3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Favorite

DIY Macro Lens made from Binoculars

video DIY Macro Lens made from Binoculars

You can make a macro lens for your camera or camcorder with a pair of cheap binoculars and some electrical tape. Here's how!

10 comments

Jul 19, 2009. 9:21 AMAlias8 says:

the video wont play.

May 24, 2009. 8:24 AMSpottedfeather says:

How did you focus ?

Sep 12, 2008. 12:34 PMPh3nomin0n says:

Your not gonna believe this but I made this at home 3 days ago without seeing this and was just about to post it lol... and the exact same way too lol... great video though

Mar 15, 2008. 11:14 PMSgt.Waffles says:

IZ NIZE! + and faves!

Mar 1, 2008. 10:29 AMkeefurxxcore says:

I have the same toothbrush.

Jan 29, 2008. 7:20 PMYarenZero says:

I don't know if it will work for this, but a good trick when focusing a lens that zooms is to unfocus, zoom all the way in, focus the lens, and then zoom out. Everything should look nice and sharp.

Jan 8, 2008. 3:39 PMGorillazMiko says:

Nice work. Video has great quality.

Jan 8, 2008. 10:02 AMgmoon says:

Supplementary 'close-up lenses' work somewhat better--they're threaded, for one thing, and install/remove easily. They also usually come in sets of different diopters, and are 'stackable' for more adjustably. However, it isn't easy sometimes to find the right diameter for a particular camera. So this would be just the thing for unusual sizes. (Technically, this doesn't make it a macro lens, either--it just shifts the focus range in closer.)

Jan 8, 2008. 11:12 AMfmpfilms (author) says:

The thing about a decent set of closeups is that they can get expensive, and that they are subject to chromatic aberration, which you won't get with an achromatic doublet. Ideally, you would want to get a high quality achromat that is designed for camera use, like This One

In addition, the magnification power of a decent achromat is far superior to what even a +10 diopter closeup could provide.

Jan 8, 2008. 12:12 PMgmoon says:

All good points, certainly. But as you say, you can get quality ones. I usually use a bellows, but that's too much trouble for most folks...