Okay, after some people took some interest in the reverse lens technique, I decided to write a lengthier version explaining it a little more fully. All I have is a Canon 300D and 18-55mm lens for this technique and NOTHING else; no reverse rings, no extra 50mm lens, nothing.





What I do is I take the lens off and turn to 55mm and switch to MF and turn it to macro (I know it doesnt have macro I dont think, but just set the focus to its closest). Then while the lens is off switch back to AF (that way its harder to move). Put your middle and index(the pointing finger) over the edge of the lens(the space between zoom ring and focus ring) so that you can hold the lens backwards on the camera, being careful to keep it flat and centered over the camera body hole so no light gets through. Thats bascially it for holding it and stuff, you try it out like that and see how close you can get to things (try a few inches away).

Now to take pictures, switch to manual mode, pick your ISO, you cant pick aperature cause the lens is backwards so it stays at its biggest 3.5@18mm and 5.6@55mm (I have heard of ways of locking it for a smaller aperature but I havent tried yet). You focus by moving closer and further slowly until something comes into focus. Keep half pressing the shutter so you can see the light reading at the bottom of the viewfinder when youre looking through it. And then you can pick whatever shutter speed you want for your exposure.

Btw, if you want to get even CLOSER, turn the zoom to 18mm (might be harder to hold cause the space between the zoom ring and focus ring is smaller when you do that) and you get INSANELY close, like the DOF is literally razor thin. You need a lot of light so you can get really fast shutter speeds cause the magnification is so much any slight movement will cause blur.

Feel free to ask more questions, it's a very manual way of taking pictures, but I kinda like that feeling and I havent spent a penny on taking macro shots. Here's some shots I have submitted using this technique.

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That's about it, it opens a photographers window and lets them shoot macro shots (harder than using an actual macro lens) but you can use it to see if you like macro and until you have enough cash to buy an actual macro lens.

Most important, BE CREATIVE.

Neil

<3

Btw, last thing, shot I submitted today for this tutorial here
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