Macro with no Macro Lens?

millwright wrote in post #8191812
Just for info, I have a reversing ring, I got it off ebay (less than $20 CDN including postage) it is possible to do some really good shots with it, I found my results varied and focusing wasn't easy. Now it just sits there doing nothing, they are stiff to get on and off and I am not sure if exposing the contacts to the elements is a good thing

Yah that was one of the 1st things I thought about, exposing the end of the lens to the elements, Im always in such a heated hurry to switch lenses as fast as possible to keep dust ant things out. You think you might be able to post a link to some of the pictures you took with it the adapter?

tkbslc wrote in post #8191836
I forgot one other peice, the mount adapter, so add another $10. With shipping, you should be well under $50.

I'd go with an m42 lens if I were you. Something in the 50-58mm range. I might look at a Helios 44 or a Pentax m42 55mm. The Industar 50mm f3.5 is pretty good and cheap, but won't double as a fast prime. Add some manual canon tubes and an m42 adapter and you are set. Using it without the tubes gets you a nice MF lens and using it with the tubes gets you some ultra-macro. You may even sell your 50mm 1.8 once you find out that the old lenses are actually a bit nicer and focus just as accurately!

Ok you got my full attention now! I think that 50 1.8 is the best lens I got for low light, All the pics I have taken with it have been so very crisp and the bokeh is instant! And when I record videos and use the manual focus to focus between the foreground and background it great. So what are you saying is better then that lens? I have not heard of a m42 or Helios, I have heard of Pentax, and I just googled the pentax, so these are old school macro lenses with big apetures or what?

tkbslc wrote in post #8191836
I forgot one other peice, the mount adapter, so add another $10. With shipping, you should be well under $50.

I'd go with an m42 lens if I were you. Something in the 50-58mm range. I might look at a Helios 44 or a Pentax m42 55mm. The Industar 50mm f3.5 is pretty good and cheap, but won't double as a fast prime. Add some manual canon tubes and an m42 adapter and you are set. Using it without the tubes gets you a nice MF lens and using it with the tubes gets you some ultra-macro. You may even sell your 50mm 1.8 once you find out that the old lenses are actually a bit nicer and focus just as accurately!

That's pretty funny, because that's pretty much the exact setup I have. Pentax 55mm F1.8 with some cheap manual ext tubes and an m42 adapter to use with my 5D. It's not a bad little setup, and was pretty damn cheap, probably around $60 or so all said and done, but I live in Canada so the shipping was a bit more .
Here's a sample with this setup in case the OP is interested. Taken with all 3 tubes at around F4 or so. The flower is probably about 1/2" in diameter and the pic hasn't been cropped.

Kamik636 wrote in post #8192007
That's pretty funny, because that's pretty much the exact setup I have. Pentax 55mm F1.8 with some cheap manual ext tubes and an m42 adapter to use with my 5D. It's not a bad little setup, and was pretty damn cheap, probably around $60 or so all said and done, but I live in Canada so the shipping was a bit more .
Here's a sample with this setup in case the OP is interested. Taken with all 3 tubes at around F4 or so. The flower is probably about 1/2" in diameter and the pic hasn't been cropped.

The OP is definitely interested. You are welcome to post a few more pic if you like, I know I would love it and anyone else for that matter interested in alternative's to expensive Macro lenses.

Heck, if anyone who has this setup like to post their pictures they are welcome too.

And thank you very much for posting that picture by the way Kamik636.

BT3916 wrote in post #8192264
Heck, if anyone who has this setup like to post their pictures they are welcome too.

And thank you very much for posting that picture by the way Kamik636.

You know the 18-55 IS is not bad depending how "macro" you wanna go. Like I said, 1:3 is pretty good unless you wanna photograph ants up close and personal.

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There's an inexpensive macro lens that no one takes seriously. I've bought mine on ebay for 65.00 + 10.50 shipping. Unfortunately it's all manual for nikon so being new to macro that added to the learning curve. The lens goes by many names. Mine happens to be a 100mm 3.5 macro Phoenix.

1:2 and 1:1

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Two more. 1:1

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WOW WOW and more WOW.

tkbslc after seeing your two shots, I can see the lenses I have are no slouch. But I do want to be able to get up close and personal, but Im cheap! Plus all my money has been gong into my Mtn bike gear. So I will be working with what I got unless I find an cheap alternative.

Waldemar Sikorski That 2nd and 3rd picture takes the cake! And just to get this straight, thats macro lens you where using that is manual lens for Nikon?

BT3916 wrote in post #8192682
And just to get this straight, thats macro lens you where using that is manual lens for Nikon?

Nikon lenses with manual focus and aperture control (i.e. the old ones) can easily be adapted to Canon cameras with a $10 adapter.

My lens yes (having to use a chipped lens adapter adds to the learning curve - shows as F 2.0). Only because that's what was on ebay at that time.
If you google 100mm 3.5 macro you'll find new ones for canon EF with AF probably by vivitar. I don't care for AF but might try to find a used one to not have to manually adjust the aperture. The lens is a 1:2 one with a matched 1:1 adapter. Doesn't seem to degrade the IQ.

tkbslc wrote in post #8192753
Nikon lenses with manual focus and aperture control (i.e. the old ones) can easily be adapted to Canon cameras with a $10 adapter.

Thats awesome. For the sake of conversation, can you use all Nikon lenses? Or at least the manual focus ones?

Waldemar Sikorski wrote in post #8192761
My lens yes (having to use a chipped lens adapter adds to the learning curve - shows as F 2.0). Only because that's what was on ebay at that time.
If you google 100mm 3.5 macro you'll find new ones for canon EF with AF probably by vivitar. I don't care for AF but might try to find a used one to not have to manually adjust the aperture. The lens is a 1:2 one with a matched 1:1 adapter. Doesn't seem to degrade the IQ.

Thanks for the information and pics, Im a little excited now.

I went and googled 100mm 3.5 macro and I got a lot of hits and even was able to read a few reviews, all positive, and it has auto focus. Seems like you have to try to find it used to get a decent deal on it.

Thanks again.

BT3916 wrote in post #8194099
Thats awesome. For the sake of conversation, can you use all Nikon lenses? Or at least the manual focus ones?

Yes, any with manual aperture control. The new lenses use electronics to change the aperture and Canon won't know how to send that control to a Nikon lens. So basically any old manual lens will work, but only in AV or M modes on your camera.

Other popular conversions are m42 (pentax screwmount) and Olympus OM. You can do Leica and Contax stuff, too, but those are NOT budget lenses! That is a pretty cool thing about Canon cameras. Nikon's lens mount is too deep, so you really can't adapt much. Canon can mount just about everything but minolta, and ironically, old Canon lenses.

You might want to have a look in this thread:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=644277

People do some amazing stuff with older lenses. I have a few very unamazing shots in there too...

tkbslc wrote in post #8194153
Yes, any with manual aperture control. The new lenses use electronics to change the aperture and Canon won't know how to send that control to a Nikon lens. So basically any old manual lens will work, but only in AV or M modes on your camera.

Other popular conversions are m42 (pentax screwmount) and Olympus OM. You can do Leica and Contax stuff, too, but those are NOT budget lenses! That is a pretty cool thing about Canon cameras. Nikon's lens mount is too deep, so you really can't adapt much. Canon can mount just about everything but minolta, and ironically, old Canon lenses.

You might want to have a look in this thread:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=644277

People do some amazing stuff with older lenses. I have a few very unamazing shots in there too...

Thats really nice, thats one of the biggest pluses to having a Canon camera if I heard of one.

I checked out the link to that thread, and I will be keeping my eyes open for other lenses now, I dont mind manual focus. But I need to start practicing in Av mode, I am just kinda getting the swing of shutter priority!

BT3916 wrote in post #8197764
Thats really nice, thats one of the biggest pluses to having a Canon camera if I heard of one.

I checked out the link to that thread, and I will be keeping my eyes open for other lenses now, I dont mind manual focus. But I need to start practicing in Av mode, I am just kinda getting the swing of shutter priority!

It is pretty easy. Just dial the aperture you want on the lens (or on camera with AF lenses) and the camera meters and picks your shutter speed for you. Kinda the opposite of shutter priority.

If you want a really good and inexpensive manual lens to start with, I would suggest the Helios 44. It comes in a variety of flavors and the best ones (IMO) are the 44-2, 44-3 and 44m. All are 58mm f2 lenses and were built like a tank in the former USSR. You can get them on ebay for under $30 if you are patient. Most come from Russia, so you might want to be patient and wait for a US seller. I actually sold my canon 50mm 1.8 after I got it because I liked the pictures from the Helios better! There are a ton of cheap 50mm and 55mm lenses from Olympus, pentax too.

The other cheap focal length is 135mm, f2.8 or f3.5. Tons of those were made. Everybody used to use a 50mm and a 135mm as the standard kit in the 60s and 70s so there are a tons of old ones laying around.

have fun!

Thank you very much tkbslc I certainly will.

And thanks again for everybody's help, I learned a lot and found some great alternatives to expensive Macro lenses. I appreciate you all Peace!

BT3916 wrote in post #8191943
Yah that was one of the 1st things I thought about, exposing the end of the lens to the elements, Im always in such a heated hurry to switch lenses as fast as possible to keep dust ant things out. You think you might be able to post a link to some of the pictures you took with it the adapter?

I don't have any uploaded anywhere and would have to go through my discs to find them, but here is a link to some done by another member.
https://photography-on-the.net …ead.php?t=52584​7&page=387
how many shots it took to get them, I do not know but they are impressive.
Like I said before though I do have some reservations about exposing the lens contacts.