Lens advice needed

[Brew12]

I have a Nikon 5100 with 18-55mm and 55mm-200mm standard lenses. Neither lens has can focus close enough to get great macro shots obviously.

So my question. Should I try extension tubes to try and get good pictures?

If I'm looking at getting great coral shots in the 10" to 20" range, what lens should I be looking at?

Bonus question: Is the GIMP freeware any good?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Try the tubes. They’re pretty inexpensive if you get the manual ones. Some love em. Me , not so much.


Screw in glass adaptors are also available , behave very much like a tube. You can get a full set relatively cheaply.
http://www.gabrians.com/product_p/H...MI6c2Ojfzr2AIVlIxpCh3-QwymEAQYASABEgKwXPD_BwE

I don’t recall if yours has manual lens setting for the manual lenses and adapters.

Macro is probably the way you want to go. But also look at the prime lenses. Many of them have a very close focus. The 35 and 55 do.

Older in lens focus motors for made for 35mm film cameras are available as well. So a 55 w an 8in close focus is about a 75mm due to the 1.5 sensor crop. Somthing to keep in mind as you shop macro lenses as well.

If you don’t mind manual focus and exposure , Nikon has a nice selection of “micro” lenses. And you can use an optical doubler. Optical doublers for auto focus are pretty spendy.

 

[Brew12]

I don’t recall if yours has manual lens setting for the manual lenses and adapters.

Thankfully, it does. I played around with it a little the other day.

Screw in glass adaptors are also available , behave very much like a tube. You can get a full set relatively cheaply.
http://www.gabrians.com/product_p/H...MI6c2Ojfzr2AIVlIxpCh3-QwymEAQYASABEgKwXPD_BwE

Hadn't seen these before, I love options!

But also look at the prime lenses. Many of them have a very close focus. The 35 and 55 do.

For us noobs, by Prime, you mean non-telephoto?

I understand the concept of Focal Length, in that it is the angle the light travels through the lens. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean much to me from a practical usage point. I have no idea if a 55mm lens or 90mm lens would be more appropriate to take a photo of a 1" section of coral at 10". Kinda like if someone told me the temperature of something is 373 degrees Kelvin. I know what Kelvin temperatures are, but just hearing the number would not make me think "Oh, 373K, that is when water boils at sea level".

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Lol.

Grab a small object and set it on the table , zoom in to the focal length.

Prime lens, yep non zoom.

A 1” thing at 10 in will probably need a macro. Or it’ll be small in the frame. Yes.


And to make it even more confusing (unless you ignore it like I do), final length actually is
The focal length of the lens is the distance between the lens and the image sensor when the subject is in focus, usually stated in millimeters (e.g., 28 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm).

So field of view is not relative to mm. Esp when using different sized film.

Oops , sensors.

Back in the day, we actually used one Inch lenses. Lol.

I highly reccomend a camera store to try stuff out in. Bring a penny to set in the counter.

Are there still camera stores ? Lol

 

[Brew12]

Lol.

Grab a small object and set it on the table , zoom in to the focal length.

Prime lens, yep non zoom.

A 1” thing at 10 in will probably need a macro. Or it’ll be small in the frame. Yes.


And to make it even more confusing (unless you ignore it like I do), final length actually is
The focal length of the lens is the distance between the lens and the image sensor when the subject is in focus, usually stated in millimeters (e.g., 28 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm).

So field of view is not relative to mm. Esp when using different sized film.

Oops , sensors.

Back in the day, we actually used one Inch lenses. Lol.

I highly reccomend a camera store to try stuff out in. Bring a penny to set in the counter.

Are there still camera stores ? Lol

Thanks, that helps!

I remember having a Ritz Camera way back in the day. Now, the closest thing we have is a Best Buy with a small camera section.