Author Topic: Macro Zoom - how to use it?  (Read 3063 times)

Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« on: 02 June, 2020, 10:14:49 am »
Given that Olympus OM prime macro lenses are a tad spendy I picked up a Miranda 70-210mm MC Macro from eBay for £6, got to be worth it to play with.

Unfortunatley I have never had a macro or a macro zoom lens before. So how do I use this as a macro lens? As a standard zoom it seems to work fine
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #1 on: 02 June, 2020, 03:30:16 pm »
'macro' can mean anything from true 1:1 with selectable focus ranges to 'focusses a bit closer than our normal 70-210'.  Pretty sure this is one of the latter..  Put it on minimum focus distance and see how close you get until the subject is in focus.



FifeingEejit

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Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #2 on: 02 June, 2020, 03:55:04 pm »
Looks from photos I've found that the "normal" focus is as "close" as 1.1m (this makes sense given the zoom range)
The area closer than that in the focus ring is just marked "macro", it's just a case of turning the focus ring into it and seeing if you can focus on what you want.


Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #3 on: 02 June, 2020, 05:00:30 pm »
We have a Tamron macro zoom lens.  It will only shoftnonto macro for a limited range of the zoom.   This might be indicated on the barrel of the lens when you get it.

What amazed me is that it will macro zoom at the 300 end of the range with good results.

Salvatore

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Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #4 on: 02 June, 2020, 05:27:59 pm »
You can get greater magnification with extension tubes between the lens and the body, so long as the extension tubes' length does not exceed the focal length (not a problem with 70-210.

The usual MO for macro is to use manual focusing, and set the focus based not on distance but on image size*, then move the camera/lens backwards and forwards until the subject is in focus. Depth of field is inevitably very small, so focus can be hit and miss. One method for hand-held macros (if the hardware permits) is to move closer to the subject and then fire a burst of exposures, continuing to move forwards, in the hope that one of the exposures might be in focus. Of course if the subject is static, then a tripod (actual or improvised) is very useful.

*my Olympus  60mm macro lens has a handy scale marked 1:1, 1:1.3, 1:2 and 1:4 and that's what I use.

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Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #5 on: 02 June, 2020, 05:37:35 pm »
Intersting. When you pull it out to zoom its marked 1:12, 1:8, 1:6, 1:4 on one side and 70mm 100mm 135mm and 210mm on the other.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #6 on: 03 June, 2020, 10:29:06 pm »
I agree with Mike. Can't see a Miranda lens being true macro.

Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #7 on: 06 June, 2020, 11:25:10 pm »
Intersting. When you pull it out to zoom its marked 1:12, 1:8, 1:6, 1:4 on one side and 70mm 100mm 135mm and 210mm on the other.
Not true macro then.

Assuming OM digital (4/3 sensor), you can go as close as an image of an area of 72x54 mm at the 210 mm end of the lens.

As well as Salvatore's method of moving forward during a burst and picking the best, if depth of field is a problem there's also focus stacking - i.e. combining the sharp bits of several images.

Re: Macro Zoom - how to use it?
« Reply #8 on: 07 June, 2020, 07:51:26 pm »
Not having much luck with the Miranda.

Much better with a Sigma Mini Wide II 28mm macro combined with a Sigma TELE-macro 2 x 1:1



I need to practice and work out why focus peeking doesn't always kick in. It didn't on the above shot but I was using EVF magnify which helps a lot.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.