WHAT IS REVERSED LENS MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY ?

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MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY

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REVERSED LENS MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY

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If you want to capture beautiful close-up images but don’t want to spend hundreds (or thousands) on a macro lens, then you’ve come to the right place.
Because in this article, I’m going to explain everything you need to know about reverse lens macro photography. It’s a simple technique that lets you turn a standard lens into a macro lens so you can capture photos like this:

In fact, if you already own a 50mm prime lens or a standard kit lens (in the 18-55mm focal length range), then the reverse lens macro technique is the least expensive way to capture magnified images.

WHAT IS REVERSED LENS MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY ?

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Reverse lens macro photography is a method of capturing highly magnified images using an interchangeable lens camera, a lens, and a cheap adapter. You turn your lens around so the rear element points outward, then use an adapter to attach the reversed lens to your camera body (or to another lens).

In other words: You take your lens. You flip it around. And you’ll be able to shoot at macro magnifications.

If you’ve never seen the reverse lens macro technique, it may seem a bit strange – after all, why does reversing a standard lens let you shoot at high magnifications?

But it really does work, and the diagram below shows why. In normal use, a 50mm lens focuses light from far away to create a much smaller image, one that fits onto film or a digital sensor (which is often around 35mm wide). Reverse the lens and the opposite occurs: the 50mm lens magnifies what it sees, giving near life-size reproduction.

WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED TO CAPTURE MACRO LIVING BEINGS WITH REVERSE LENS MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUE ?

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• DSLR camera body.
• 18-55mm kitlens or 50mm prime lens
• Reversed ring adapter
• External Flash & Diffuser

HOW TO DO REVERSED LENS MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY ?

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This method involves reverse-mounting one lens to the front of your camera. First, purchase a reversing ring (also known as a reverse ring) like this one:

You can buy these adapters for cheap on Amazon. One side screws onto the end of your lens like a filter, while the other attaches to your lens mount. Here’s a reversing ring in action:

Note that the reverse macro technique works best if you use a lens with a manual aperture ring. In Nikon kitlens, aperture can be manually controlled with a small lever mounting area of the lens.
In Canon kitlens, there is no such lever and so aperture is set and unmount the lens while the camera is ON.
Using small aperture and good light source can create sharpened image. Flash and diffuser is essential to get enough light to the subject and the light should not be harsh.