More difficult than i though...

[MP0WER]

I'm still not sure what makes macro... well, macro. I was using my 16-35 for these. Which i guess isn't really a macro lens. Anyhow, after MANY shots of the bearing i finally figued out that the surface of the metal balls that make up the bearing aren't polished fine enough to create a sharp reflection of the camera. So... bla, this is the end result. :) The last one is my favorite.

http://jcox.smugmug.com/photos/78221730-L.jpg

http://jcox.smugmug.com/photos/78221728-L.jpg

http://jcox.smugmug.com/photos/78221731-L.jpg

http://jcox.smugmug.com/photos/78221729-L.jpg

[FlipFlopWS6]

i like the last one too! macro stuff isnt easy, ive decided to tackle that later down the road ;)

nice job!

[In2Photos]

The shots are nice!

What makes a macro...well, macro is when the maginification of the image is 1:1 or greater. That means that the subject is the same size in real life as it is on your sensor. So for this shot to be a macro the ball bearing would need to be the same size in real life as it is on you sensor. Maginifcation on the 16-35 is 1:4.5 so the image is less than 25% its real size. Does that help?

Another way to get macro from that lens is to use extension tubes.

[MP0WER]

Thanks guys. :)

I'm either more confused now or I was using my 24-70 lens. The actual size of the bearing is about an 1" in diameter and about .5" think. So wouldn't that make the image much larger than the subject? Sorry for the ignorance. :o

[In2Photos]

Thanks guys. :)

I'm either more confused now or I was using my 24-70 lens. The actual size of the bearing is about an 1" in diameter and about .5" think. So wouldn't that make the image much larger than the subject? Sorry for the ignorance. :o

Not quite and you are not ignorant.

The sensor on your camera is .89x.59 inches so your object is larger than your sensor. So you are in essence making the object smaller to fit onto your sensor, hence the magnification ratio of 1:X where X is a number greater than 1. A macro shot of this particular object would be of a single ball rather than the entire bearing, for example or just the BMW logo. So for macro you must start out with something to focus on that is smaller or equal to your sensor size.

Is this helping or more confusing? I am having trouble explaining this for some reason.

[MP0WER]

Not quite and you are not ignorant.

The sensor on your camera is .89x.59 inches so your object is larger than your sensor. So you are in essence making the object smaller to fit onto your sensor, hence the magnification ratio of 1:X where X is a number greater than 1. A macro shot of this particular object would be of a single ball rather than the entire bearing, for example or just the BMW logo. So for macro you must start out with something to focus on that is smaller or equal to your sensor size.

Is this helping or more confusing? I am having trouble explaining this for some reason.i get it now, i think. I didn't get the part about the subject being smaller than the physical sensor, not the image created by the sensor. Thanks for clearing that up for me. :)

[MrsKitty]

I like them!

I collect ball bearings. :)

[MP0WER]

Thanks! :)

Your collection probably makes for some interesting photos, huh? :)