Macro lens with macro rings? Help needed.

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WeeHector

Senior Member
After buying my D3100 with the 18-55 kit lens, I bought the Sigma 70-300 Macro. I now have a Nikkor 40mm Micro which gives me brilliant results.

However, I"m new to the macro game and would like to know if the 70-300 could give me better macro results if I added a set of macro rings? Would one cancel out the other? I'm sure there are many newcomers who are asking the same question and would like to hear from those with experience.

So is it worth the investment?
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
I don't know if "macro rings" means close up filters or extension tubes, but the real genuine macro lens will always be a full class above anything else. Both in sharpness and versatility.

Close up filters. comes in strengths, like +2. That means it focuses at 1/2 meters, if the lens is focused to infinity. So it will focus closer. However, it cannot make the edges of the field sharp, and it it really needs to be stopped way down (like to f/11 say) to try to improve sharpness.

Extension tubes. goes behind the lens to extend its focal length, but then it only focuses close.

If you put a 50 mm extension on 50mm lens, it should approach 1:1 (like your macro lens already does). If you put a 50mm extension on a 300 mm lens, the effect becomes rather small. Better than nothing maybe, but not better than the macro lens.
 
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Bill16

Senior Member
From what I understand they do work, and can work well. But I think the quality can make a difference, and the heaver the lens the more you will need a good rigid construction of the extension. :)
 
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WhiteLight

Senior Member
By 'better results' do you mean better images or higher magnification/closer focus/distance from camera?

Extension tubes & bellows will certainly help you focus closer and with an increased magnification.
Since both have no optical elements, you will not see any degradation in the image quality.

You can try the approach of using reverse rings as well..
that's a cheaper alternative to a more expensive macro lens & the images can be extremely good, but the technique is very difficult
 
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WeeHector

Senior Member
I was thinking of extension tubes. The Sigma 70-300 isn't a real 1:1 macro. It's about 1:2. I was wondering if there was a cheap and easy way of getting in closer.
 
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WhiteLight

Senior Member
The only extension tubes that will work with Nikon AF is the Kenko Auto DG ket.
costs around $200 & will allow you to meter and make setting changes with the extension tubes on.
again, you won't see any improvement (or decrement) in the quality of the images, but yes you will be able to achieve greater than 1:1 magnification
(you can reach up to 6 times magnification!)
you will also loose focus at infinity with the extension tubes.
 
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WhiteLight

Senior Member
to add, this would be what you can use in order of cost -

Reverse ring (to use with the lens you already have)
close up filters
bellows
extension tubes
tele-converter
​a full blown macro lens
 
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WeeHector

Senior Member
WhiteLight said:
to add, this would be what you can use in order of cost -

Reverse ring (to use with the lens you already have)
close up filters
bellows
extension tubes
tele-converter
​a full blown macro lens
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'm sure there are lots of others in the same situation as myself.
 
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Just-Clayton

Senior Member
I have been using my 85mm macro for some time. I decided to try the reverse method of putting 2 lenses back to back. First I put a 50mm manual lens reversed on my 85mm. got pretty close. I then tried other combos of lenses I had and ended using two 50mm back to back.
 
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Bill16

Senior Member
Semi-Pro_Clay said:
I have been using my 85mm macro for some time. I decided to try the reverse method of putting 2 lenses back to back. First I put a 50mm manual lens reversed on my 85mm. got pretty close. I then tried other combos of lenses I had and ended using two 50mm back to back.
Click to expand...
I'm going to give this method a try some time after my reverse ring gets here. :D
 
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STM

Senior Member
WayneF said:
If you put a 50 mm extension on 50mm lens, it should approach 1:1 (like your macro lens already does). If you put a 50mm extension on a 300 mm lens, the effect becomes rather small. Better than nothing maybe, but not better than the macro lens.
Click to expand...

Actually no, all that is required to get 1:1 with a 50mm micro lens is a 25mm extension tube. My 55mm f/2.8 AIS Micro uses a PK-13 which is 27.5 mm in length. It all depends on how close the lens will get without any any additional extension
 
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Bill16

Senior Member
Semi-Pro_Clay said:
Just be sure to use your tripod. I was able to get away with the two 50mms hand held. But, no others.
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I'm not sure what I have that might work with this method. But it seems to me that the ring was cheap enough to be worth a shot, and may come in handy later if not now. :D And I will use a tripod with this method for sure, if or when I try it. :)
 
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