Introduction: Diy Macro Lens With AF (Different Than All Other DIY Macro Lenses)

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I've seen a lot of people making macro lenses with a standard kit lens(Usually a 18-55mm). Most of them are a lens just stick on the camera backwards or the front element removed. There are downsides for both of these options. For mounting the lens backwards it is awkward and the risk of dust. For removing the front element there is plenty of room for dust to make it's self at home. When I took apart my Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II to give it a clean, I thought that I should try to make a macro lens out of the 18-55 and still have autofocus. This is a step by step guide of my findings.

Supplies

  • Lens (Mine was a standard Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II)
  • Camera Body
  • Screw drivers. (JIS is used for all canon cameras and lenses.) [Japanese Industrial Standard]

Step 1: Removing the Front Sticker

To remove the front sticker all you have to do is locate the little notch on the outside of the sticker and stick something like tweezers in the hole and peel the sticker away. The sticker should still be sticky and if you want to put your lens back to normal then all you will need to do is stick it back on.

Step 2: Removing the Front Element

This step is fairly straight forward. You will need to undo the three screws under where the sticker was and the front element should be able to be released. Be careful taking out the element and don't drop it or touch any of the other parts inside the lens. The part that is just behind the front element is the IS (Image Stabilization).

Step 3: Replacing the Front Element

You just have to flip the front element upside down and put it back on the other part of the lens. Then you have to screw the screws back in. Don't do it too hard ore you could strip the thread of the barrel. I gave the inside and front element a clean before i put it back on the lens body.

Step 4: Finished

Also when you close your aperture all they way you can have a lot more in focus. Here are some sample images. Please share your builds and images and thanks for reading. If you would wish to donate, you can donate Duino Coin to the address "JordanJ"