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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Close up filters
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05/28/2003 08:23:19 AM · #1
Has anybody had any experience of Soligor multi-coated glass close up filters(+1 +2 and +3 dipoter)or similar by other manufacturers
I'm thinking of trying them for use with my Minolta Dimage 7i it seems like a cheap way to improve a cameras macro abilities or are they a waste of money?
The description claims:

They can be used individually or together for extra close focusing. Excellent results. Suitable for 49mm screw thread lenses[

05/28/2003 08:47:08 AM · #2
Close up filters can help increase the macro abilities of a lens... However I suggest using only one at a time because too much glass in front of the lens really affects your optics. You'll get closer but your sharpness will suffer. I have a set of +1, +2, +3 filters that I rarely use (I used to use them with my film camera..) You shouldn't lose too much sharpness if you stick with one (possibly 2) filters.

05/28/2003 09:25:32 AM · #3
I think maybe BigSmiles is correct. I use them, but I chose to buy TWO really good filters (BW in my case) at +3 and +5 diopters. In my opinion the +1 and +2 which come with the sets really make slight difference, that I had little use for them. The two BW filters (from BH Photo) cost around forty dollars, which is about the price of a lesser quality set.
05/28/2003 11:40:49 AM · #4
I know a lot of people in the aquarium hobby use Tiffen macro lenses to take pics of their corals. Here is an example, camera is a Canon A40 with Tiffen +1, +2, and +4 macro lenses.



I'll be buying macro lenses for my Sony soon, and I'll probably go wtih the Tiffens, but I'll buy +7 and +10 lenses. +1 and +2 aren't effective enough (i.e. they don't get me close enough) for my purposes. They can be had for ~$40 on line.

Message edited by author 2003-05-28 11:42:03.
05/28/2003 11:58:50 AM · #5
I have the Hoya set and usually use all three together for a total of +7. Here's a sample.



Message edited by author 2003-05-28 15:27:59.
05/28/2003 12:53:02 PM · #6
Get ones that have multi lenses and dont stack them. The single lens ones just dont have near the optics you need.

Tim
05/28/2003 02:08:01 PM · #7
This was shot with stacked Hoya +4 +2 and +1. It's uncropped.

I bought them because it was the cheap option and I didn't know how effective they would be on my cam. Now I know how good they are I will be on the lookout for a quality multi-lens. +10 sounds too good to resist : )

Hmmm ... plus signs don't seem to show up in the message preview. Odd.
05/28/2003 02:37:41 PM · #8
I would definitely go with something like the Canon 250D or 500D. These are two-element close up lenses. They are corrected for the distortions that you get with the regular close-up filters. The only problem with the two mentioned above is that they are most effective with longer focal length lenses. I know other companies make similar lenses but I don’t know any product names aside from the Canon. The 250D comes in 58mm and 52mm sizes and is optimized for use with lenses with focal lengths between 50mm and 135mm. I believe most of the lenses on digicams are less than 50mm at their maximum. I have used the 250D and 500D on my 35mm lenses and they are outstanding compared to any of the single element close up filters that I have tried. I believe that the 250D simply reduces the minimum focusing distance to 250mm, so if your camera’s lens already focuses closer than that it won’t be of any help.

If you want to really get close I would suggest using a reversed lens macro technique instead of trying to stack a bunch of diopters. I have found the results to be less than satisfying when I have tried stacking in the past. You can buy a macro coupler for around $10 from B&H and you can pick up used Canon FD lenses for only a few dollars on ebay. I have used a reversed FD 50mm f/1.4 on my E10 and gotten spectacular results.

Just a thought,

Greg
05/28/2003 03:02:43 PM · #9
Raynox has a 150 and 250 macro snap-on for my camera. I may get the 250 to test it out. Here is a link: Raynox Macro lens

-danny
05/28/2003 05:44:52 PM · #10
My digital camera does not blurr backgrounds well at all. I think it has something to do with the focal lenth. This was a real problem. Adding a diopter fixed the problem. I wouldnt sugest doing the reverse 50mm lens thing. At least dont spend any money to do it. The DOF is just to narrow.

Tim
05/28/2003 05:51:22 PM · #11
Originally posted by crabappl3:

Raynox has a 150 and 250 macro snap-on for my camera. I may get the 250 to test it out. Here is a link: Raynox Macro lens

Be sure to search/ask for feedback on the dpreview forums - the impression I get from there on Raynox telephotos is generally not good. I can't recall hearing about the macro lens but I'm not a regular over there.

Originally posted by Niten:

I wouldnt sugest doing the reverse 50mm lens thing. At least dont spend any money to do it. The DOF is just to narrow.

I know what you mean - the DoF when you stack the 3 Hoyas is very narrow indeed.
05/28/2003 07:19:52 PM · #12
Here are my samples of Canon s30 with Tiffen 7+10+ close-up filters.





05/28/2003 08:50:54 PM · #13
has anyone used close up filters with the Sony 717?
05/28/2003 10:28:13 PM · #14
Originally posted by TerryGee:

has anyone used close up filters with the Sony 717?


Terry,

I took this with my F717 after reading your post ... Stacked 1+,2+,3+,4+ Quantaray close up filters at about .5 inch from the snail. Handheld 1/25 sec., F2.8, iso 100, focal length 9.7 mm (shortest focal length of camera). Image reduced to 640 x 480 no USM. Autofocus worked great.
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This is a shot without the stack - The camera's autofocus would not work on the snail until the barrel was a little over 2 inches away. (F2.0, 1/50 sec., iso 100).
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Bob

Message edited by author 2003-05-28 22:52:35.
05/28/2003 10:57:30 PM · #15
RLS...now could you show me the same shot, at the same distance, without the filters?
What I'm really curious about is to see how much closer it really gets.
05/28/2003 11:12:40 PM · #16
Originally posted by TerryGee:

RLS...now could you show me the same shot, at the same distance, without the filters?
What I'm really curious about is to see how much closer it really gets.


Terry,

The camera cannot focus on the snail at .5 inches without the filters... Think of these close up filters as reading glasses like you get from Walmart for your macro mode on your camera. They don't enlarge they just help focus.
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Bob

Message edited by author 2003-05-28 23:27:35.
05/28/2003 11:49:34 PM · #17
thanks RLS...
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