Clematis Montana Macro

When is a macro really a macro? Well the short answer is, when it goes beyond a close up. And when does it cease to be a close up and start being a macro? Today with a whole pile of macro lenses on the market, the terms have become pretty well interchangeable but not all macro lenses actually are true macros and I am of the opinion that they shouldn't be sold as such. In fact very few of these optics will give you true macro performance. What they do is simply to allow you to focus closer than normal. They should be labelled as close up or close focusing lenses. True macro begins when the reproduction ratio is 1:1, in other words when the object you are shooting is reproduced at life size on your film or sensor. The term "macro" then holds true until the subject becomes ten times life size after which you are talking "mcrography" and probably shooting through a microscope.

Today, I have shot a real macro using my EOS fitted with a bellows unit and an old 50mm f2 SMC Takumar lens originally made for fitting on a Pentax. All that lot was mounted using a Pentax 42mm screw thread to EOS adapter bought from SRB Griturn, shot from a tripod and using a remote release. Here endeth the technical talk.

Latest news... My Dad had two stents fitted, not one and he is improving steadily but slowly. For the first time in over a year, the swelling in his legs has gone down. The medics had him almost poisoned with drugs for that issue when the problem was caused by poor circulation all along. On the other hand Mrs. Joesblips has made no further progress and I am getting worried about our trip to Venice. However another couple of days might make all the difference.