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K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

Started Aug 16, 2014 | Discussions
YCemAygun
YCemAygun Regular Member • Posts: 186
K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...
3

I would not consider myself much of an impulse buyer, and I had my fair share of e-bay bad apples, but when I saw this 4 filter set for $13.29 including shipping, I could not help myself.

This is basically a 4 piece close-up set, consisting of +1, +2, +4, and +10 diopter, 40.5mm filters to be attached in front of the existing lens for people who cannot afford a proper macro lens (A.K.A "me") They enable you to focus much closer than the lens normally would allow and take macro shots.

This is what you get out of the box (well, bubble envelope actually):

I had very little time to experiment with them, but I have to say, even though the performance is nowhere near a real macro lens, they help a lot, especially when it comes to video. You'll require a tripod for sure, and a lot of light as you really need to squeeze the aperture. Here are couple of handheld (yeah, I know) samples. Hopefully I'll post a video soon...

Weird, weird ant in our garden

Our best friend's best friend (unfortunately!), the dog tick. No wonder they are related to scorpions...

I suck when it comes to entomology, but I don't think this is common house fly

A hairy grass stem.

Red ants devouring a piece of left over spam. These guys look like moving dots to the naked eye...

5 Peso coin on my bike's seat.

All the shots are straight off the camera, as they were shot with the 20-50mm kit lens (+ the filters), in jpeg.

Please feel free to comment and/or criticize...

Samsung NX2000
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OrdinarilyInordinate
OrdinarilyInordinate Veteran Member • Posts: 3,741
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

Thanks for sharing  I have a Canon 500D +2 diopter "filter" lens in storage--considering trying it out when I get a 50-200mm lens.  I used to use it very successfully with my old Panasonic superzoom bridge camera.  Lately I realized the power of high resolution and cropping for close-ups--not true macro.  I had better images after cropping with my Nikon D5200 + 35mm f/1.8 prime lens than I did at full 600mm equivalent + Canon 500D with Panasonic.  Still, can't improvise 1:1 macro like that, so these "filters" can help.  I guess the cheap ones usually aren't multi-coated and can result in lower light transmission and reduced contrast, but as long as results are satisfactory, it's all good!

 OrdinarilyInordinate's gear list:OrdinarilyInordinate's gear list
Nikon Coolpix A Fujifilm X-T2 Fujifilm XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R +4 more
YCemAygun
OP YCemAygun Regular Member • Posts: 186
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

I have to say I've never been into macro photography, I am more of a macro videography freak The best macro footage I've ever got was from a 19gr 808 #16 "spy" camera coupled with only the macro part of a cellphone wide angle lens (sold by Kodak though, nice quality lens). Because of its size and weight it was extremely convenient, especially out in the nature.

Of course it is a total different story when you are aiming for quality at mere 2MP's (Full HD resolution) compared to 20 MP's of the still image.

I honestly don't have a clue about coating of the lenses, but I guess you should not expect much from a $3 a piece filter...

Well I am still working on how to get the giant, bulky NX2000 into the places I want and secure it for some proper video footage If I like what I see, I might go for a better set of filters, or even a real macro lens...

DiegoRodriguez Forum Member • Posts: 58
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

Looks quite nice to me, especially for such cheap lenses.

Please tell which lens you did use for each photo. By the way did you use only one at a time or several ones on top of each other ?

And can you show more please ?

PolG New Member • Posts: 7
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

Same kit, in my case on the 20-50 zoom.

I think it is absolutely not so bad, for the price and for the weight (I think this is really a plus when you go for example for a trekking).

If I remember correctly this is the 4x (and it is on my NX100), in a not so sunny weather.

Regards, Paolo

 PolG's gear list:PolG's gear list
Fujifilm X100T Samsung NX100 Samsung NX300 Sony a7 Samsung NX 30mm F2 Pancake +4 more
YCemAygun
OP YCemAygun Regular Member • Posts: 186
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

DiegoRodriguez wrote:

Looks quite nice to me, especially for such cheap lenses.

Please tell which lens you did use for each photo. By the way did you use only one at a time or several ones on top of each other ?

And can you show more please ?

Thank you, I also believe it is not too bad considering the price of the filters. I used the 20-50 stock kit lens with all, near the narrowest edge, and with the smallest aperture the natural light would permit.

I tried stacking the filters; although they didn't have problems with vignetting, especially near the narrow end I was using, the quality loss was too much even for me. It is bearable if you stack two low-diopter ones, but there is not much point in that, unless you are aiming for an exact value. And the high diopter ones stacked together really take their toll on the image quality.

I was never able to get the videos I wanted to, as I am not used to, or equipped for shooting macro videos with such a big camera. It felt like threading the needle with a barge rope.

I generally use 808's with macro lenses, which can practically go through anywhere, and can be mounted anywhere (19gr's of goodness)... This is what I usually get out of 808#16 with a macro lens: (please bear in mind, the pictures are mere frame grabs from a 720p video and they also have a lot of motion blur as those buggers move fast)

I am sure some people would know what kind of a fly this is. So don't ask me what I had to endure for the shot

Jumping spider if I am not mistaken...

Yep, that is a mosquito...

An ant in it's full glory...

I honestly don't know what this one is, but it was trying to find it's way into my house...

So until I get that kind of magnification, with some convenience, NX2000 is only good for photos, in a staged environment, that is as far as I am concerned... I am planing to enslave some of these little friends briefly and try focus stacking with the NX2000 though...

DiegoRodriguez Forum Member • Posts: 58
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

What is 808 ?

YCemAygun
OP YCemAygun Regular Member • Posts: 186
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

DiegoRodriguez wrote:

What is 808 ?

It is a very small and cheap, Chinese, 720p fixed lens video camera, generally used in the RC aviation field because of its size, weight and price Also works perfect with a macro lens, or as a "critter cam". Probably you can mount it on a hamster without disturbing it

Although 720p is quite low by today's standards, the videos I posted the screenshots above were taken with a setup that costs less than $50, all inclusive...:-D

bettyloo New Member • Posts: 2
Re: K&F Concept $13 Close-up filter kit samples with NX2000...

Hi, I was admiring your photos taken w/ your magnifying filters.  I have a few questions, I have a set from polaroid, probably about the same magnif., did you stack them to get the max magnif.? Seems like af still works w/ 50mm lens, but not w/ 18-55mm.  Did you measure the distance to your focal point or does your camera tell you that?  I think they turned out very well for just testing out your filters.  I can't tell they were handheld.  With all of mine stacked, I can get about 1 inch (or so, maybe less) away from the subject.  It's like a whole new world down there.  I could have passed on the rotting meat (yuck).  You're lucky to catch that fly so close w/o flying off.  I have a real cool dragon fly in my yard that disappeared the day my 50mm lens got here (today)   Patience, right?  Thanks for sharing.  BL

 bettyloo's gear list:bettyloo's gear list
Canon EOS Rebel SL1 Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Canon EF 50mm F1.8 STM
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