[KxBlaze]

I was just wondering if anyone has had experience using a magnification filter on a macro lens? I have a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens and am happy with the macro shooting on it but I have seen some filters that supposedly boots the magnification by as much as 40%. That seems like a lot to gain from a simple filter. Can anyone verify / disprove this?

[Lowell Goudge]

there are both wide angle and telephoto attachments that fit filter threads. THese are largely for the video market, or for the P&S market.

I don't know how the telephoto adaptors work (Image quality wise) but the wide angle ones don't work well on film cameras.

they are OK in the center of the image but suffer very badly from loss of sharpness and Latteral CA at the edges.

A teleconverter would possibly be a better bet.

Note that any tele attachment would cost you F Stops.

[JeffJS]

I was just wondering if anyone has had experience using a magnification filter on a macro lens? I have a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens and am happy with the macro shooting on it but I have seen some filters that supposedly boots the magnification by as much as 40%. That seems like a lot to gain from a simple filter. Can anyone verify / disprove this?

See if you can find yourself a Nikon 6t (or similar). It has a 62mm thread and is a very nice piece of glass. Works great with the Tamron.

I don't have any from the Pentax / Tamron up right now but most of THESE were taken using the 6t on my Panasonic FZ20.

[Steinback]

Raynox magnifiers are popular with a number of people here on the forum, there are quite a few threads about them. DCR-150 Macro conversion lens for D-SLR camera

I have some cheap 49mm diopters that I accidentally picked up used with a stack of other filters, they are stackable and can be used to dramatically increase magnification.

[KxBlaze]

Raynox magnifiers are popular with a number of people here on the forum, there are quite a few threads about them. DCR-150 Macro conversion lens for D-SLR camera

I have some cheap 49mm diopters that I accidentally picked up used with a stack of other filters, they are stackable and can be used to dramatically increase magnification.

I just did a search for the dcr-150 and the thread had some amazing pictures with the DCR-150 and the DCR-250. I was very surprised with the picture quality using that attachment. I just bought one on amazon and with my prime membership overnight shipment was 3.99. Thanks for the info.

[Marc Sabatella]

Be clear on whether you are are talking about a device that increases the focal length (makes things look larger than they would without the device while standing in the same spot) or a device that changes the minimum focus distance (doens't change how big an object looks, but lets you get closer to it). Usually when the term "magnification" is used in photography, it means the latter, not the former. The Nikon 6t and Raynox DCR lenses are examples of the latter.

[KxBlaze]

Be clear on whether you are are talking about a device that increases the focal length (makes things look larger than they would without the device while standing in the same spot) or a device that changes the minimum focus distance (doens't change how big an object looks, but lets you get closer to it). Usually when the term "magnification" is used in photography, it means the latter, not the former. The Nikon 6t and Raynox DCR lenses are examples of the latter.

I was talking about the latter. I was interested in something that would increase my "macro" capabilities. But I am also curious about a teleconverter that can 2-5x the zoom on a lens so........

Does anyone have experience with using a teleconverter? If so, what was the strength used and how does this affect image quality or how does this affect the over all usage of the lens the converter is attached to?

[Lowell Goudge]

I was talking about the latter. I was interested in something that would increase my "macro" capabilities. But I am also curious about a teleconverter that can 2-5x the zoom on a lens so........

Does anyone have experience with using a teleconverter? If so, what was the strength used and how does this affect image quality or how does this affect the over all usage of the lens the converter is attached to?

there are a lot of forum members that have used close up lenses with good results.

they usually come in kits of 3 lenses with varrying diopters +1,+2 and +4 are the most common 3.

the way they work is as follows:
a diopter is 1/focal length (in meters), therefore a 2 diopter lens has a focal length of 500mm and the 4 diopter lens has a focal length of 250mm. 1 diopter is obviously 1000mm or `1 meter

when you attach one of these to the front of the lens, it changes the maximum focusing distance to the focal length of the close up lens,

therefore a 1 diopter lens reduces the infinity focus point ot 1 meter, the 2 diopter to 1/2 meter and the 4 diopter lens to 1/4 meter. since image isze is a function of the ratio of lens to sensor / subject to lens , the closer you get the bigger the image. Its that simple.

Note there are also some very expensive multi element close up lenses, but the low cost set gets reasonable results to let you see if you want to get further into macro

[Marc Sabatella]

I was talking about the latter. I was interested in something that would increase my "macro" capabilities.

Then do check out the Raynox lenses mentioned - these are by the far the most popular high quality / low cost solutions.

But I am also curious about a teleconverter that can 2-5x the zoom on a lens so........

5X? I've never heard of anything like that. 3X is the largest I've seen, and that's a rare specialty item. 2X TC's are pretty common, but they are generally not well regarded - relatively poor IQ, 2 stop loss of light leading to slower shutter speeds slower or non-existent AF, etc. People who use TC's more typically use 1.4X versions. But there are indeed some who use longer ones or even stack them. Generally speaking, that's only something you'd do with an expensive / high quality prime lens. Your typical consumer zoom will get worse IQ from a TC than by simply cropping.