The EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 II aka Kit Lens Part 2

Most of the photographers and viewers are intrigued by the close-up nature of macro photography.. But the problem is that macro lens are usually expensive.
So here I am gonna talk about the macro capability of the Kit lens.
Right out of the box, the Kit lens can focus down to 0.9 feet at 55mm. Thats pretty close and already giving a good magnification. I then use cheap +2 and +4 close-up filters in front and this is what I get.

Normal Size ( the whole pot is like 6")


Kit Lens and +2,+4 filters


I am not sure what kind of magnification ratio I am getting but I can say its pretty good. Only downside is you loose the infinity focusing ability. But for me, its a small price to pay. For a cheap Kit Lens + Cheap close-up filters, what can I complain?
Lets compare Kit lens with real macro lens Canon EF 100mm f2.8 Macro USM.

EOS 400D , Kit Lens + filters













EOS 5D, EF 100mm f2.8 macro (my friend Brad's gear)












They both are shot at the same lighting condition. I cant tell them apart easily. But I can say that EF 100mm f2.8 is better in sharpness and color.
Well it's more than 5x the price of the Kit lens and I am happy with my Kit Lens results.

here is the real close-up of the strawberries with my Kit Lens.


So, for a poor photographer like me, Kit lens and close-up filters will get you into the world of macro photography without having to rob a bank. :)
To get the most sharpness and DOF, set your aperture to f8 or higher. f11 + recommended.
And with the proper use of strobes, you can get amazing macro results from the Kit Lens.

Note: You can click on the pictures for larger views .. Cheers..

(PS. This is the close-up filters I was talking about. Mine is a cheapo Marumi brand. Cost less than NZ$70 and can be easily found on eBay and such)