What is a macro lens?

Abstract: Macro lens is a special lens for macro photography, which is mainly used to shoot very fine objects, such as flowers and insects. The difference between macro lens and ordinary lens is that macro lens can clearly enlarge the subject. Macro lens can be used to take portraits, but because the imaging is too sharp, it will expose defects in skin and so on. Macro lens has the skills of post compensation and focusing enhancement. Let's learn about macro lens together. What is a macro lens?

The lens in the camera is the "second eye" of the camera, which is usually divided into macro lens and ordinary lens. So if you want to know the difference between macro lens and ordinary lens, you need to know the relevant knowledge of macro lens first. Speaking of macro lens, as the name implies, it is actually a lens used for macro photography, which is generally mainly used to shoot subtle objects, such as flowers, birds, fish and insects.

Macro lens can be scaled according to the specific situation when shooting, and can also be used to check and test the quality of products. In fact, the macro lens makes us feel that we are distancing ourselves from the object, but in essence, the function of the lens is to enlarge the object when shooting, so that the photographer can observe the subtle substances in the shooting. In addition to using macro lenses, the influence of the environment is also particularly important when using lenses.

Second, the difference between macro lens and ordinary lens

In the difference between macro lens and ordinary lens, we can actually understand it from the overview of macro lens. First of all, the macro lens can enlarge the photographed object in proportion, and the pixels of the photographed image are still clear. However, after the ordinary lens magnifies the subject, the picture is all blurred, and the subject cannot be magnified as clearly as the macro lens. Generally speaking, the macro lens can reach the ratio of 1: 4 in the focusing distance, while the ordinary lens can reach the ratio of 1: 1.

Macro lens can be used as an ordinary lens in addition to lens focusing, and can also focus at infinity. In addition, although some professional macro lenses can't focus at infinity, they will definitely have greater magnification. Macro lens and ordinary lens are different in shooting except for the pixels of the object, and the pixels of the surrounding environment of the image will be very different. In a word, macro lens is more suitable for shooting tiny objects than ordinary lens. After all, macro lenses also pay more attention to close-range focusing imaging in design, while ordinary lenses have no relevant design.

Third, can the macro lens take portraits?

The focal length of the macro lens covers the range of medium focus, medium telephoto and telephoto. The focusing distance can range from very close to infinity. Moreover, the aperture of these lenses is around F2.8, and large aperture lenses are the favorite of many people to take portraits. Moreover, there is no weakness in macro, and the imaging of each macro lens is excellent and the resolution is quite good, so from these angles, macro lens is very good for taking portraits. But what are the defects of the macro lens when shooting portraits? If not, the manufacturer will not actually launch any portrait lens. In fact, at the beginning, manufacturers only introduced lenses with different focal lengths to meet different market demands. There is no distinction between portrait lens and landscape lens. However, with the development of cultural awareness, there are more and more photography schools, and manufacturers began to cater to the needs of consumers and began to produce some lenses with larger apertures. At the same time, the circular aperture technology is introduced to make the light spot closer to the beautiful circle when the background is blurred, and the spherical aberration of the lens is appropriately increased to make the background blur softer. That's the so-called portrait lens. In fact, the so-called great development of portrait lens is that in recent ten years, various lenses that are beneficial to portrait photography have emerged one after another. Ten years ago, only a few shots were devoted to the practical technology of portrait. At most, it is to achieve a large aperture. As for the circular aperture, the technical application is not very extensive. So in fact, the blur, Jiao Wai and so on. It was not very important in portrait photography in the past. What is more important is the integration of people and environment and the better use of light. So in theory, any lens is suitable for taking portraits, just choose different ones. If the fuzzy effect of the background needs to be considered when shooting, it is more accurate to choose a portrait lens that is converted into a portrait design. However, if the requirements for background blur are not so high, any lens can be used as portrait photography as long as the focal length is appropriate.

4. The disadvantages of taking portraits with macro lens are as follows:

1. According to the mainstream aesthetics of portrait photography today, the macro lens has too high resolution and sharp imaging. When taking close-ups, skin defects will be obvious, unlike portrait shots.

2. Although the aperture of the macro lens is very large, it is actually smaller than that of the portrait lens of F 1.8. Except for the two lenses mentioned above, 60 micro and Red Circle 100 micro, other macro lenses have not introduced circular aperture technology, and the manufacturer did not take "taking portraits also has excellent effects" as a promotional selling point when releasing them, so when taking portraits, the macro lens is in the background.

3. The macro lens has a long focusing stroke, in order to focus more accurately when shooting macro, so the focusing stroke below 0.5 meters is very long, and almost all macro lenses have 180 degrees. The distance above 1 m is very short, even less than 20 degrees. Therefore, when the distance is 1 meter, the focusing accuracy of the macro lens is relatively low, and it is easy to lose focus except for cameras with strong focusing performance. Portrait lens, even when it is 3 meters to infinity, often has a stroke of 20 degrees, and the precision of this focusing distance is higher than that of macro lens. As we all know, except for a few cases, the distance between us and the subject is usually 3-5 meters. At this shooting distance, if we lose focus, it will be very chaotic.

Five, macro lens portrait shooting skills

It can be seen that although there is no problem in shooting portraits with macro lenses, there are still some shortcomings in actual combat. Therefore, if our economic strength is insufficient, it is also possible to take portraits with a macro lens, which can foster strengths and avoid weaknesses, or make up for it with other abilities.

1, make up for the problem of over-sharp imaging with powerful late stage.

2. The strength is to blur the background, so avoid taking some photos with blurred background requirements and achieve appropriate effects through the combination of characters and backgrounds. When shooting something with a virtual background, people should try to stay away from the background.

3. Try to use a camera above the intermediate level to make up for the lack of strong focusing ability in travel, or press the shutter several times and focus several times for a photo, and a blind cat can always meet a dead mouse.

4. Open your mind and let the blur go to hell. Isn't it good to develop a portrait system that suits your shooting style?