Getting Close 

by Bob Grytten

Getting "closer than close" can re-ignite your waning enthusiasm for photography and provide you with a rich warehouse of subjects seldom seen and little understood--prisms of light reflected through tiny droplets of water on a blade of grass; a lone orange spider, an eighth of an inch across, crouching within a mosaic of tiny dewy flowers, coming into focus, then going out again.  

To experience this new world you will need these tools:

1.Your camera body and lens,
already available
2.Close-up diopter 
3.Extension tube(s) 
4.Reversed coupled lenses

THE DIOPTER 

     A diopter is actually a magnifying glass with threads on it and will transform any regular lens into a macro. It simply screws onto the end of your regular lens as a filter would. Note: we're not talking about a "single element" close-up lens--which would degrade your image. The Nikkor "diopter" is the only one we've found that keeps your image sharp. These diopters have double elements and are very light in weight, which makes them ideal for backpacking. Canon also makes a diopter which is reported to be sharp, although I haven't used one.

     You only need one diopter, but the Nikon diopters come in either 52mm (T3, T4) or 62mm (T5, T6)--with the T4 and T6 having greater magnification. They're a bargain at only $40-50 and can be used on any make lens. If the available sizes don't match your lens element size, a step-up ring can be used. Step-up rings cost only a few dollars and can be used for regular filters as well. I have both 52mm and 62mm lenses, so I purchased a T6 plus a 52mm to 62mm step-up ring. This way, my diopter fits both lenses (using the step-up ring to adapt to my smaller lens).

     However, before you buy anything new, don't take our word or anyone else's on how good it is. Check it out yourself. Make sure you're buying what you think you're getting. Run a roll of film through your camera to test the diopter--using slide film for best results. Most camera shops will allow you to do this. If you're buying through the mail, make sure you can return the product if you're not satisfied. 

EXTENSION TUBES

     The second bit of extra equipment you'll need is extension tubes. We say "tubes," because they usually come in sets; however, I have a single one 52.5mm, and it meets all my photographic needs. These tubes are actually spacers between the lens and camera (film plane) and can be used on all of your lenses, but they have to fit your camera. They'll turn any ordinary lens into a macro by increasing the magnification--the more extension, the greater the magnification. There is no degradation in quality of image because there is no glass in the ET, although the extra distance the light has to travel to reach the film eats up about one stop. 

     Extension tubes allow you to focus more closely on your subject--inside the normal minimum focal range of your lens. However, you will lose infinity focusing, and you'll be limited in which size tube you can use with a lens. Generally speaking, the focal length lens must be at least as large in focal length as the tube. You could use a 50mm tube with a 50 or 300mm lens but not with a 35mm lens. However, you could use a 17mm tube with a 35mm lens. The tube should be no larger than the lens. A 50mm extension tube used with an ordinary 50mm lens provides a 1:1 (life size) image. I use the same size, roughly 52.5mm, with my 300mm lens. That set-up increases the image size about 40% and allows me to focus closer to the subject than the normal 8 It limitation. (Incidentally, it makes a great butterfly set-up by really blowing out the background, as in the tropical sage pictured here.)

     Extension tubes are becoming difficult to find and are priced in the $100 range. If you can't find one at your local outlets, call your manufacturer or a second party manufacturer. Vivitar (1 800/352-7481) makes them in sets of three and will notify you if a set is available for your body. Also, ask if any of your electronic hook-ups will be disabled when you use an extension tube, although the only hook-up I consider necessary is the TTL metering. Few extension tubes will affect that. You really don't care about auto focus for macro work, so your only concern will probably be the potential loss of your electronic flash. 

STACKED LENSES

     An arrangement of stacked lenses provides the greatest possible magnification outside of using a bellows. Joining two lenses you already own provides 2X to 4X magnification. To accomplish this, mount your 100mm lens, or a lens close to 100mm, on your camera body the regular way, then attach your 50mm lens, front element to front element. You can do this with tape temporarily. For a more permanent arrangement, super-glue two adapter rings together. It's a good idea to cut out the end of a rear element filter cap and use that as a lens hood on the rear element of your smaller attached lens. This will protect the exposed rear connecting elements. Set the smaller lens aperture open wide and make aperture adjustments with your primary lens attached to the camera body. To determine the amount of magnification for stacked lenses, divide the primary (longer) lens by the reversed (shorter) lens--i.e.,100mm + 50mm = 2X magnification 200mm ~ 50mm = 4X magnification.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Teleconverters:
     A teleconverter is similar to but not the same as an extension tube, although it provides similar results. The advantage of using a teleconverter is that you retain the full range of focus from up-close to infinity. The disadvantage is the loss of quality in image sharpness. A good 1.4 teleconverter usually has tolerable loss of quality while the image from a 2X teleconverter usually borders on unacceptability ( keeping in mind that sharpness is a subjective element and involves personal taste). Another factor in your choice between the two may be cost. As previously mentioned, a set of extension tubes will run about $100 versus a new teleconverter, which will start at around $400.

A Sturdy Tripod:
     The only time I've seen a close-up arrangement work without a tripod (hand held or on a monopod) is with a flash. Once you move into real magnification, 1:1 and beyond, the fine tuning is so critical that a STURDY tripod is mandatory. Light loss and your natural desire to maximize depth-of-field necessitate extremely slow shutter speed. How sturdy must your tripod be? I've seen few on the market lighter than the Bogan #3021 that I could recommend. Gitzo is also a good consideration. 

LAST WORDS...

     Each of the items of equipment listed above--a close-up diopter, extension tubes and double threaded ring--should cost about the same as ten rolls of film or less. They won't burden you with extra weight nor consume valuable field pack space, and they will open up a new dimension of your art. Here's our guarantee: you'll never feel the same way about your subjects again after you've seen them really "up-close and personal."

Bob Grytten is a nature photojournalist. His publication credits include INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE, FLORIDA NATURALIST, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY, MOUNTAIN LIVING, SAILING, TRIATHALON, SOUTHERN BOFFING, FAMILY MOTOR COACHING, and LET'S LIVE MAGAZINE.