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Using
just a simple + 3 diopter can give good results. Better results
can be obtained by using a Nikon 6T, a Canon 250D, or a Raynox
dcr-250. These are corrected for chromatic aberrations which cause
color fringing, while the simple + diopters are not corrected.
The advantage comes from having a large optical zoom with good
optics. By simply using the zoom, we can vary the ratio wanted.
Don't use or switch the camera to the macro mode. Use the full
optical zoom for added lenses.
Here
are some examples from a simple + 3 diopter added to the front
of the FZ10:
Small
syrphid fly. |
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Another
hoverfly. |
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Falling
drops from a carnation bud. |
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A
fresh bud. |
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What
I've done to the front of my FZ10 is to permanently fix
in place a filter thread. I do not suggest or recommend
this at all. I would urge you to get another reducing hood
which is available from several sources on the Internet.
I'm accustomed to this setup from using the Sony CD-1000
in exactly the same way. The other thing you will notice
is that I don't always reverse my lenses. To enable this,
a rear lens cap (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc) has the center
cut out. The modified lens cap is then glued, using epoxy
resin, to another filter thread adapter ring. The added
lenses mount onto the rear lens cap and then the complete
setup is mounted to the FZ10.
Here
are the results from this setup using a Canon 100mm:
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Carnation
stamen at around 8mm long. |
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Tiny
rain drops in the garden. |
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Fly
and drop. |
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Aphids
on a carnation stamen. |
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 |
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Using
the supplied hood, we now insert a Canon 35-70mm zoom, this
time in reverse.
The smaller the focal length of the lens, the larger the
magnification ratio. Focal lengths used are a Canon 35mm,
Canon 50mm macro, Nikkor 60mm micro, and a Nikkor 70-210.
Images
from this setup are getting higher ratios as below:
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Pollen
on a tiny pistil inside a flower. |
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Ant
at around 3mm long. We don't have large ant's here.
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The
side on profile of the eye of a robberfly. |
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Beads
of pollen on a Dahlia. |
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The
best way to come to grips with any of these setups is just
to try everything and try them out, indoors, on stationary
subjects to start with. My personal settings are complete
manual. Nothing automatic. Spot metering, I always use F
8, and I set the shutter speed to suit lighting conditions,
generally using flash when appropriate. I always use the
viewfinder. Using the viewfinder allows more stability and,
in my opinion, is easier to focus. I have the viewfinder
set to automatically enlarge the taken image for 1 second.
This way I can see if the image is sharp right away. Spot
focus is very clever but, I often find for macro, I personally
like to set selective focus. I don't use the live histogram
for macro work but I do find the magnified center portion
of the viewfinder in manual focus mode very handy for focusing.
Items I've found very useful are a Canon rubber viewfinder
cap, the Vivitar DF200 flash unit, and I sometimes use a
small table tripod or monopod.
--Danny
Young--
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| Text
and photography copyright Danny Young 2004. All rights reserved. |
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