close up +4 filter or reversed old 50mm f1.8 lens

[unique93]

I have fuji s9600, and I want to get better macro for a little money...what is better, close up filter with +4 dioptry, or old 50mm lens...i don't have money for raynox dcr 150 and 250

sorry for my bad english

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day u-93

A single-element glass lens of +4 dioptre will certainly get your camera to close focus to 1/4 metre ... no worries there. The downside is that the corner sharpness goes down, and you will find some colour fringing from time to time

The idea of putting an old 50mm lens reversed onto your 9600 lens seems a unique way of doing things - presuming that you can get or make the adapter ring for the 9600 filter thread size & the 50mm lens filter thread size

If you use the 50mm lens reversed, its focal length of 50mm is from the aperture ring inside the lens to its focal point ... in actual use you will find the distance from the lens to the subject will be about 30mm - thus lighting and shadows of the lens onto the subject will be an issue

Also, if the subject is alive and it moves, you will have trouble keeping it in focus !!!
Hope this helps a bit -

ps- nothing wrong with your english :-)
Regards, Phil

[shoturtle]

The raynox 250 is a really difficult lens to work with as it is a 8 diopter lens. The 150 is almost a 5 diopter lens. Lots of mag on these lenses, but you also mag the distortions of the lens. And the edge softness that comes with conversion lens.

But for the 50mm a 4 diopter is a good choice. 2 diopter are to little mag for a longer lens over 70mm.

[VTphotog]

I have used reversed 50mm lens for macro shots. It works well, but there is considerable vignetting, and it can be too heavy for some digicams with plastic lens bodies. Adapter rings are easily available from most camera shops. Usually called 'reverse lens macro rings', or something similar.

brian