DIY: Free macro lens from binoculars

.jrmyrmx · 02-05-2008, 12:22 AM

i found this video tutorial for making a macro lens out of binoculars and tried it, it actually works very well.

DIY: Cheap Macro Lens - Digital Camera Reviews & Photography Tips

basically you take some binos and screw off the front lens, this wont work with some types, the old ones like the ones below work best. hold/tape the lens BACKWARDS in front of your camera lens and take the photo. either set the camera on manual/focus lock and move the camera back and forth to focus or just auto focus it if you cant do manual. oh, and this does NOT break your binos.

my supplies: Canon Powershot A570, old binos

results:

this is a great way to get closeups without buying an expensive slr/macro setup

arisenfury · 02-05-2008, 04:57 PM

Most P&S cameras should be able to get results like that even without the binocular lens in front of it just by setting the camera to a Macro mode if it has it.

.jrmyrmx · 02-05-2008, 05:40 PM

wow, thats pretty close for a p&s. it seemed to make my camera shoot a lot closer

truflip · 02-05-2008, 05:48 PM

Nice DIY. Are those shots with the cam zoomed in all the way?

.jrmyrmx · 02-05-2008, 05:56 PM

camera is zoomed in all the way and about an inch from the subject

EDIT: well the end of the bino lens was an inch from the subject

arisenfury · 02-05-2008, 09:08 PM

IDK could depend on the P&S its self... the Sony I had was a little thin pocket kind and the lens is only like 10mm across so they can focus insanely close. Something bigger like the one you have may not be able to focus as close as the smaller P&Ss.

02-05-2008, 12:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
.jrmyrmx Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Grand Junction, CO (moving to Denver for college) Posts: 701 1990 Nissan 240sx iTrader: 0 / 0%	DIY: Free macro lens from binoculars i found this video tutorial for making a macro lens out of binoculars and tried it, it actually works very well. DIY: Cheap Macro Lens - Digital Camera Reviews & Photography Tips basically you take some binos and screw off the front lens, this wont work with some types, the old ones like the ones below work best. hold/tape the lens BACKWARDS in front of your camera lens and take the photo. either set the camera on manual/focus lock and move the camera back and forth to focus or just auto focus it if you cant do manual. oh, and this does NOT break your binos. my supplies: Canon Powershot A570, old binos results: this is a great way to get closeups without buying an expensive slr/macro setup

02-05-2008, 04:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
arisenfury Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Central CT Age: 21 Posts: 1,559 Nikon & dSLR squad #6 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Most P&S cameras should be able to get results like that even without the binocular lens in front of it just by setting the camera to a Macro mode if it has it. Last edited by arisenfury; 02-05-2008 at 10:55 PM.

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02-05-2008, 05:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
.jrmyrmx Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Grand Junction, CO (moving to Denver for college) Posts: 701 1990 Nissan 240sx iTrader: 0 / 0%	wow, thats pretty close for a p&s. it seemed to make my camera shoot a lot closer

02-05-2008, 05:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
truflip Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ottawa, ON Age: 22 Posts: 7,288 iTrader: 11 / 100%	Nice DIY. Are those shots with the cam zoomed in all the way?

02-05-2008, 05:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
.jrmyrmx Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Grand Junction, CO (moving to Denver for college) Posts: 701 1990 Nissan 240sx iTrader: 0 / 0%	camera is zoomed in all the way and about an inch from the subject EDIT: well the end of the bino lens was an inch from the subject

02-05-2008, 09:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
arisenfury Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Central CT Age: 21 Posts: 1,559 Nikon & dSLR squad #6 iTrader: 0 / 0%	IDK could depend on the P&S its self... the Sony I had was a little thin pocket kind and the lens is only like 10mm across so they can focus insanely close. Something bigger like the one you have may not be able to focus as close as the smaller P&Ss.