Testing My Macro Adapter

[JosephHuntley]

Well I figured I would stay in and work with my macro adapter today and work on my basic Manual Mode Skills. I think I took everything people have been telling me about my ISO settings etc and put it to good use.

I also want to eventually get a good macro lens the 100mm cost as much as my kit so I may just go with a good 40MM though I know nothing about macro lenses

TY everyone for all your feedback it is helping me set up for my low light conditions.

First Shot I played around wanted to do water drops but didnt realize had to be on top the water with the macro adapter so thats later.

I tried it out on my dirty hand from work lol it was hard holding camera still and pointing at my other hand.

Camera: Nikon D3500 DSLR
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens w/ 55mm Macro Adaptor

Low Light Indoors

23MM With Macro Adapter
Iso 450
f/5.6
1/60

[JosephHuntley]

I really liked it and was hard focusing with my 1 finger while holding camera and shooting at my hand.

So I decided to set up an old shell I got from somewhere a few hundred years ago while on vacation.

Nikon D3500 DSLR
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens
23MM With Macro Adapter
Iso 100
f/3.8
1.3 sec

[MarkSturtevant]

These look good. For getting a true macro lens that goes to 1:1 you might consider getting an old discontinued model. They will cost considerably less while still having very good glass.
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Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

[JosephHuntley]

thanks I was looking at either this lens

https://www.amazon.com/Oshiro-60mm-2-8-Ultra-Macro-Digital/dp/B010R8MGA6/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547303880&sr=1-11&keywords=Nikon+Macro+Lense

or this one

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-AF-S-Micro-NIKKOR-40mm-2-8G/dp/B005C50H2Y/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547303880&sr=1-3&keywords=Nikon+Macro+Lense

[GrayPlayer]

Inexpensive way to take macro images is reversing your lens onto camera. Adapter fits filter ring allowing macro imaging in manual mode only. Old lenses in good condition with adjustable f-stops give better control.
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Fred H.

[MarkSturtevant]

The first lens is a full manual, so you will be needing to stop down the aperture before shooting to have more depth of focus in the picture. Stopping down the aperture while viewing and composing a shot generally requires a rather bright external light source to illuminate the subject to find and focus on it. Of course it goes to 2:1, and so it lets you do super close ups and that may be what you want.
The other is an automatic macro lens that looks like it goes to 1:1. But I think a 'short' style macro like this one will have a rather close working distance. If your plans are for flying insects, this poses a challenge since they will more often be scared off. If your subjects are not of that sort, then no problem.

For flying insects, macro lenses in the 90-110 mm range are a common choice since they offer a longer working distance. Here is a very good one like that, and its not that expensive since its an older model: https://www.amazon.com/Tamron-AF-90mm-2-8-SP/dp/B00021EE4U/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=Nikon+Macro+Lens&qid=1571620354&refinements=p_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A3131004011&rnid=3130995011&s=photo&sr=1-14

But old lenses are really as good as new ones. Maybe heavier and you would not get a 1 year warranty. Good luck!
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Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters