Macro Doing Macro on the Cheap

ecostigny · 12-28-2019, 02:44 PM

Nice demonstration. It's amazing what you can achieve with some inexpensive gear and a lot of ingenuity.

**AggieDad** · 12-28-2019, 04:42 PM - **1 Like**

Cheap Macro?

How about REALLY cheap macro.

Buy a tube of Pringles and have a snack to empty the package.

Voila! A ready-to-use extension tube. Well, sorta ready-to-use – you will need some gaffer tape.

leekil · 12-28-2019, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by AggieDad

How about REALLY cheap macro.

Buy a tube of Pringles and have a snack to empty the package.

Wouldn't that be more of a 645 extension tube?

Thagomizer · 12-28-2019, 06:27 PM

Great demo! I've managead to get good results with a reversed 28-80 film era kit zoom ($5 pawn shop closeout sale item) and 18-55 digital kit zoom, using a piece of cotton swab tubing to hold the aperture control tab partially stopped down on the latter. Zooms give you variable magnification, which can be very handy.

Last edited by Thagomizer; 12-28-2019 at 06:34 PM.

Wasp · 12-29-2019, 03:07 AM

To show what is possible, I used a reversal ring, extension tubes and bellows at full extension. Lenses used were M 50/1.7, M 28/2.8 and M 20/4. You can probably guess which is which. The first image was made with daylight. For the other two I added a couple of LED lanterns, hence the difference in color. The rig was casting its own shadow on the subject. No post-processing except for raw to JPEG conversion was done. For EXIF peepers, the date in the camera was wrong.

Edit: those are the markings on a plastic metric ruler. I didn't feel like looking for Lego bricks.

**Apet-Sure** · 12-29-2019, 10:44 AM

"Are you ready for your close-up?"

Wasp · 12-29-2019, 10:57 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by AggieDad

Cheap Macro?

How about REALLY cheap macro.

Buy a tube of Pringles and have a snack to empty the package.

Voila! A ready-to-use extension tube. Well, sorta ready-to-use – you will need some gaffer tape.

Like this?

How to make a DIY extension tube from a Pringles can - DIY Photography

ecostigny · 12-29-2019, 03:49 PM

Originally posted by Wasp

Like this?

How to make a DIY extension tube from a Pringles can - DIY Photography

I imagine gaffer's tape would be a better solution than duct tape because it won't leave any residue on your lens or camera body.

Liney · 12-29-2019, 06:32 PM

A wonderful set of images and description, thanks for doing that. It basically follows how I got started in macro, but I was using my existing lenses which had a macro "setting".

As Wasp mentioned I would suggest that the next step would be to buy a set of bellows, for $50 US you can pick up a set from Fotodiox that give me 3.5 times magnification with a bulk standard 50mm lens.

STARHUNTER94 · 12-29-2019, 06:36 PM

That's pretty cool. I like the idea of budget builds like that, especially to "try stuff out" when you're learning.

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12-28-2019, 02:44 PM	#16
ecostigny Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Branford, CT Posts: 561	Nice demonstration. It's amazing what you can achieve with some inexpensive gear and a lot of ingenuity.

12-28-2019, 04:42 PM - 1 Like	#17
AggieDad Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,457	Cheap Macro? How about REALLY cheap macro. Buy a tube of Pringles and have a snack to empty the package. Voila! A ready-to-use extension tube. Well, sorta ready-to-use – you will need some gaffer tape.

12-28-2019, 05:00 PM	#18
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	Originally posted by AggieDad How about REALLY cheap macro. Buy a tube of Pringles and have a snack to empty the package. Wouldn't that be more of a 645 extension tube?

12-28-2019, 06:27 PM	#19
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Great demo! I've managead to get good results with a reversed 28-80 film era kit zoom ($5 pawn shop closeout sale item) and 18-55 digital kit zoom, using a piece of cotton swab tubing to hold the aperture control tab partially stopped down on the latter. Zooms give you variable magnification, which can be very handy. Last edited by Thagomizer; 12-28-2019 at 06:34 PM.

12-29-2019, 10:44 AM	#21
Apet-Sure Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Goldsboro North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,872	"Are you ready for your close-up?"

12-29-2019, 10:57 AM - 1 Like	#22
Wasp Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Pretoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,661	Originally posted by AggieDad Cheap Macro? How about REALLY cheap macro. Buy a tube of Pringles and have a snack to empty the package. Voila! A ready-to-use extension tube. Well, sorta ready-to-use – you will need some gaffer tape. Like this? How to make a DIY extension tube from a Pringles can - DIY Photography

12-29-2019, 03:49 PM	#23
ecostigny Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Branford, CT Posts: 561	Originally posted by Wasp Like this? How to make a DIY extension tube from a Pringles can - DIY Photography I imagine gaffer's tape would be a better solution than duct tape because it won't leave any residue on your lens or camera body.

12-29-2019, 06:32 PM	#24
Liney Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1,237	A wonderful set of images and description, thanks for doing that. It basically follows how I got started in macro, but I was using my existing lenses which had a macro "setting". As Wasp mentioned I would suggest that the next step would be to buy a set of bellows, for $50 US you can pick up a set from Fotodiox that give me 3.5 times magnification with a bulk standard 50mm lens.

12-29-2019, 06:36 PM	#25
STARHUNTER94 Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 771	That's pretty cool. I like the idea of budget builds like that, especially to "try stuff out" when you're learning.