Macro Atachment for pocket digital camera

 by Tool Using Animal
An easy way to make a macro (and other) attachment for your camera if it has an extending lens barrel.
 
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Step 1: Gather your materials

you'll need a camera, xacto knife, selection of bottle caps and a selection of lenses
qwertyboy says: Apr 25, 2010. 11:02 AM
I made one out an lens from an old camera and lined it with felt for a snug fit. I works great.
qwertyboy in reply to qwertyboyApr 25, 2010. 11:09 AM
The pictures didn't work in IE, so here they are:
100_0531.JPG100_0532.JPGDSC00938.JPGDSC00940.JPG
agis68 says: Nov 29, 2009. 11:08 PM
 What type of lens or lenses did you use?
Tool Using Animal (author) in reply to agis68Nov 30, 2009. 7:45 PM
I used part of an eyepiece to a microscope, but any convex lens can be used.
mysterious ninja of fire says: Apr 15, 2008. 1:17 AM
I am makign an instructable on how to make one for your eye toy for if you use it as a webcam then ill make one on hwo to make ur eyetoy a webcam lol
I3uckwheat in reply to mysterious ninja of fireDec 26, 2008. 6:34 PM
please post
rownhunt says: Apr 2, 2008. 1:45 PM
what can I use for macro lens for this
TT-1033 MINI DIGITAL CAMERA_243.jpg
fluzwup in reply to rownhuntJul 22, 2008. 9:22 AM
I'll second that; I have a $10 mini camera just like that, though marked with a different brand. I suspect a pair of tubes that would slide inside each other, plus an appropriate magnifying lens, would do the trick.
fluzwup in reply to fluzwupJul 22, 2008. 1:29 PM
Using a 3x mafnifying glass and my $10 fixed focus camera, laid out like this gave me good results. Image is of a HDD controller circuit board, without magnifying glass (top) and with magnifying glass (bottom)
2693842198_a37ae14578_o.jpg2692965405_530517f16c_o.jpg
Plasmana in reply to fluzwupNov 30, 2008. 5:05 AM
That looks very good for your first try!
P1060019.JPG
Plasmana says: Nov 30, 2008. 5:05 AM
here is an close-up of the mother board...
P1060019.JPG
ProfMuggs says: Jul 5, 2007. 11:35 AM
Where did you get your lenses?
n0ukf in reply to ProfMuggsFeb 29, 2008. 10:33 AM
I found that a jewler's loupe fits nicely over the lens on my Kodak C330 and it's easily held on and steady with 2 fingers. And I can still use the zoom feature. In fact, I have to zoom in a little to get rid of the black corner fuzz (meaning the lens and holder aren't quite close enough for field of view).
Tool Using Animal (author) in reply to ProfMuggsJul 5, 2007. 12:43 PM
They're disassembled microscope objectives.
higgrobot in reply to Tool Using AnimalAug 28, 2007. 3:09 AM
Where did you get the microscopes?
vladdydaddy says: Mar 9, 2007. 7:26 PM
Good idea. In the past I made something similar. Make a tube out of cardboard. Cut notches at the rim of the tube and fold them over the macro lens and tape everything in place. Do not tape anything to the camera itself ; ) A simpler method is just to hold a magnifying lens in front of the camera by hand and snap a close-up - that works fine too!
whiteoakart says: Oct 11, 2006. 12:57 PM
I have a similar set up made with an old Olympus Stylus lens. Because I had a problem with lighting, I made a masonite bracket which screws into the tripod mount. To this I clip on a bright white gooseneck LED booklight. That works pretty well. here is a shot of the system.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteoakart/198954708/in/set-72157594217393625/
stonehenge360 says: Sep 6, 2006. 11:16 AM
sweet im always trying to zoom in more i'll def. try this
Joe93 says: Aug 22, 2006. 12:43 PM
looks good i might try it
Tool Using Animal (author) says: Aug 14, 2006. 5:46 PM
Looks good, I'm glad you found it useful.
Tool Using Animal (author) says: Aug 12, 2006. 8:11 PM
The camera has two different focus settings, continuous and focus when shutter is depressed, I use the second one, try to get the image as focused as possible by positioning the camera, depress the shutter for final focusing and take the pic. Also setting the camera for centerzone focusing and metering helps. As for special setting I usually choose "Aperture priority" and set the F number as high as possible because the depth of focus is very small, I also try to avoid flash by shooting in full sun, or stick a mailing label over the flash to diffuse it. I also shoot alot, ten pics of the same subject and throw away the nine out of focus. Oh and a calibration tip for the perfectionists, take shots of graph paper at various zooms, this will let you judge how much distortion different lenses give you.
jquinby in reply to Tool Using AnimalAug 13, 2006. 2:12 PM
Excellent advice, thanks! I've posted some test shots in a flickr album here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69047046@N00/sets/72157594235489596/

Now if only the sun would come back out...
NinJA999 says: Aug 11, 2006. 9:13 PM
Hmmm... I'll have to try it. You have an interesting workbench...I would never use my laptop cover!
ElectricJ in reply to NinJA999Aug 11, 2006. 11:07 PM
wuss
jquinby says: Aug 11, 2006. 8:05 PM
Pretty slick. I grabbed the eyepiece from my daughter's telescope and have taken a few test shots with it. I've also got a Kodak - how do you deal with the camera trying to auto-focus constantly? Any special settings for lighting, shutter speed, etc?
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