Macro Lens question...

JJL77

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I'm not 100% certain if this will make sense. But I'll give it a shot.

What's the purpose of buying a $1,000 macro lens when you can buy these Tiffen (and other brands) +7 and +10 screw on lenses for $40-$70?

I'm looking for a cheap way to get in there close on small bugs and other micro things. The lenses I'm going to buy with my Nikon D50 are the 18-55mm ED AF-S F/3.5-5.6 and the 70-300mm ED AF F/4-5.6.

I also need to know what size (mm) ring to buy if I deside to buy one of these tiffin +7's or +10's.
As you can tell this is all new to me.

I'm sure buying the $1,000 macro lens produces better images but are the screw on lenses a good alternative for someone, like me, on a small budget? I've seen some awesome photos from a website that was using a Tiffin +10.

All advise welcomed?
 
i think the only advantage of the lens attachments is versatility with a single lens. otherwise, as you mentioned, the macro lenses produce better quality.
 
There are different ways to get macro shots.

The screw-in close-up filters are one option. The better ones cost more but the cheap ones really degrade the image quality. I've got a set, they are OK but not spectacular. You can stack them to get more magnification but they are more susceptible to lens flare.

A true macro lens will give you the best image quality...which is usually important with macro photography.

You can also try extension tubes. They go between the camera and the lens...decreasing the minimum focus distance of the lens...which allows you to get closer (increasing the magnification).
 
If I deside to buy the screw-in close up lens is there a particular brand to stay away from or go with? Hoya, Tiffin, Nikon etc?
 
I don't know for sure...but if it's really cheap, then it's probably not so good.
 
ive also heard of some people reversing their lenses somehow, though im not sure how that works
 
Reversing a lens can get you 'super macro'. Basically you reverse one lens onto the front of another.

You can simple tape it up, as some have done...or you can buy a cheap "macro coupler" which uses the filter threads on the front of the lenses to attach them together.

I have a coupler and I've got some great macro shots...but it's not as easy as it seems. You have to get very close with the lens...and the DOF is razor thin.

Here is a shot of bread, taken with a 50mm lens reversed onto the front of a 35-105mm zoom.
Macro-01.jpg
 
Ummm. Looks delicous.

Thanks for the info Mike. I've read about this technique while researching macro photography. I've also read about Nikon's double glass diopter 5T and 6T 62mm lenses being pretty high quality and are a nice addition to the 70-300mm tele lens for macro photos. I'm probably going to go with the diopter route and stick with Nikon lenses and filters for the D50. Everthing I've read says to stick with Nikon lenses for their build and quality. Makes sense to me. Thanks again.

Anybody own the Nikon 5T or 6T diopters?
 

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