posts |
I have the Canon 1:1 macro - EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens (didn't bother with the IS version since I mostly shoot on the copystand). Autofocus and works great  -----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
I'm going to look into the Macro lens- I'm guessing it likely simplifies things. I did get pretty good results yesterday with a close-up lens, however (18/55 lens) shooting tethered- I like that!
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4038 Posts |
You might want to consider the lower cost options discussed in the "under $400" and "under $350" threads...Ray
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
You might want to consider the lower cost options discussed in the "under $400" and "under $350" threads...Ray
....considering those listed costs include a camera, which you don't need, and it'll require at least $500 to get into a bespoke macro lens. |
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
I received a set of 3 inexpensive ($40) macro tubes from China yesterday and tried them out- they work great! They even work well in AF mode. I'm not sure how much I'll use them considering my recent Macro lens purchase, but I suspect I'll find a use for them from time to time.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Those macro tubes will add up to significantly more magnification that your macro lens itself is capable of. This will be *really* advantageous for doing detail shots of features; experiment with the tubes in conjunction with the macro lens. I think you'll be happy you bought them, even with a dedicated lens. Keep in mind, though, the tubes will probably defeat the camera's ability to communicate with the lens (unless they're specifically made to allow electronic passthrough, in which case you probably wouldn't have called them "inexpensive"  ). So, you'll run into the need to focus manually, and when shooting tethered the image you see on your monitor will be far darker than it actually shoots. You'll need to bump up a setting (I use ISO) to see it bright enough to focus, and then bump it down to take the actual shot. |
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
Actually these tubes do allow communication; I tested them last night and they worked great. Now how long they'll communicate before breaking down is another matter....
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Excellent! Even better. I'd like to see what that Tamron is capable of at >1:1 mag.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,311 |
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Posted 01/24/2014 12:22 pm
