Close up filter!

acarpov · 08-13-2009, 07:27 AM

Did anybody use close up filter ? Is it of any value? i just read about it but i'm thinking that i dont want to spend a huge amount of money on macro lense.
What disadvantages does it have?
Also if somebody can recommend a good close up filter?

Appreciate your help guys!

**Kerrowdown** · 08-13-2009, 08:07 AM

Hmmmm, mixed views on this, yes cheaper the macro lenses, but the IQ is not really that good, depends how often and serious you want to get about macro photography.

Might be a cheap way of giving it a try.

Marc Sabatella · 08-13-2009, 08:18 AM

Search this fourm, or the web, for the name "Raynox", read what people say about them, look at the sample images, then immediately forget that there are any other close up lenses that you might even consider buying. The Raynox 150 and 250 are a hundred times better than any others (because they are of a multiple-element achromatic design), and still under $50. Buy a Raynox, be happy. Buy anything else*, waste your money.

Disadvantage: fools you into thinking macro photography is going to be easy just because it's possible to get great results for little money - but it can still be hard to get those results! that's true of all macro photography tools, but close up lenses have one particular disadvantage compared to a true macro lens: when you have the closeup lens mounted, you can't focus far away at all. You actually have only a very limited range of distances where you can focus. Very much like wearing reading glasses.

* OK, Raynox is not the only company that has made multile-element achromaitc closeup lenses. But they are the only ones that are still in production and readily available today that I know of.

And no, the fact the fact that the terrible single-element lenses are often sold in sets of three does not make them multiple-element designs - it means that if you try to combine them, they become three times worse than if you use them alone, and they are already pretty bad when used alone.

acarpov · 08-13-2009, 08:29 AM

Thanks Marc
i was kinda iffy about those sets and i read also about image quality
point is that i want to do macro i like it , and i will buy a good lense, so for now i need to use something in exhange before accumulating cash)))))
i saw Raynox i will definetely read about it

MRRiley · 08-13-2009, 09:15 AM

A reversing ring is a lot cheaper and will give much better results... See my post in your other thread about macro photography.

Mike

fccwpe · 08-14-2009, 09:29 AM

I bought one of the $20 sets with a 10, 4, 2 and 1 filter and I have not had bad results. This shot taken with Pentax 16-45 and the 10x filter. 1/20 at f5.6, -.7 EV K20D.

MJB DIGITAL · 08-14-2009, 10:56 AM

I do a lot of my ring shots with an old one from my dads kit. Its a hoya i think.

Marc Sabatella · 08-14-2009, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by fccwpe

I bought one of the $20 sets with a 10, 4, 2 and 1 filter and I have not had bad results. This shot taken with Pentax 16-45 and the 10x filter. 1/20 at f5.6, -.7 EV K20D.

That's better than some, to be sure, but compared to the results from a Raynox, it really isn't close in sharpness even viewed at this size; and viewed larger, the chromatic aberrations would also be more evident.

GerryL · 08-16-2009, 07:03 PM

Raynox is definitely better as the close up filters/lens have some kind of vignetting becuse of ow I think the lenses of filters are stacked.

08-13-2009, 07:27 AM	#1
acarpov Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: brooklyn Posts: 74	Close up filter! Did anybody use close up filter ? Is it of any value? i just read about it but i'm thinking that i dont want to spend a huge amount of money on macro lense. What disadvantages does it have? Also if somebody can recommend a good close up filter? Appreciate your help guys!

08-14-2009, 09:29 AM	#6
fccwpe Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perris, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 380	I bought one of the $20 sets with a 10, 4, 2 and 1 filter and I have not had bad results. This shot taken with Pentax 16-45 and the 10x filter. 1/20 at f5.6, -.7 EV K20D. Last edited by fccwpe; 04-14-2011 at 08:52 PM.

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08-13-2009, 08:07 AM	#2
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,867	Hmmmm, mixed views on this, yes cheaper the macro lenses, but the IQ is not really that good, depends how often and serious you want to get about macro photography. Might be a cheap way of giving it a try.

08-13-2009, 08:18 AM	#3
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Search this fourm, or the web, for the name "Raynox", read what people say about them, look at the sample images, then immediately forget that there are any other close up lenses that you might even consider buying. The Raynox 150 and 250 are a hundred times better than any others (because they are of a multiple-element achromatic design), and still under $50. Buy a Raynox, be happy. Buy anything else, waste your money. Disadvantage: fools you into thinking macro photography is going to be easy just because it's possible to get great results for little money - but it can still be hard to get those results! that's true of all macro photography tools, but close up lenses have one particular disadvantage compared to a true macro lens: when you have the closeup lens mounted, you can't focus far away at all. You actually have only a very limited range of distances where you can focus. Very much like wearing reading glasses. OK, Raynox is not the only company that has made multile-element achromaitc closeup lenses. But they are the only ones that are still in production and readily available today that I know of. And no, the fact the fact that the terrible single-element lenses are often sold in sets of three does not make them multiple-element designs - it means that if you try to combine them, they become three times worse than if you use them alone, and they are already pretty bad when used alone.

08-13-2009, 08:29 AM	#4
acarpov Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: brooklyn Posts: 74 Original Poster	Thanks Marc i was kinda iffy about those sets and i read also about image quality point is that i want to do macro i like it , and i will buy a good lense, so for now i need to use something in exhange before accumulating cash))))) i saw Raynox i will definetely read about it

08-13-2009, 09:15 AM	#5
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	A reversing ring is a lot cheaper and will give much better results... See my post in your other thread about macro photography. Mike

08-14-2009, 10:56 AM	#7
MJB DIGITAL Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: st. louis Posts: 1,170	I do a lot of my ring shots with an old one from my dads kit. Its a hoya i think.

08-14-2009, 04:21 PM	#8
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by fccwpe I bought one of the $20 sets with a 10, 4, 2 and 1 filter and I have not had bad results. This shot taken with Pentax 16-45 and the 10x filter. 1/20 at f5.6, -.7 EV K20D. That's better than some, to be sure, but compared to the results from a Raynox, it really isn't close in sharpness even viewed at this size; and viewed larger, the chromatic aberrations would also be more evident.

08-16-2009, 07:03 PM	#9
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Raynox is definitely better as the close up filters/lens have some kind of vignetting becuse of ow I think the lenses of filters are stacked.