Macro Photography Possible with Kit Lenses 18-55mm

Hello,

I have recently bought a Canon 1300D (entry level dslr). Since, I am fairly new into Photography thing and tried to take Macro shots with my Dslr.

However, after many attempts I took some pics but missing the BOKEH effect in it. Anybody got some ideas???

sanusense wrote:

Hello,

I have recently bought a Canon 1300D (entry level dslr). Since, I am fairly new into Photography thing and tried to take Macro shots with my Dslr.

However, after many attempts I took some pics but missing the BOKEH effect in it. Anybody got some ideas???

The 18-55 is certainly no kind of bokeh monster and at 55mm you're looking at a minimum of f5.6. It's also not really a macro lens even if it says so on the tin.

What kind of macro did you shoot? Maybe post an example.

sanusense wrote:

Hello,

I have recently bought a Canon 1300D (entry level dslr). Since, I am fairly new into Photography thing and tried to take Macro shots with my Dslr.

However, after many attempts I took some pics but missing the BOKEH effect in it. Anybody got some ideas???

Welcome to the forum!

I'm not exactly sure what you're seeking. Are you looking for more background blur?

If so, in order to increase background blur you need to:

Reduce your subject-to-lens distance.

Increase your subject-to-background distance.

Increase your focal length (to max zoom 55mm).

Increase the size of your aperture (smaller f-numbers).

Keep in mind though that increasing your background blur (except for changing subject-to-background distance) will also decrease your depth of field (which can be very hard to deal with). Hard, but not impossible. Find a good balance.

Also keep in mind that with the 18-55 kit lens on your "crop-sensor" camera, you will only be able to shoot close-ups (not true macros). You are limited by how close your lens can focus.

If you'd like to get even closer (closer to true 1:1 macros), then I'd recommend getting this Raynox close up lens to clip onto the end of your 18-55. It'll allow you to dabble in the (near) macro world without too big an investment. It's very high quality and simply clips onto the end of your lens (it's pretty compact too, so can be easily carried along on hikes etc)...

click here: Raynox DCR-250 Close Up Lens at @mazon

It'll vignette a little bit in the corners on your 18-55, but that can be cropped out (you have enough cropping wiggle room on your 1300D). Just frame appropriately.

Here are some samples taken with the DCR-250 on my older 18-55 (click on "original size")...

Omitting busy background through framing

Framing, and a more distant background, close subject

Black background employed

Dark unobtrusive background

Here are a couple with it on my older 50mm prime...

Nice bokeh created by distant background and fairly close subject

Framing and very close subject

Background went dark due to use of flash, fast shutter speed, and distant background.

Hope this helps!

Happy shooting,

R2

ps. more samples from all kinds of cameras and lenses in my galleries...

http://www.pbase.com/jekyll_and_hyde

:+1:

Get a reverse lens adaptor and you can get really fun macro shots with extremely small DoF. They're really cheap but you'll lose aperture control and AF.

What I did when I wanted to play with macro is get a reverse lens adaptor and an old FD lens so that I could still have aperture control. I also have a macro lens but reverse lens macro gets you higher magnification.

sanusense wrote:

I have recently bought a Canon 1300D (entry level dslr). Since, I am fairly new into Photography thing and tried to take Macro shots with my Dslr.

You have a lot of options, check out the How can I get started with macro? section of the unofficial Rebel Talk FAQ.

However, after many attempts I took some pics but missing the BOKEH effect in it. Anybody got some ideas???

Not sure what you mean. Please explain, or better, illustrate.

yes with a little bit of work as others have shown. I took this a few days ago, and it came out rather well. I wanted some bokeh but also wanted some environmental detail as well.