I'm thinking about doing some macro photography on flowers and just wanted some comments on close-up filters. I have a D100 with 24-120 nikon vr zoom lens. sb80dx flash. Are the close-up filters any good?? I will be taking pix of mostly nature like flowers.
thx,
Harry

This is all theory since I have no Digital to test the axiom but here ya' go.
Since a DSLR uses only the heart of the 35mm frame and the trouble with adding a lens on top of a lens is aberations which usually manifest themselves at the fringes of the image I beleive you will find reasonable results from close up filters.
I too use c/u's but on an N70 with anything from 50mm to 300mm glass and tho I am not an extremely critical shooter my inspections give me acceptable results. What gives me the effect I enjoy in a macro shot (short DOF to pop the subject out of the image) is strong and I have several shots taken to 8X10 for wall hangings.
Give it a go and since this is the least expensive approach you get to hone your technique.

JM
The Chicagoan

> the
>trouble with adding a lens on top of a lens is aberations
>which usually manifest themselves at the fringes of the
>image I beleive you will find reasonable results from close
>up filters.

Sometimes it is necessary to clarify theory in the real world.

A close up lens does introduce aberations at the edge but they belong to the group of aberations which treduce to almost nil when you stop down to f8.
When using CU's most people stop down to at least f8 to get reasonable depth of field.

A 2 element CU (you will need a Canon as Nikon do not make a 72mm version) is better than a single element.
They are not cheap and the cost could go towards a Nikon 28-105 or original 24-85 which will give a bigger magnification than the 24-120 plus CU.

Photography is a bit like archery. A technically better camera, lens or arrow may not hit the target as often as it could if the photographer or archer does not practice enough.

Len Shepherd

Make sure you get a two-element close-up such as the Nikon 3T, 4T, 5T or 6T.

More about close-up diopters.

Bob Johnson
Earthbound Light
Nature Photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
http://www.earthboundlight.com

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Nature Photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
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Thank you very much for everybody's advise. I really appeciate the help.
Harry

Harry,

I only occasionally comment on this site so please excuse my intrusion.

The only two element 72mm closeup filter available for your 24-120 is Canon's 500T which lists for $115 at BHphoto. For that money, you would be better, and much happier with the results, if you invested it in a Vivitar 100/3.5 macro for $139. The Vivitar is a true macro lens which gives a 1:2 macro ratio and can also serve as an excellent portrait lens to boot.

Good luck,

Kent

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

"A poor worker always blames his tools" Anonymous

...such as the two-element achromats producted by Nikon (3T-6T) and Canon (250D & 500D) are high quality lenses that can be successfully used to make excellent closeup shots. The rub is that your 24-120 mm lens is too short to get the most benefit from closeup lenses, which are best used at 200-300 mm focal lengths. A Nikon 5T (1.5 diopter) will get you to 0.75:1 on an inexpensive 70-300 zoom (like the 70-300G or ED Nikkors) and the Nikon 6T (2.9 diopter) will get you to 1.25:1 on the same lens. You won't be able to approach these reproduction ratios with a 24-120 lens and similar closeup adapters. So rather than spend over $100 on a Canon closeup lens of questionable benefit on a 24-120 lens, you might consider a $130 70-300G and a $45 5T or 6T for real macro (near 1:1) reproduction. If you have a 70-300 zoom already, it only costs you $45 to get into serious closeup photography.

Cheers.

>The rub is that your 24-120 mm lens is too short to get the
>most benefit from closeup lenses, which are best used at
>200-300 mm focal lengths.

Broadly longer focal length lenses work better with Nikon CU's.

Nikon say (Nikon general photographic accessories booklet) the 3T and 4T work best with focal lengths from 85 to 200mm and the 5T and 6T work best with focal lengths from 70 to 200mm.
If the 24-120 had a 62mm thread the original poster would be OK at the long end with the 5T and 6T.

The only quality CU's in 72mm size are made by Canon and I do not know what focal lengths they are designed for.

Photography is a bit like archery. A technically better camera, lens or arrow may not hit the target as often as it could if the photographer or archer does not practice enough.

Len Shepherd

Looking at the 'big' buck prices for the high quality closeup lenses, I suggest the purchase of the Kenko extension tube set--$149. The 3 tubes are sized 12, 20 and 36 mm long, this gives 7 different length combos when connected in series. The Kenko product carries the electrical contacts all the way--autofocus and exposure functions are maintained. The extenion tubes can be used with most Nikon/other lenses, there are no glass elements--less flare, distortion, scratches to contend with.

I've been using my old 'M' tube extension with the 80-200 for flower/nature photography--works fine and gives me a very comfortable working distance.

Rgrds, Irving

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Be aware that the Kenko tubes do *not* support auto-focus with AFS lenses. The original post was asking about the 24-120 VR lens which is AFS.

Bob Johnson
Earthbound Light
Nature Photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
http://www.earthboundlight.com

Bob Johnson - Earthbound Light - Nikonians Gallery
Nature Photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
Lots more new images!! - Weekly Phototips and Articles - RSS Feed

Bob, very good point about the AFS series not supporting autofocus with the Kenko. Most often I (and many others) use manual focus since the sensor is not always covering the part of the image I want sharp--locking the focus does not help when there are even mild breezes, the subject is moving in & out of focus. With the camera on the tripod I can track focus with one hand and shoot with the other.

Bob, with all the electrical contacts being brought thru, what is it that prevents autofocus?

Rgrds, Irving

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

I wish I knew :'(

Bob Johnson
Earthbound Light
Nature Photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
http://www.earthboundlight.com

Bob Johnson - Earthbound Light - Nikonians Gallery
Nature Photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
Lots more new images!! - Weekly Phototips and Articles - RSS Feed

Between tubes and close-up filters I would go with the latter. Convenience and exposure advatages aside, the quality of images are also superior. I tested fine print with a Nikon 85mm f2, using Nikon 4T vs a 20mm extension tube (with a tripod and camera's timer). Results with 4T were sharper, especially from two-thirds out.

Kam

I have Nikkor 24-120 NON-vr and I frame the following at 120mm:

a) 112mm by 75mm: with the bare lens at minimum focal distance;
b) 101mm by 67mm: combined with Canon D500, focus at infinity;
c) 67mm by 45mm: combined with Canon D500 at minimum focal distance.

Recently I got Kenko tubes and IMHO it is more convinient to use with my lens, BUT in my case the AF works and it has been useful for most of pictures I took.

Regards,

O.Cristo - An Amateur Photographer



Opinions of men are almost as various as their faces - so many men so many minds. Franklin