The MacroGyver - or home brew macro filter

Step 6 Update

to make it slightly more visually appealing, i found an old circular filter that was scratched, and unscrewed the inner ring to release the filter glass, cut a circle of plastic the same size as the glass, then a hole in it for the lens element and hot gluing it in, so now i can screw it on and off as and when it's needed.

didn't take any photo's of the update in progress, but it's pretty self explanatory, so just a shot of it and a few more photo's taken using it!

and here's my flickr macro set with most of the shots taken with it are on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helenandchris/sets/72157613392756416/

Comments

[inst_keith_short]

I bought an extra lens cap at my photo shop (used, $3), drilled a 3/4 inch hole in the middle then glued the "buddy" lens to that. Makes for easy attachment and removal. I am using a 50mm macro lens and with the buddy I get in very close. Light is a problem so I am looking into an LED macro light ring. I hope to improve on the one in Instructables as I plan to pivot the LEDs to adjust for distance I like your bug photos. I also am a NecroMakroGrapher. Insects flee in terror when I search my garden.

[Dalthran]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Camera_Light_Ring/
Have a look at that, am in the process of making one myself for macro work.

[nurglets]

I find the same problem with lighting, a quick fix is using little adjustable clip on reading lights, the kind that you clip onto the back of a book and angle down towards the page so you can read in the dark without bothering anybody. a couple of these either side of the lens helps in low light, you can get some that he led's used in them are actually really bright. most of the time now i try to use as much natural light as possible and shoot next to a window with a tinfoil reflector

[zomie]

Howdy, I love the build. I am curious if you have DOF issues? Have you tried to just reverse the kit lens with an adapter ring? I am curious how they compare in terms of magnification.

I really enjoyed your instructable and wrote about it at:
http://macroreverse.com/2009/07/27/diy-hacked-kit-stacked-lens-filter/

[nurglets]

depth of field is tiny, but then thats common with a lot of macro methods and lenses anyway, If i need more dof I use combineZP to stack images. I've tried just reversing the kit lens, but prefer using my filter as the lens keeps all its aperture functions as its still attached normally to the camera.

[FumaKilla]

I've tried my own home brew Macro lenses out of dead old analog camera lens. the problem is thin depth of field..... so mostly i like to shot a non living object or object that was a living one. I personally called this a " Stack Focusing NecroMakroGraphy"... LOL.. I don't even know if that word is exist.... Love your job.