Macro Macro with a action cam

old4570 · 12-10-2016, 10:45 PM

You Tube

I know its not stills , but its relatively macro and hopefully interesting .
So yeah I have been playing with action cams , really interesting little imaging devices .. ( They really can do a lot )
So at the moment I am just trying to work out the focus range .. @ macro its rather tight , but I hope to be able to do a little better by playing with the focus .

Nass · 12-11-2016, 04:34 AM

It sure looks handy for closeup, but I'm not seeing it reach the 1:1 reproduction ratio anywhere in that film required for it to actually be macro? Best I can see must be about 1:4 I think.

old4570 · 12-11-2016, 05:39 AM

True Macro : ( ??? )
I was shoving the camera some what close , about 4 to 5 cm from the subjects ..
For true 1:1 reproduction I would have to probably be within contact distance .. ( Not sure that is going to happen )
Most of these cams have relatively wide angle lenses , the one used here is pro-ported to be 170Deg ..
I have a 28mm Macro lens that focuses to contact ..
Anyhow ,

LensBeginner · 12-11-2016, 05:45 AM

I was thinking about a solution to the same issue myself...
I'll try sellotaping a +something diopter in front of the lens.

old4570 · 12-11-2016, 06:29 AM

Hmmm , a Close focus filter of sorts ..
But the design of the Action cams dont lend themselves well to such ..
One would need to glue some sort of circular extension around the lens , so that the ( possibly ) close focus filter could be attached to it ..

Picture from my review of the cam

Nass · 12-11-2016, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by old4570

True Macro : ( ??? ) ...

True macro as in >=1:1 reproduction ratio, which is the definition of macro. The difference between closeup and macro is a bit of a blurry line - and manufacturers don't help much by having macro settings on lenses that are actually closeup settings. For example TonyTee posts lots of nice closeups in the macro section - ie this rose - but actually they're not >= 1:1, so technically not a macro. Macro is defined as "greater than life size" ie greater than 1:1. A bit of a blurry line though.

old4570 · 12-11-2016, 08:20 AM

I know what Macro is ! ( Sorry )

I was possibly suggesting that it's really that important a detail ...

LensBeginner · 12-11-2016, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by old4570

Hmmm , a Close focus filter of sorts ..
But the design of the Action cams dont lend themselves well to such ..
One would need to glue some sort of circular extension around the lens , so that the ( possibly ) close focus filter could be attached to it ..

Picture from my review of the cam

Yeah, mine has the exact same shape.
That idea came to me while I was talking with a friend who had some rolling shutter issues with the prop of his ultralight plane... the solution was obviously using an ND in order to force the camera to choose a slower shutter speed, in order to blur the prop.

I think it'll be sufficient to just tape the filter in front of the underwater case which, unlike the lens itself, is flat.
I'll try something (when I have time...

) and report back.

Edit: while it's relatively easy to keep the filter (I tried an old +3 I had in my bag) straight and parallel to the lens, there is next to no effect on focusing distance (my action cam has a fixed-focus lens, just like yours, I believe).

old4570 · 12-11-2016, 07:50 PM

There should be some affect , ( All that techno math stuff )
I was actually wondering about a magnifying glass , I actually made a macro lens from some cardboard tube , a body cap , and a magnifying lens .. ( Wasn't the greatest lens in the world - possibly one of the worst - but it sort of worked )

But there is little to no limit to ones imagination ..
For now I want to keep it simple , just refocusing the cam and seeing what the results are .

12-11-2016, 08:20 AM	#7
old4570 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 2,551 Original Poster	Sorry I know what Macro is ! ( Sorry ) I was possibly suggesting that it's really that important a detail ...

12-11-2016, 04:18 PM	#8
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by old4570 Hmmm , a Close focus filter of sorts .. But the design of the Action cams dont lend themselves well to such .. One would need to glue some sort of circular extension around the lens , so that the ( possibly ) close focus filter could be attached to it .. Picture from my review of the cam Yeah, mine has the exact same shape. That idea came to me while I was talking with a friend who had some rolling shutter issues with the prop of his ultralight plane... the solution was obviously using an ND in order to force the camera to choose a slower shutter speed, in order to blur the prop. I think it'll be sufficient to just tape the filter in front of the underwater case which, unlike the lens itself, is flat. I'll try something (when I have time... ) and report back. Edit: while it's relatively easy to keep the filter (I tried an old +3 I had in my bag) straight and parallel to the lens, there is next to no effect on focusing distance (my action cam has a fixed-focus lens, just like yours, I believe). Last edited by LensBeginner; 12-11-2016 at 04:24 PM.

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12-11-2016, 04:34 AM	#2
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	It sure looks handy for closeup, but I'm not seeing it reach the 1:1 reproduction ratio anywhere in that film required for it to actually be macro? Best I can see must be about 1:4 I think.

12-11-2016, 05:39 AM	#3
old4570 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 2,551 Original Poster	True Macro : ( ??? ) I was shoving the camera some what close , about 4 to 5 cm from the subjects .. For true 1:1 reproduction I would have to probably be within contact distance .. ( Not sure that is going to happen ) Most of these cams have relatively wide angle lenses , the one used here is pro-ported to be 170Deg .. I have a 28mm Macro lens that focuses to contact .. Anyhow ,

12-11-2016, 05:45 AM	#4
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	I was thinking about a solution to the same issue myself... I'll try sellotaping a +something diopter in front of the lens.

12-11-2016, 06:29 AM	#5
old4570 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 2,551 Original Poster	Hmmm , a Close focus filter of sorts .. But the design of the Action cams dont lend themselves well to such .. One would need to glue some sort of circular extension around the lens , so that the ( possibly ) close focus filter could be attached to it .. Picture from my review of the cam

12-11-2016, 07:22 AM	#6
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	Originally posted by old4570 True Macro : ( ??? ) ... True macro as in >=1:1 reproduction ratio, which is the definition of macro. The difference between closeup and macro is a bit of a blurry line - and manufacturers don't help much by having macro settings on lenses that are actually closeup settings. For example TonyTee posts lots of nice closeups in the macro section - ie this rose - but actually they're not >= 1:1, so technically not a macro. Macro is defined as "greater than life size" ie greater than 1:1. A bit of a blurry line though.

12-11-2016, 07:50 PM	#9
old4570 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 2,551 Original Poster	There should be some affect , ( All that techno math stuff ) I was actually wondering about a magnifying glass , I actually made a macro lens from some cardboard tube , a body cap , and a magnifying lens .. ( Wasn't the greatest lens in the world - possibly one of the worst - but it sort of worked ) But there is little to no limit to ones imagination .. For now I want to keep it simple , just refocusing the cam and seeing what the results are .