Are close up macro filters worth it?
Vložit
- čas přidán 12. 09. 2020
- If you're interested in trying macro photography, but don't know if it's for you, then you might be thinking of purchasing some close up (or macro) filters to give it a go. Essentially magnifying glasses that screw onto the end of your lens, they come in four strengths for varying degrees of magnification.
In today's video, I take one of the cheapest sets I found on Amazon out to test in some ancient woodland in Milton Keynes to find out if they offer good value for money.
If you are interested in trying macro photography using a mobile phone then check this video out:
• Mobile Macro Photograp...
Some of the gear I use:
Photography Gear:
Nikon Z6: amzn.to/3hfkDFZ
Sigma Macro Lens: amzn.to/3A8wrme
Vanguard Veo 3+ tripod (great for macro): amzn.to/3y3u81N
Three Legged Thing Winston 2.0 (great for landscape): amzn.to/3jmfL4z
24-70 f2.8 F mount (best for events & gigs): amzn.to/3jtCyeT
70-200 f2.8 F mount: (best for events and gigs): amzn.to/3w5teAH
20mm F1.8 F mount: (For landscapes): amzn.to/3hflsyz
Shutter release cable: amzn.to/3hdL7rG
K&F ND FIlters: amzn.to/3jlArdb
Indoor Photography Gear:
T-Bar Backdrop stand: amzn.to/3dInVkr
Backdrops: amzn.to/3h0igIe
Table top lights: amzn.to/3drRRRD
Neewer softboxes: amzn.to/3h9KyPi
Vlogging gear:
Fuji X-S10 camera: amzn.to/2U8IeAy
Osmo Pocket: amzn.to/3hepnff
Rode Wireless Go Microphone: amzn.to/2UOBUOV
Wired Lavalier Mic: amzn.to/3hiNRns
K&F tripod: amzn.to/3jtFvvZ
Pexel Video Light: amzn.to/2UK26dn
K&F Vaiable ND Filter: amzn.to/3qx9h4x
Video Specific:
Close Up Filter Kit: amzn.to/3h1gB59
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.
#subscribe #like #comment #macro #closeupfilters #test
Follow me on Instagram:
/ charlespalmerphotos
Find me on Facebook:
/ charlespalmerphotography
Prints and digital files available to purchase, any money from sales will be put back into running this channel.
charlespalmerphotography.picf...
I run a children's wildlife group and take photographs as we walk along so I don't get much chance to hang around for long at any one spot and fiddling around changing lenses is undesirable. These are a great boon for me and despite buying the cheapest ones I could find they have lasted me a few years without problem. I bought myself a very cheap generic led ring flash and perminantly keep the middle range close-up lens attached to it ready for deployment. It allows me to quickly detatch the whole thing when we move on and I am ready for group and landscape shots before my next macro opportunity. Recommended.
That sounds a fantastic use of this product, I really like that. Thanks for taking the time to watch and write such a good comment 👍
A week after this test, my cheap filters started to come apart, with the glass coming loose, so if you do decide to buy some, then maybe spend a bit more than I did!
I had polarizers filter came apart but it had a little metal ring that I can tighten up then was good for few more months before rattled apart again.
Hi Charles, thank you for the nice and helpful video! It happens I ordered exactly the same lenses today. The pictures you took were amazing and I also noticed some softness especially on the last picture +10 filter. However, I'm new to photography and this will be my first attempt to do some macro photography from my photography online course, so I think it is a good way to start my experiments with. For their looseness, I think it's a risk I am willing to take because I can't afford atm to spent a lot on macro lenses.
@@sadramistes thanks for your kind words, yes I think they are a great way to experiment without breaking the bank. Good luck, and happy photo taking 👍
Nice, simple and genuine presentation. I'm starting to get bored with all the videographers and photographers that are ranting way too much about a product while they are inserting a lot of editing cuts and damn stock videos in their presentation.
You could set aperture to 16 or 22 and make bigger shutter speed, you have shutter release cable, it is not a problem. In that case your photos would be sharper. But I agree that cheap macro filters can cause the quality.
Thank you so much. I was actually planning to buy these and it helped me a lot to understand about my need. Thanks a ton❤
I loved your photos! It is amazing how close you could get to the subjects at 70mm without the filters
Love this Vlog. Well put together and the information on macro lenses was really helpful.
Cheers Jon!
Enjoyed the video Charles 👍. I've never thought of setting my tripod upside down like that to take shots closer to the ground but it makes a lot of sense to enable photo stacking on macro shots
Cheers John. The only thing I found was it was tricky to focus and the camera shake was still there where it hung down.
Love the intro to this, so soothing!
Thank you Irina 👍
Thanks for this video. I found it helpful.
Some good tips! (Plus you’re really coming along with the vlogging!)
Cheers mate, yeah been taking some tips on board from other vloggers.
Thanks for sharing i use my macro lenses on my 35 1.8 and they don't look bad they were not to cheap 25 years ago, i use them one on top of the other tamron +1+2+3
great video
Nice vlog here, interesting content and it's a good review of the filters with good descriptions and examples. Feeling more natural too
Thanks Graeme, I'm working hard on trying to be more natural, anxiety is a real personality killer lol.
Great video Charles, great to see the results from these cheapo filters as I’d never heard of them before. I went to extension tubes before buying a dedicated macro lens. The only thing I think might have helped in your review, is to have had the no filter shot on the left of each filter shot so we could see the differences side by side as a constant frame of reference ;-) Great job thought! 👍
Cheers, I did wonder that, but almost no one watches CZcams full screen on a TV or computer, so made the decision to cycle through the shots.
I'd have liked that. Obviously I'm an "almost no one" :)
These Closeup Lens fiters have been given a bad rap! If you use them one at a time and stop them down you will get good results. I notice that on most of your shots were at F4, you need to start out at F8 or F16. Use a tripod, so shutter speed will not be a problem.
Thanks David, I do agree with what you are saying, the original intention was to stack them, but the distortion meant the stack didn't work. I did say in my video I thought they were a good way to have a go at macro without much investment, and the lower zoom values have pretty reasonable results across the frame. Next tim I'll take your advice and try f16 👍
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography Thanks for the reply. They are not a replacement for a macro lens but for less than $20 they can't be beat. Happy Thanksgiving.
Nice video charles I went out with my +10 close up filter for the first time last month, never used it before, definitely had to focus stack the images and got some good results shooting some mushrooms. Never thought of putting the tripod centre column upside down, I should have done that it would have made it easier 👍
Cheers Chris - I'd tried to focus stack too, but the focus was just so soft on the +10 it just wasn't worth it as the resulting stack just didn't work. But mine were very cheap of of amazon - i'm sure there are much better ones than the ones i'd picked up.
thanks for the video :)
I would say this filters actually are nice if we don't have enough money yet to get some macro lens, they are fine to me. Good day.
Very great review and very informativce. Thanks!
No problem 👍 glad you enjoyed it
Honest review.👍
You posted this quite a while ago but I found it very interesting thank you. Looks like the +10 shortens the depth of field quite a bit, shame the focus stacking experiment didnt work.
very informative and helpful, thank you
No problem 👍
Great review video Charles, I'm going to check if I can do that on my tripod 😄
Good luck Wendy!
the mushroom shots with filter 1 i love the bokeh it gives but the object for the macro shot is soft tho however you're right for fun this is good filter to have for macro :) thanks for the video
Thank you very much 😃
Great shots again 👏
Thanks Sarah! Appreciate it 👍
Great!!! Hi from Puerto Rico!!!
You are very welcome!
thnx for the recomendations
Most welcome 😊
Cool video Charles, nice results considering how cheap those filters are!😉
Thanks Peter! Yes, they are an inexpensive way to try macro photography 👍
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography definitely!😉👍
Thanks for the video
No problem, thanks for watching 😀
Congratulations 👏
amazing so beautiful
Using the filters, the higher the magnification, the higher the aperture should be used. Experiment as to which ones work best.
There are close up filters that offer great image quality such as the Canon 250d and Nikon 6t. But they're only available used now.
Awesome video!
Thank you 👍
Bought these exact filters to help me with my abstract college assignment!
Sounds interesting, how did the photos turn out?
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography they haven't arrived yet, but looking forward to see the results!
@@stephenball5423 well good luck! If you have an Instagram drop it below so I can see how you get on when they arrive 👍
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography brilliant thank you I will!
Would these work with a bridge camera? I use a Sony hx350 with a 55mm filter thread.
What if you want to put some distance between you and your subject eg insects. Would it still work with the lens zoomed out?
What's the tin used for I've had the filters for about a year now and I have absolutely 0 clue what it's for pls help
Interesting review Charles. I have the 105mm Nikon f/2.8vr macro lens and the image quality is astounding. I bought it second hand on ebay and even so I wouldn't say it was cheap. Until I got my 70-200 it was my most telephoto lens so I found lots of uses for it besides macro. It's a nice focal length for portraits for instance.
However if someone told me they fancied trying out some macro without spending lots of money I'd say great, you don't need to spend any extra money. The best cheap tool is the crop tool in the editing software you already have. Most modern cameras produce image files way bigger than they need to be for the most common use - posting onto social media. The optimum image width for uploading to instagram is 1080 pixels. If you crop in to that width on most files you'll be amazed at how much 'magnification' you get.
I think you are right, the +1 and +2 magnifications were pointless, and the +4 was very soft focus, and the +10 was unusable in my opinion. But to have a play, so you can get the shot 'in camera' as a lot of people like then these are a fun and cheap way to play 👍
Magnifying filters are usually disappointing.
Extension tubes are better value - or buy a vintage macro/micro lens.
There are significantly better mag filters from Nikon, Canon Nisi etc...
Thanks Roy, yes I do intend to try extension tubes, but as I have a z6 mirrorless I'd have to use them with the ftz adaptor and a f mount lens, so the filters seemed a simpler choice.
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography I just bought a set of Viltrox Z fit extension tubes for my Z cameras...
@@roybixby6135 ah great, I'll search them out to, thanks for the tip 👍
what is the orange bracket on your camera called? I have seen them before but cannot figure out how to find them to buy!
It's called an L bracket, which allows quicker and easier swapping from landscape to portrait 👍
Can we attach these filters to Sony a6000 mirrorless camera?
I think this is a great tool for everyone, except the macro specialists. Even my cheap Nikon 16-50mm kit lens get macro capabilities with these. I also think you use them a bit wrong. Such lenses are IMO best described as “reading glasses for your lens”. This means that each of the filters have different distances to the motive where they work best. (As a user of glasses myself, this is intuitive). The approach of a fixed position for the camera when changing filters is therefore a bit flawed, I think. Also, I find that the aperture needs to be smaller (larger f-number) to keep a useable depth of field as you move closer, since the +10 filter has a very shallow depth of field compared to the other filters with the same aperture. Bokeh is of course desirable in macro photography, too, but the correct aperture is rarely the lowest f-number if you want focus on the entire subject.
Anyway, thanks for the nice video. I shoot with APS-C, so some of the experience may be coloured by that.
And BTW, get a remote for your camera. I used to shoot product photographs as a freelance journalist some years ago, and a remote is extremely useable for almost all shots using a tripod.
Thanks
No problem Erik.
Pretty nice actually for cheaper screw on lenses.
Thanks Mike, they are good for the price 👍
I can see the potential of Close-Up Filter especially if you'er doing insect with Nikon 70-300mm that would be the cat's meow alternative would be the nikon 200mm macro that cost $1,000 and I don't thik there's z mount macro lens available yet.
I have been holding out for a z mount macro, but I think I'll end up with a standard f mount one for now.
I'm new to this , how much editing went into the pics?
If i want to stack 4 close up lenses, will there be more magnification?
There will be more magnification.
it will also not be as sharp.
Put the higher number filter lens at the front closest to the camera then add lower number
Best not to stack more than one extra
Note......experiment you may like they effect of not following the tips I just shared with you.
Theses tips are for the sharpest results.
Photography is not always about that.
My favorite 2 lens are nikkor 55 mm f1.2 and a 43-86mm zoom . Neither are known for the sharpness.
i'd recommend buying a tamron adaptall2 103a lens instead tbh. they can be had for 20 quid
Buy achromatic closeup lenses and then see the difference., Also use flas to get no shake in images.
It's the Leon The Lobster music...
nice examples.... what would you recommend . close up filter or reverse ring for macro photography... thank you..
I have used a 50mm with a reverse ring, and I got some very creative and sharp shots that way. But you will only have manual control so might be harder to get the focus spot on and the depth of field was very shallow. The filters are more flexible and you retain the ability to auto focus but you do lose some sharpness in my opinion. So positive and negatives to each. Hope that helps. Reversing rings are very cheap, so I'd suggest giving it a go to see if that works for you.
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography thanks a lot for the information. i will choose reverse ring then...
@@redhummer8166 no problem, let me know how you get on 👍
@@CharlesPalmerPhotography sure i will with my dream camera nikon d780 and tamron 28-300mm :)
Where those shot at … AV.. TV…P ETC?
The reason why focus stacking didn't work with the filters is that perfect focus only happens in the center of the lens, and the edges will be out of focus. The effect is more pronounced the higher magnification you go. If this is the effect you intentionally want, then these filters are your only option. As you can see, you can really zoom in on very small things with these filters. The next best option is getting extension tubes. They really aren't much more than these filters, and take much better macro photos. There are no optics in them, so the quality of the lens determines the quality of a shot. The difference is that an extension tube changes the focus setting relative to your distance to the object, meaning you can shorten the minimum focus distance and get closer... effectively zooming in more. It should be noted that with these filters and with extension tubes, you maximum focus distance is no longer infinity... meaning you will not be able to focus on anything much further than 6' away. The final step (and the most expensive one) is a dedicated macro lens. With a macro lens, however, focus to infinity is still possible. If you are taking a photo of a person 20' away, you won't be able to tell you used a macro lens. However, the minimum focus distance will be within 18" allowing for close up shots.
Thank you sm for sharing your knowledge and expertise! you have no idea how much you just helped me by making this comment!
have you tried a macro bellow?
Hi Christopher, sorry for the late reply, youtube didn't notify me of this message. No, i've never tried a bellow, but I would be interested in trying one :)
The aberration on that 10X filter is pretty horrendous. At that point, you may as well just save the money and crop in Lightroom since it would produce better results, sheesh.
2:05 every photo is a nice fungus pic if you have a dirty lens >.
Those are diopters. Magnification =D/4 +1
Bit soft focus as you say... not suitable if you are serious about photography.
Thanks anyway...
The shots look really soft, I think you're losing a lot of image quality (and stacking the filters means even more loss of image quality, not less).
Seems like +10 is damaging whole photo.
As aprofessional photographer since 1969, I would ask WHY do you call these filters? They are supplementary lenses.
Hi John, they were called close up filters by the manufacturer, so I kept this terminology. Thanks for your clarification though 👍
100% not worth it, just waste of money... Take a shot and crop it and it'll look better wiithout any additional cheap glass. Seriously. Or if you got lovely 2.8 tele or something like that, you can add a teleconverter and that sometimes works. Saw some videos here on yourtube about taking macro shots with teleconverters added, was nice. But don't fall into it straight, check if it'll work with your lens.
just 2-3 min useful time in this ~8min video. Mostly worthless overtalking just to extend watch time.
You talk a whole lot