Achieving Jaw-Dropping Close-Up Shots on a budget 

For my 50th last year I bought myself the Nikon Z 105mm macro. So much fun as macro is new to me.

Definitely handy to keep in your bag. If you ever get lost in the backcountry you can always use it as a magnifying glass to start a signal fire. Nice images, and I agree with you that a focusing rail makes it a lot easier to use any of these close-up filters when shooting from a tripod.

Thanks for the video! I use a Canon close-up lens named 500D (it's weird because it has the same name as a Canon DSLR). It has excellent image quality and doesn't reduce light intake. Interestingly, mine has a 58mm thread, but I attach it into my Canon 100mm macro, which has a 67mm thread using step-down rings, and it works fine without reducing the field of view. I usually combine the macro lens, Kenko extension tubes (also great quality), and the close-up lens, according to the desired magnification. Macro photography is all about experimentation and creativity, so there's room for a variety of gear to be used. Cheers!

Great advice. I got the Nisi close-up lens, which looks very similar to the Kase. As you say, it works in a pinch. Since I usually also carry a nodal slide for panoramic, it can be used as a poor mans focusing rail as you describe. I can't justify a dedicated macro lens, but the tiny Panasonic L mount 100/2.8 is very tempting at only 300g.

Thanks for the helpful video and sharing your beautiful images. I’ve been using a Nikkor 105mm Macro and found it to be a great lens for macro photography. However the Kase close up filter will be great to have to lighten the load when hiking and shooting landscapes. I can also take close ups without carrying the 105mm macro lens as well.

Thanks for showing some less costly options for macro and similar shooting. However, I recently picked up a Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO lens for under CAD $500, and it's light, very sharp and detailed. This was APS-C, but their full frame options are relatively reasonable.

I sometimes use a 2X close up lens in fornt of my 50mm AIS f1.4, with dreamy results, it works very well. Very effective. You can also use it with medium format lenses. Best to get a decent make that is multicoated.

Hey Adam. Really enjoyed your video today. I currently use a Canon 60mm macro lens along with a Canon RF 100-400mm lens for my close up photography. I can get some good results with the longer zoom lens as it has a pretty decent minimum focusing distance, and I don't have to get as close to the subject as the 60mm. It's particularly helpful when trying to get close ups of insects as you are less likely to scare them off.

Lovely images Adam. I have both a 100mm Canon Macro lens and a set of extension tubes.

The last 2 spring/summers Down Under I've got out in the garden with the 55-250mm lens on my 200d to pretty much do the same thing, usually late afternoon when the shrubs have had a watering so they have like it's a morning dew look

Great video as usual! I bought myself a Nikkor Z 105 mm f2.8 macro lens, lightweight and incredibly sharp. Use it mainly to take pictures of cacti flowers. I have quite a big collection, always something blooming, the flowers are gorgeous and the spines and shapes are also a good subject matter.

I often use a Sony 100-400mm lens with a 1.4x teleconverter for close-ups … this lens focuses fairly close and the quality is excellent. Beautiful images Adam!!!

I'm watching this on a 32 inch 4K monitor, and the image quality of those photos is breathtaking!

Fun video. Personally I have extension tubes, but I recently purchased a Raynox DCR-250 that clips on to the front of the lense and it seems to work very well, especially with longer focal lengths.

Interesting! That Fuji with that closeup filter is so sharp to my eye, amazing detail. Karin planted a beautiful flower! Surely you have an image of the terrific rhododendron behind you at the end ;-)

I've been frustrated trying to make close up shots with my 70-300 (crop sensor). I'm inspired to try extension tubes and / or the diopter. Thanks!

Interesting video ; NiSi also make a similar solid bit of close up glass. You have inspired me to take it out again , so thank you for the video .

Nice video. I use a Fuji 30mm f2.8 macro on my XT-5. Reasonable cost and gets the job done for me when I need it. But I do wish I had more magnification at times. Good thing is I can get quite close with it.

I tried an extension tube …. Small range of focus (can’t focus to infinity) and needed to be on wider lens to offer much magnification, so I got too frustrated and gave up in this option. I’m shooting on a Fuji APSC camera, so settled on a Laowa 65mm (100mm FF eq) - stunning quality, 2x magnification and reasonably priced… only problem is lack of AF when focus bracketing. I have also picked up a second hand Fuji 60mm (90mm FF eq) - good quality (not as good as Laowa in the corners) but only 0.5x magnification, but that is all that I need most of the time…. AF is very slow, but not an issue for macro. I think this Kase looks like a good option for telephoto zoom lenses - Nisi also do good close up diopters, as do Raynox.

Great lesson! I recently photographed some of those wild roses so it was fun to see your version to compare and get ideas on how I can improve on them!

You've touched on a part of photography I love doing, getting up close & personal. I tend to keep my lenses on my 3 camera bodies & I make the decision which camera & lens setup to bring with me out in the field. I think my favorite setup is my 5dm3 & 70 - 200 non IS, f/2.8, however, ) I also enjoy my 7D with the 24 - 105 with IS, f/3.5, might be f/4.0, can't remember now, lastly, my very 1st dslr, the tiny T3i with a Tamron 17 - 50 with IS, f/2.8. All of these setups are fully capable of doing close detail work. I'm not constantly changing out lenses this way as it keeps dust to a minimum from getting on the camera's sensors doing it this way... Vermont here, Bill...

I have a 100mm Macros and a 30mm macro. Also a set of Canon Diopters. Now I need to get out in the garden and use them. Thanks for the video Adam.

With my Z8, I have a 105 macro for the Z mount. When I had my D810, I had the 200 F4 which I loved but I sold it when I sold all my F mount equipment. Those were really nice flower shots - I have never seen all white Bleeding Hearts before. Very pretty...

Wonderful. I’ve really been doing quite a bit of close up shots myself lately. I’ve really been enjoying it. I use my canon 100 mm macro .

Great video Adam...been there before all calm whilst setting up then the wind blows 😊, thanks for sharing that handy wee tip 😊

Adam, we have perhaps the same rose (Rosa woodsii) in the East Columbia River Gorge. Some on our property form huge hemispheric mounds. I’ve pursued them with similar means, 70-200mm or 300mm with NiSi closeup lens, or 300mm with extension tube. I usually go out early while the air is calm, and the sun has not yet risen above the ridge to the east. Long working distance is needed to reach subjects well up on the massive shrub, and avoid getting tangled in thorns. The hemispheric, massive shrubs inspired going to the other extreme, very short focal length, an 8mm circular fisheye lens, usually centered close to a single blossom, framed by the dome of its massive parent shrub. Ours are all bloomed out now. Soon the deer will have hips to browse. I will have to wait until next May for blossoms.

Thanks for that Adam - I did find that helpful. I've been tossing up the investment in a macro lens and for the moment just make use of my zoom lenses. My old system with Pentax had a switch on the telephoto at 300mm to go to macro and it did fairly well for my skill level at the time. Don't go looking for macro very often so something like this might be worth considering. Something more to ponder . . . .

Love the video and interesting overview of Kase. I used to have a 105mm macro lens but I didn't used it much so got rid of it.

I have the Fuji xt1 with the kit 18-55 and the XF 55-200. I’ve tried macro rings with both. I really struggle with the working distance. I need to practice more. The longer zoom takes good closeups without the rings though. I’m not ready to invest in a macro lens, though I am tempted!

Thanks for this video! I’m just catching up on your channel. The diopter sounds interesting, not sure if I would get it. But something to consider when doing something like a backpacking trip. I have been mainly using extension tubes with my telephoto zoom. I used to have a nice Canon macro I carried over to my Fuji system, but one of the recent firmware updates made it impossible to focus it, even in manual mode.

Nice video. Great light weight solution for travel.

What a great video Adam. I really haven’t taken much photos of flowers lately it this might change after looking at this on

I use the Sony 100-400GM which close focuses at all magnifications at

Another great video Adam. I've actually got a 150-600 I use for wildlife but at times, when I haven't had anything else with me, I've used it for thing's like butterflies, flowers and even large flies! Not ideal but the results have been surprisingly good

Stunning images Adam, thanks for the tips and for sharing

Great video Adam. I have been trying to teach my wife Macro photography. I bought her a really nice macro lens from Canon 250mm. I works really well. I have more experience then her, but she is better at flower. We work together to get better images for her. I appreciate the good gear tips. Thanks.

Back in my SLR days with my Minolta SR-T201 I used the same cheap closeup filters of which you speak. While it was fun, it wasn't epic. I now have an 11mm and 18mm extension tubes that I tend to use on my RF 15-35mm (at 35mm). Now, with the help of your video I think I'll try the 18mm using 100-500mm on our local "Ghost Pipe": aka "Indian Pipe" or "Ghost Plant". Thank you for another great video!

Nice video and very helpful. I am doing more macro this season for some reason so these flower videos have been timely. For macro, my kit is Nikon D850 with a Nikon 105 f2.8.

I think many of us tried the amazon ones, now though I use a RF 100mm 2.8l Macro lens. Always enjoy your close us videos, bet it brings you back a good few years, I'm sure you said in a previous video it was your previous photography job.

For flowers I use the Laowa 100mm, pin sharp but fully manual.

I've got a Sony 90mm macro and it is such a great lens. Also my cheap $260 Tamron 20mm F/2.8 Di III OSD does a 1:2 magnification and you can literally about touch your subject with the lens itself and still focus. It's a wild little lens.

Tried closeup lens way back in my college days. Now I have opted for macro lenses.

This is something I really enjoyed. Odd setups with not necessarily standard usecases on gear that normally don't make sense using together. Keep 'em coming Adam! =) I always just use my zoom lenses, and fiddle around a lot to find the perfect position. And not near enough to find gear that suits the situation better than what I already got. But I know I would enjoy it, If I had more time and training with these kind of photo sitations.

This video was a huge help Adam! I do lots of nature macro photography with my Nikon Z 100-400mm lens which focuses amazingly close by itself. I add an old, discontinued (I bought it back in the film-only days) Canon 500D diopter for closer to "life-size" magnifications. It's a stellar piece of equipment but currently has no peer in the market. Until you just showed me the 77mm Kase diopter! I'm so paranoid about losing/damaging the 500D but this Kase diopter could be just the ticket! Thanks! BTW, master nature macro photographer John Shaw in his now long out-of-print book, Closeups In Nature, gives an excellent explanation of using diopters with zooms.

I bought myself a loawa 65mm macro lens. Excellent photos and I like mixing some macro in with my photography as I can do it locally if I haven’t got the time for a longer trip out to the hills.

Thanks, Nice video. I prefer to use a macro lens. I am mostly using a 105mm 1:1 macro with autofocus or a 100 mm 2 times full manual.

I used to use the Nikon 200mm f4 & the 105mm macro lens. When I moved to Z bodies I sold them and got the Z mount 105. I wish Nikon would make a 200mm macro for the Z mount. I miss that focal length…and that lens.

Nice video Adam! I'd love a screw on filter for times when I'm traveling, but I did buy a dedicated macro lens a couple of years ago (need to remember to put it in my bag!) It's the Nikon 105mm f2.8 for the Z system. Last time I used it was to take some portraits of my coworkers and friends. (Glamour shots for everyone!! 😅) I really need to use it as it was intended. Someday 😊

Great video Adam. I love the fact you still have the D700, I loved mine, it was such a ground breaking camera at the time. Since coming to the GFX i dont yet have the macro tubes or lens :-( i did hire the amazing 110 T/S macro a few months ago and loved the effect with the GFX, though not sure if i can justify it at the moment.

I'd be really interested to see the types of images you create with some of the Lensbaby products. Maybe one day...

Great video! I have a 90 mm macro but have a hard time focusing with it so it's not used much. I would love the Nikon 105 macro but I can't seem to find one. Therefore I prefer my 70-200.

Thanks for this - another great video. I was amazed about the DoF with the Fuji, especially considering the medium format. Did you focus stack?

Awesome video as usual and I'm surprised to find that you're so late in the game of using a magnifying filter I've used that for nearly 40 something years

Good stuff Adam, thanks. Did you do a test using the teleconverter on the 100-200 with the new lens?

Great video. I notice your reflector was silver/gold. I have not been able to find one that is portable like that. I would appreciate your help in knowing where to find one.

105mm f/2.8 Micro Nikkor on a D750.

Hi Adam. You said in the video around 9:15 that if you use an extension tube, you lose light. I was surprised at that. Since the tube contains no optics, how is light lost? I thought it just increased magnification by moving the lens farther from the sensor.

I have been on the Kase website using your link, and I cannot find the close up lens/filter. (Am I going mad?) Keep up the good work!