Macro Rings for my Nikon FM10

I bought a Nikon FM10 with a 30-70mm zoom not too long ago and i

want to start Macro photography. What would be the inexpensive way

to start out (with out getting new lenses) and where can they be

found?

Rebecca Miller

Most Camera stores sell close-up lenses or filters. they usually come in sets of three so you can mix and match. They are OK for a start. If you want a better closeup lens, try Nikon's close up kit B&H $49.95. You may have to stop down to 5.6 or f 8 for the best results with them. A friend and I do a flower photography workshop each summer and we reccomend that people start with closeup lenses when first starting out because they are very convenient to use

Rebecca, I believe your len's filter size is 62mm which would allow you to directly use either the 5T or 6T Nikon close-up lenses. They are double element and of high quality...and only around $40! One advantage to close-up lenses (as opposed to extension rings) is that there is no light loss and you maintain full function of your AF lens.

Rebecca, this question has been around almost since macro photography was invented.

 

Modern Photography magazine used to run a series of educational articles that recycled about every two years.

 

One of the articles in the series had a set of tests that addressed the question "Which is better -- closeup lenses or extension tubes?" The authors tried out a variety of lenses. All this, of course, before zoom lenses were common and worth bothering with, so they tested mainly 50 mm lenses of various speeds from most of the major manufacturers.

 

The answer depended on the lens. Some were horrible with closeup lenses, fine with extension tubes. Others were horrible with tubes, ok or better with closeup lenses. The only way to know which was better with a lens MP hadn't tested both ways was to try both on it.

 

For just screwing around, closeup lenses are the cheap way to go. Auto-diaphragm tubes cost nearly as much new as the very cheap and better than good enough Phoenix/Vivitar 100/3.5 macro lens. IIRC, the lens goes to 1:2 on its own mount, going to 1:1 requires (sorry) tubes.

 

The downside to getting closeup lenses is that if you ever decide to do it right -- get a proper macro lens -- you'll lose much of your investment in the tubes.

 

Someone suggested the 2-element Nikon closeup lenses. Look for them used on the great auction site (that's eBay, censor) and at KEH, new at B&H. Don't be an idiot and buy used gear for more than B&H's price for new. In my disappointed and annoyed experience, when local camera shops have used gear they ask more than B&H's price for new.