[GrahamS]

This post may serve a dual purpose - to show an example of macro photography and to illustrate what can be done with fairly basic equipment. The word "macro" refers to images of a 1:1 or greater magnification ratio. Less than 1:1 is simply close-up photography. True Macro lenses are designed to give maximum resolution and image quality when focussed at very short distances and do not perform at their best when used at longer focus distances, although some macro lenses may be used for normal photography as is the case with the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 Ai. Many general purpose zoom lenses are branded as "Macro" such as the Sigma Sigma AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG Macro. These are not true macro lenses but are lenses that allow a close focus function with a reproduction ratio of 1:2 or less. Another design feature of a true macro lens is a flat imaging plane of focus with no curvilinear distortion. This can be seen through the viewfinder by viewing something with parallel straight sides such as a postage stamp or postcard and noting how straight and parallel the sides of the object are.

This image was not photographed with a true macro lens but with a Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f2.5 Flektogon in M42 mount fitted to a Pentax K10D camera with a K-mount to M42 adaptor. The 35mm Flektogon has a particularly long focus helical and will focus down to 1:1 magnification although it is not optically corrected for this close distance. . The aperture used was f11 and 1/125th at ISO200.