Choose the right close-up for the shot.

Lead: Close-up lens is a simple additional filter screwed in front of the lens, which hardly affects the imaging of the main lens under a suitable aperture, such as XPRO's SUPER II generation 258 close-up lens. After adding a close-up lens, there will be a focus range, and it is impossible to achieve infinite focus. The farthest shooting distance of a close-up (measured by the distance from the close-up to the object) is equal to the focal length of the close-up.

200mm lens +XPRO F258 close-range lens, telephoto lens makes the bug eye more prominent.

150mm lens, the bug eye is not prominent.

For example, if the close-range lens of XPRO F258 has a focusing distance of 2 1-26cm, only insects with a distance of 2 1-26cm can be photographed. If you go beyond the focus range of the close-up, you can't get a clear picture of the insects. Choose the right close-up according to your own lens. Close-ups are not recommended for wide-angle lenses with the focal length of the main lens below 50mm, and it is best to use close-ups with the focal length below 300 mm

Selection of adapter ring and close-up lens

Close-up photography course

1. The low-grade close-up lens with single lens and no coating has large chromatic aberration and blurred image, which is not conducive to the macro representation of the insect world. Close-ups with two achromatic multilayer coated lenses can be selected.

2. This close-up lens is generally divided into three calibers: 58mm, 67mm and 77mm, and lenses and filters with other calibers can be used through the adapter ring. Generally speaking, it is recommended that the difference between the aperture of the lens and the aperture of the close-up lens should not be greater than two steps. However, when a close-up lens is used for a medium telephoto lens, the viewing angle is relatively small, so a close-up lens with a small aperture can be used for a lens with a larger aperture through an adapter ring, without affecting the imaging, but at this time, the aperture difference between the close-up lens and the main lens cannot exceed one step, otherwise a dark angle may appear.

How to shoot clear insects?

The imaging quality of this convenient close-up lens is almost the same as that of macro lens. When shooting macro insects with close-range lens, the maximum aperture of the main lens can be reduced by 2-3 blocks, and a clearer, sharper and basically achromatic image can be obtained. With a telephoto lens and a close-up lens, the depth of field will be smaller than that of our commonly used macro lens. In shooting, reducing the focal length of the zoom lens can improve the depth of field more than increasing the shooting distance, and reducing the aperture can also significantly increase the depth of field. For example, EF 18-200mm zoom lens, the focal length of 100mm is larger than 200mm, and the aperture F8 can capture more clear insect details than F4.

90mm focus lens+close-up of xprof267+lighting antenna, F9, 1/200 seconds, ISO 100.

The best time for macro photography of the insect world is around 4 am to 6 am. During this time, the dew is heavy, and the water drops are pressed on the body, which leads to the low flexibility of insects. Even if they cling to it and shoot it, they can shoot it calmly. Shooting insects covered with dew will have more visual impact.

Calmly focus on the best shooting distance

It is difficult to focus when taking close-ups. In general, don't follow and focus when insects crawl or creep. Adding close-ups will not affect the autofocus function of the main lens. Before shooting insects, roughly estimate the focal length according to the model of your close-up lens. You can choose the insect's eyes as the focus, shake the camera back and forth in the farthest focus range, and when a clear insect image appears in the viewfinder, press the shutter half to focus. It only takes a few seconds before and after, and insects can be easily caught.

An optical antenna filled with light like a ring flash.

Fill the light is very important.

Top flash and ring flash are often used to fill the light when shooting insects. Easy-to-operate optical antenna can also get normal exposure, which is more convenient to catch insects. The two tubes of the optical antenna can distribute light freely. When shooting insects at a macro, it may be difficult for the flash to fill the light at a close distance. When the light antenna is matched with the close-up lens, it can extend to the front of the lens to fill the light, which is more convenient for shooting.