Macro Lenses

[armen_hovannisian]

<p>Hi,<br>

Do macro lenses shoot landscapes, architecture etc. ?<br>

because I mostly shoot landscape and sometimes macro and now I relize that my lens isn't very good at macro.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Most macro lenses are perfectly good at doing non-macro photography. So if there's a lens you've been eyeing that does what you want, and is macro, don't let the macro throw you off. My favorite all-around lens is a 28-90/2.8 macro zoom that focuses an inch from the front of the lens and also does architecture and landscape just fine.</p>

[tommyinca]

<p>These days, macro lens can shoot distant fine too. It also depends which end of the floating elements you want to be, "best if" or "also fine too" :-)</p>

<p> </p>

[Alan Marcus]

<p >While it is possible to construct a camera lens using a simple lens consisting of one single glass element, the image quality obtained is substandard. This is because all simple lens image with errors call aberrations. The countermeasure is making the camera lens complex using multiple lens elements. Such a design limits but never eliminates aberrations. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Until recently camera and lens makers placed a limit on just how close you could focus the camera. Most were limited to about 2 ½ feet. This is because as you close focus the camera lens must be extended forward away from the film or digital chip at the back of the camera. The amount of the extension required is severe. To obtain life size call unity or 1:1 the subject to image plane (focal plane) will be 4x the focal length. Thus if a 50mm lens is used to obtain unity the subject-to- focal plane distance will be 200mm and the lens will end up in the middle 100mm from both. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Now a camera lens is designed to image best when the subject quit distant. When called upon to operate at close distances a loss of light at the focal plane is experienced. Additionally, at super close distances acuity is sacrificed.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Because the older designs did not permit close focus several work-a-rounds were devised. Supplemental lens call close-up lenses are added; they perform like reading glasses and allow the camera to get close. Other schemes dismount the lens and remount it further forward. These come in two flavors rings and bellows extensions. All three methods add to the difficulty of close-up work. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Macro lens to the rescue: This design is optimized for unity. Thus far-off objects are rendered with less acuity however the image degradation for distance is likely insignificant. The Macro also solves the light loss problem at close quarters. The aperture is geared to the focus mechanism and automatically opens up to counter light loss. This light loss is called “bellows factor” and it is conquered by the macro design.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Macro’s are neat and if you are doing close-up work, they are a must have. Many of the new digitals that don’t provide the ability to interchange the lens feature a micro mode. This allows close focusing without the need for attachments. Close-up work is very rewarding. Go to it. </p>