Close up filters ?

[J H Foto]

Are these filters any good, if so which ones and do they affect image quality.....

[Nathaniel]

Re: Close up filters ?

I have a set of close up filters, which are very rarely used as I am not into Macro sort of photography. The very few pics which I took with them are fine for my purposes.IMHO they are good for the occasional close up pics; but if you decide on serious macro photography,I'd suggest a proper macro lens.

[J H Foto]

Re: Close up filters ?

For the sake of about £15 would it be worth trying a Hoya +1 just to see if it works OK ?

[Nathaniel]

Re: Close up filters ?

The Hoya filters are generally not bad. I am sure for £15 you will find the close up set will be a good introduction to macro photography.

[John Baker]

Re: Close up filters ?

These were covered in a recent edition of the EOS Magazine, in summary, they offer a good way into close up photography. Like all things they come in different quality and price points, from cheap, single lens element through to the more expensive double lens, also known as achromats. They are measured in dioptres, the simple rule of thumb is that with your lens set at infinity, fitting any supplementary lens will focus at a fraction of a metre distance, simply divide the dioptre by a metre, so a +1 will focus around 1 metre, a +2 will focus at 50cm. Fitted on a DSLR they work well, I have Hoya +4 which I keep in my bag to fit to my 24-105L, this gives me a great unit that will focus at 25cm. The problem is the Depth of Field which on a DSLR is not great, but fit the unit to a small sensor G11/G12 and you have a great macro close up combination - if you want some more information you could do worst than having a look at this - http://www.ki.tng.de/~sgude/achromats.html

[J H Foto]

Re: Close up filters ?

The minimum focus distance on my Efs 17-85 USM lens is 1.2ft, I could do with getting just a little closer and maybe a Hoya +1 could help.?

[MX5]

Re: Close up filters ?

There are other options. Extension tubes being one (as these aren't optical you can get away with third party ones ... although they still need to communicate with the body/lens). In the old days (FL and FD lenses) we would also reverse a lens and use a gizmo to attach it ... not sure about that with EF/EF-S lenses.

I did (again back in the old FD days) use close up filters (actually borrowed them as the good ones were very expensive ones). As John says their strength is quoted (like the glasses some of us wear) in dioptre's (reciprocal metres).

[collywobbles]

Re: Close up filters ?

They are NOT filters! - They don't filter anything. Their proper name is, in full; Supplementary close-up lenses.
But they are the cheapest way in to close-up photography. as has already been said, a much better option is the extension tube route, if you cannot afford a dedicated macro lens.

[collywobbles]

Re: Close up filters ?

They are NOT filters! - They don't filter anything. Their proper name is, in full; Supplementary close-up lenses.
But they are the cheapest way in to close-up photography. as has already been said, a much better option is the extension tube route, if you cannot afford a dedicated macro lens.

[J H Foto]

Re: Close up filters ?

I decided to by a Macro lens instead