Equipment

What sort of equipment do you need to take good close-up photos of small life forms? Here's the short answer: a DSLR or mirrorless system camera coupled with a dedicated macro lens. The rest of this chapter is devoted to expanding on that short answer. We'll describe these camera types, with an emphasis on suitability for macro photography. Modern cameras have reached a high degree of excellence. It's hard to go wrong with any of the major manufacturers' products. So your choice is between multiple good options. It is true that certain systems offer specific specialized lenses or other unique and useful features, so that's something to consider. We'll go into some of those differences later in this chapter. So let's take a look at the various camera types suitable for macro photography.

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The digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) is the most common form of interchangeable lens camera. The DSLR and its film predecessor, the film SLR, have been photographic all-purpose workhorses for decades. The "single" in the name refers to the fact that the same lens is used for viewfinding and image capture. It has nothing to do with the number of lenses available to be used with the camera. (Historically, the name distinguished SLRs from twin-lens reflex cameras, a topic we won't explore.)
 
The key defining feature of a DSLR is the viewing system. The lens of a DSLR projects an image either onto the camera’s sensor, while taking a photograph, or into the viewfinder at other times. This is controlled by the position of the reflex mirror, a moveable mirror that sits behind the lens, and in its down position intercepts the incoming image and directs the image formed by the lens into the viewfinder. When you press the shutter release, the mirror flips out of the way to let the image fall on the sensor. This arrangement means that the viewfinder shows the exact same image that's going to be captured on the sensor. 

When you press the shutter release, a whole lot of things happen in rapid sequence. First, the mirror flips up, so that there’s a clear path from the lens to the sensor. Second, the shutter, opens to allow the image to pass through to the sensor. Finally, the shutter closes, and the mirror flips back down into viewing position. All this happens extremely quickly. A typical DSLR might take 1/6 second for this process. The very fastest DSLRs can shoot at speeds in excess of 14 frames per second, perhaps even more by the time you read this, which means that the entire cycle completes in 1/14 of a second. 

Canon and Nikon are the most prominent DSLR manufacturers, though by no means the only ones.

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Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras 

Just as with the DSLR, mirrorless system cameras offer interchangeable lenses, but there's no moving mirror. Instead of the mirror and prism of a DSLR, the viewfinder is electronic. In effect it's a small TV that takes its input directly from the image sensor. So again, the image in the viewfinder is the same as that seen by the lens, simply mediated electronically. In some models, the viewfinder is simply a screen on the back of the camera. Others, in addition to the back-of-camera screen have an eyepiece with an electronic display. The abbreviation EVF is often used for this type of electronic viewfinder. At the time I'm writing this, electronic viewfinders are not quite as good as the optical finders in DSLRs. They have reduced resolution, and are slower to respond, leading to a potential for jerkiness in the view when shooting multiple frames quickly. Each new generation of EVFs has shown remarkable improvements, and by the time you read this, the disadvantages may be largely gone. EVFs have some advantages over optical finders as well. Since the display is electronically generated, it's possible to overlay extra information on the image, such as in-focus indications, localized overexposure indications, and other information. 

The lack of a moving mirror makes these cameras simpler both mechanically and optically than DSLRs. As a result, they tend to be smaller and lighter than DSLRs. Eliminating the DSLR's moving mirror makes mirrorless cameras less prone to sharpness-destroying vibration, a real problem in macro photography. On the down side, batteries in mirrorless cameras tend to discharge more quickly than in DSLRs, because the viewfinder electronics use current continuously while the camera is switched on, whereas no power is needed by a DSLR viewfinder.

Major mirrorless camera manufacturers include Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Fuji.

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Fixed Lens Cameras

A fixed-lens camera has a single, built-in lens. The most common such camera is the one you probably carry in your pocket, the one that happens to also include a phone. Other forms of this camera type include the vast range of pocket cameras, and larger fixed-lens “bridge” cameras. Some of these cameras have good close-up capabilities. Even the best of them is not ideal for macro photography, but can produce good results when used within their limitations. If this type of camera is your choice, make sure that the macro focusing range will be sufficient for your intended subjects. Some models offer manual control of focus and exposure, a real plus. 

Lenses

All major camera manufacturers and most third-party manufacturers offer lenses especially designed for macro photography. Though there are other methods of making close-up photographs, some much less expensive, specialty macro lenses are by far the easiest to use, most flexible, and generally speaking, optically best. We'll discuss other techniques later on, but for now let's stick with lenses specifically designed for macro photography.

What make a lens a "macro" lens. There's no absolute rule, but generally speaking, a macro lens is one that will provide at least 1:1 magnification. That is, the image on thie camera's sensor is the same size as the subject. But there's a certain amount of inconsidtency in lens naming, and often, especially in cheap zoom lenses, the term "macro" will occur somewhere in the lens name or description, though the lens only focuses somewhat closer than similar lenses. When buying a lens for macro work, it's best to check the actual magnification specification to be sure you're getting something that will fill your needs.

Why can't all lenses provide 1:1 magnification? There are a couple of reasons. First is the mechanical structure of the lens. To focus on something very far away, a lens needs to be exactly one focal length away from the sensor. (Actually, the thing that needs to be at this distance is called the rear nodal point, but that's a refinement we don't need to consider here.) To focus on closer objects, the lens needs to move away from the sensor, not much for subjects at ordinary distances, but for macro distances, the lens has to move quite a bit. For any given magnification, the lens has to be one focal length plus the magnification distant from the sensor. So for a magnification of 1:1, (1x) the lens has to move 1+1 = 2 focal lengths away from the sensor. For a magnification of 2:1 (2x), the lens has to be 2 + 1 focal lengths away, and so forth. The mechanism to achieve this additional extension is part of every lens. Its cost, size, and weight go up with the amount of extension provided, so manufacturers usually try for a balance that permits focusing at all ordinary distances. That generally precludes real macro distances and magnifications. 

A second reason is the inherent imperfections of all lenses. Physics and the limits of available materials mean that no lens can produce a perfectly sharp image. There is a long list of aberrations that optical designers strive to correct by using multiple lens elements, each a separate piece of glass, careful selection of glass type type for each element, the number, curvature, and spacing of lens elements, and so forth. The result is never perfect, but can be very good. One factor in this balancing act is the range of distances at which the lens is designed to work. If the designer knows the distance or range of distances at which the lens will be used, the corrections can be tailored specifically to that distance range. Doing this doesn't make the lens useless at other distances, but it won't be quite as good used outside that distance range. True macro lenses are corrected for macro work, and therefore provide superior optical results in close-up photography.

There are two competing factors to consider. The first is extension, the second is working distance. Recall that the lens extends one extra focal length for each unit of magnification. With a long focal length, this makes for a lot of extra extension, and thus shorter focal length macro lenses can be simpler mechanically and less costly to manufacture. However, longer focal lengths allow for more lens-to-subject distance at any given magnification, a real advantage when your subject is either dangerous or skittish. Typical dedicated macro lenses range from about 50 mm to about 200mm in focal length. 100mm seems to be the sweet spot for a lot of photographers.

 

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  • Magnification.
  • Working distance: the space between the lens and the subject. More working space lets you avoid spooking timid subjects. It also leaves room for supplying extra light.
  • Manual controls for focus, aperture, and shutter speed. Automatic focus and automatic exposure work well for normal subjects, but often fail in macro.
  • Flash triggering. Flash is often the lighting source of choice, especially with small, live, active subjects.
  • Shutter lag: the time between pressing the shutter release and actually taking the picture.

Interchangeable Lens Cameras

Interchangeable lens cameras, as the name suggests, let you use a variety of different lenses. This is an enormously versatile feature; one camera covers the range from ants to elephants depending on the particular lens that you've mounted on the camera body. In particular, you can attach a macro lens, specifically designed for close-up work. Interchangeable-lens cameras are versatile in other ways, too. They generally have both automatic and manual modes for all important camera functions. You might wonder why this is important, since automatic focus and exposure work so well in general photography. Unfortunately, automation often does not work well with macro subjects. Some very good macro lenses do not offer autofocus at all, and with others, you will find that there's a tendency for focus to be a bit off. Even when an ant's head is squarely inside the selected autofocus point, the camera may decide to focus on the leaf the insect is sitting on, leaving you with a blurry subject and a sharp background. Similarly, the camera's automatic exposure system is likely to expose for some part of the image that you're not interested in, rather than the subject itself. Interchangeable-lens cameras typically have much shorter shutter lag than other types of cameras. A shutter lag of a few tenths of a second may not seem like much, but it can make the difference between a sharp image of a fast-moving subject and a photograph of a background with no subject at all. And to round out the list of important features, all interchangeable-lens can trigger external flash units.

Digital Single-Lens Reflex Cameras: DSLRs

The digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) is the most common form of interchangeable lens camera. The DSLR and its film predecessor, the film SLR, have been photographic all-purpose workhorses for decades. The "single" in the name refers to the fact that the same lens is used for viewfinding and image capture. It has nothing to do with the number of lenses available to be used with the camera. (Historically, the name distinguished SLRs from twin-lens reflex cameras, a topic we won't explore.)
 
The key defining feature of a DSLR is the viewing system. The lens of a DSLR projects an image either onto the camera’s sensor, while taking a photograph, or into the viewfinder at other times. This is controlled by the position of the reflex mirror, a moveable mirror that sits behind the lens, and in its down position intercepts the incoming image and directs the image formed by the lens into the viewfinder. When you press the shutter release, the mirror flips out of the way to let the image fall on the sensor. This arrangement means that the viewfinder shows the exact same image that's going to be captured on the sensor. 

When you press the shutter release, a whole lot of things happen in rapid sequence. First, the mirror flips up, so that there’s a clear path from the lens to the sensor. Second, the shutter, opens to allow the image to pass through to the sensor. Finally, the shutter closes, and the mirror flips back down into viewing position. All this happens extremely quickly. A typical DSLR might take 1/6 second for this process. The very fastest DSLRs can shoot at speeds in excess of 14 frames per second, perhaps even more by the time you read this, which means that the entire cycle completes in 1/14 of a second. 

Canon and Nikon are the most prominent DSLR manufacturers, though by no means the only ones.

Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras 

Just as with the DSLR, mirrorless system cameras offer interchangeable lenses, but there's no moving mirror. Instead of the mirror and prism of a DSLR, the viewfinder is electronic. In effect it's a small TV that takes its input directly from the image sensor. So again, the image in the viewfinder is the same as that seen by the lens, simply mediated electronically. In some models, the viewfinder is simply a screen on the back of the camera. Others, in addition to the back-of-camera screen have an eyepiece with an electronic display. The abbreviation EVF is often used for this type of electronic viewfinder. At the time I'm writing this, electronic viewfinders are not quite as good as the optical finders in DSLRs. They have reduced resolution, and are slower to respond, leading to a potential for jerkiness in the view when shooting multiple frames quickly. Each new generation of EVFs has shown remarkable improvements, and by the time you read this, the disadvantages may be largely gone. EVFs have some advantages over optical finders as well. Since the display is electronically generated, it's possible to overlay extra information on the image, such as in-focus indications, localized overexposure indications, and other information. 

The lack of a moving mirror makes these cameras simpler both mechanically and optically than DSLRs, and typically yields reduced size and weight. Batteries in mirrorless cameras tend to discharge more quickly than in DSLRs, because the electronics for the viewfinder use current continuously while the camera is switched on, whereas no power is needed by a DSLR viewfinder.

Major mirrorless camera manufacturers include Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Fuji.

Fixed Lens Cameras

A fixed-lens camera has a single, built-in lens. The most common such camera is the one you probably carry in your pocket, the one that happens to also include a phone. Other forms of this camera type include the vast range of pocket cameras, and larger fixed-lens “bridge” cameras. Some of these cameras have good close-up capabilities. Even the best of them is not ideal for macro photography, but can produce good results when used within their limitations. If this type of camera is your choice, make sure that the macro focusing range will be sufficient for your intended subjects. Some models offer manual control of focus and exposure, a real plus. 

Lenses and Close-up Attachments

 

Sensor Size

Camera sensors come in a wide variety of sizes, and sensor size is significant for macro photography in several ways. 

<<< pixels on the subject, magnification needs, noise, focal lengths, cost, depth-of-field>>>

The term full frame for a sensor size comes from the days of film photography, and refers to a sensor that's 24 millimeters by 36 millimeters, a size that originated with 35 millimeter film. A full-frame sensor takes full advantage of existing lenses designed for 35mm cameras, and provides a degree of compatibility with film equipment. However, there's nothing magical about this size. Larger sensors are available in "medium format" cameras, and many cameras use smaller sensors. 

Common Sensor Sizes
Size Designation Width (mm) Height (mm) Diagonal (mm) Area (mm2)
35mm Full Frame 36 24 43.2 864
Canon APS-H27.9 27.9 18.6 33.5 519
         
         

Choosing A Camera

Camera choice is a compromise, no matter what your budget or goals. I can't tell you which camera will best fit your needs, but I can lay out some of the things to consider. Since we're targeting macro photography, the ability to achieve good close-up focusing is critical. What is close enough? That's actually the wrong question. More interesting is the question of how much magnification you can achieve. We'll be discussing magnification in much more detail in a later section, but here's a bit to get started with. Magnification is how big the image on the sensor is, compared to the subject size.  Magnification is usually expressed as a number. For instance, a magnification of 1/2 (or 0.5) means that the size of the image on the sensor is 1/2 the size of the subject.

Close-up focusing 

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Specific Equipment Lists

Very Low Budget

 

Low Budget

 

Intermediate Budget

Canon

 

Nikon

 

Olympus/Panasonic

 

High Budget

 

Canon

 

Nikon