Super macro or ultra zoom?

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Permalink Reply by jadeast on June 13, 2008 at 9:00am

Very good questions Yuri. Not all Hype! Yes super macro can focus down to Zero not many macros that I know of can do this. The Ultra zooms continue on where regular zooms leave off, many manufacuters are extending the power of the ultra zoom out farther and farther. U understand that Nikon is releasing a zoom that will do 24x optical!!! several others have reached 18x optical. My canon gets 12x optical and about 2.5 digital without serious degradation. How many 12x zooms can you carry in your jacket pocket? So I don't believe that it's just marketing hype, there are some real differences, in my opinion. How many zooms get more than 6x? we're not comparing apples with apples on focal length any more Either. On Larger cameras a 50 to 200 mm zoom will only get you 4x approx. on smaller cameras such as the S5 the 6 to 72 mm zoom yields 12x. Focal length is really only a measure of the distance between the optical center of the lens and the effective distance that the objects are in focus is it not? I welcome your input on this

J D

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Permalink Reply by jadeast on June 13, 2008 at 10:43am

again this is not comparing apples to apples. with an 18 to 300 is in fact a 16 x ratio but normal starts around 55 so you are yielding less than 6x magnification , a 70 to 210 strs out at 1.27 mag. and zooms to 3.8 +/-. Normal on the 6/72 lens is in the 6mm range so the real yield is 12x so I feel the power not focal length is the critical factor if bring objects closer is important to you. there are certainly trade offs, To yield 18x with a "35mm" camera would require a 990 mm lens which is certainly available but not affordable to most of us. None of us would argue a 6/108 lens is equal to the 990mm so it becomes more "bang for the Buck". Keep this going Yuri, This is very interesting

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Permalink Reply by EVA CANTRELL on June 14, 2008 at 4:43am

You beauty I was right and I know nothing. I just looked from one to the other about 6 times. so if your right yuri so am I and you two gys are right into it . I read it and it went over my head ha ! ha ! ha ! cheers Eva

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Permalink Reply by EVA CANTRELL on June 14, 2008 at 4:46am

Whoops I made a mistake it is not Yuri it is you Patricia Well I am on your side and I agree with you and the lilies on the right are not so blown out.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Wilson on June 17, 2008 at 1:45pm

I would guess that image # 1905 was shot in "Super macro." I think a better test would include shooting a piece of news print or graph paper with these settings. The pincushion effect common with most zoom macros would have no place to hide.

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Permalink Reply by jadeast on June 17, 2008 at 2:09pm

My original thought when I started this blog, was to determine which was easier to used in identical situations, IF there wasn't an appreciable difference in the results. I have discovered that in certain situations there are some times shooting super macro gives superior results to the same shot UZ. I'll discuss this at the end of the month and show some examples.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Wilson on June 17, 2008 at 4:10pm

I would guess that the appreciably differing results may also be seen in the stunning prices being paid for the 55mm & 60mm macro prime lenses.

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