Macro help

[rwalsh81]

With a Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens is it possible to get it shoot at 1:1 using extension tubes and magnifiers? I'm really trying to get life shots of flowers and some insects. Also shooting detail on action figures.

 

[dennybeall]

Reading the literature says you can do that without the extension tubes and magnifiers. That's what a Macro lens is supposed to do.......Depends on the camera a bit also.

 

[rwalsh81]

This is the older version from 2005, it shoots at 1:2.5 as opposed to the standard 1:1 a macro should. I know canon made a life size converter go with this.

 

[benhasajeep]

A 25mm extension should get you 1:1. Divide the extension tube by the lens. 25/ 50 = .5. If your lens is 1:2 than it's magnification is .5x. .5 + .5 = 1. From what I read your lens should be 1:2 ratio. So it's .5x life size. Your lens has an aperture of F/2.5. Not it's macro ratio.

So basically a single large extension tube should get you to 1:1.

 

[rwalsh81]

Thanks. What would happen if I got a 1:1 lens (I'm looking at the new 35mm macro with built in light) and added an extension tube to that?

 

[FotosbyMike]

Check out this cool extension tube calculator Macro Extension Tubes & Close-up Lenses

You can enter the lens magnification, focal length and extension tube size and it will tell you the magnification.

 

[rwalsh81]

Thanks, that helps, looking at this with some of the stuff I want to do, I'm thinking it might be worth getting that new lens after all.

 

[benhasajeep]

Thanks, that helps, looking at this with some of the stuff I want to do, I'm thinking it might be worth getting that new lens after all.

That lens appears to be a very good deal. That lens says up to life size on the Canon site. But I never saw a stat that said it was 1:1. But if its life size it's a 1:1 lens already.

 

[rwalsh81]

Thanks, that helps, looking at this with some of the stuff I want to do, I'm thinking it might be worth getting that new lens after all.

the 5omm I was originally asking about is just under the 1:1 but looking at what you gave me I can get stuff almost 3x life size which would cool for some plants and insects.

 

[table1349]

The one thing to keep in mind with the 50mm macro has an extremely close working range, 9.5 inches and provides one-half life size (0.5x) magnification. That can be a bit close for creepy crawlies. To get 1 to 1 you can use a 25mm extension tube but you minimum focus distance then becomes a little over 7 inches. With a full set of extension tubes 12mm, 20mm, & 36mm combined you can get 1.8X. magnification. Good calculator for lenses and extension tubes. Macro Extension Tubes & Close-up Lenses

I have the 100mm macro for bugs etc. It is a 1 to 1 macro with a minimum working distance of 12 inches.

For specialty work, non living non moving objects I use the MP-E 65mm.

 

[petrochemist]

With a Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens is it possible to get it shoot at 1:1 using extension tubes and magnifiers? I'm really trying to get life shots of flowers and some insects. Also shooting detail on action figures.

Extension tubes &/or magnifiers can be used with pretty much any lens - too much extension can be a problem - adding 25mm extension to a 10mm fisheye won't be good.
As gryphonslair99 mentioned working distance will be a real problem for insects, and it may still be an issue for the flowers/action figures. When the camera is really close lighting the subject is tricky! Longer focal length macro lenses will give more working distance, but costs & bulk escalate - ~100mm is the common compromise.

Magnification is the total extension beyond infinity focus divided by the lenses focal length. So 25mm extension will take a 1:2 50mm lens to 1:1.

Magnifiers ('supplementary', 'close up filter', diopter...) have more effect on longer focal length lenses. The supplementary lenses diopter (power) times the camera lenses focal length in METERS gives the magnification with the lens set to infinity. Max focusing distance with a supplementary will be 1/diopter meters.

 

[Derrel]

Thanks. What would happen if I got a 1:1 lens (I'm looking at the new 35mm macro with built in light) and added an extension tube to that?

I would not ewant a 35mm macro...it will force you to be very close to things to get large images. For action figures, look into a 100mm macro. Canon's older, non-L EF 100mm/2.8 Internal Focusing macro is available used affordably.