What are Hoya +1 and +2 close-up filters used for?
Asked 1/2/2013
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I found some old Hoya filters marked +1 and +2 that my dad used on an SLR. What are they for, what effect do they have, and can they still be useful on a DSLR?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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They look like diopters, filters which mount on the front of a lens and reduce the minimum focus distance. The +1 +2 etc. designates the "strength" of the filer, i.e. how much the minimum focus distance is reduced.
So you ought to be able to screw them onto any lens with a 52mm thread and take close up "macro" photos. Most single element close up filters have a significant impact on image quality, decreasing sharpness and increasing chromatic aberrations. The results are usually much better when using a dedicated macro lens, but you will be able to have a play around with macro photography using these filters. They can be stacked so by combining both you get a +3 dioptre effect.
See also:
Which suits better for hobby usage: extension tubes vs. close-up filter?
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
They’re close-up lenses (often called close-up filters or diopters), not color/effect filters. They screw onto the front of a lens and let it focus closer than normal, which is useful for simple close-up or “macro-like” photography.
The +1 and +2 markings indicate their strength. A higher number gives a stronger close-focus effect. They can usually be stacked, so a +1 and +2 together act like +3.
They’ll work on a DSLR as long as the filter thread size matches the lens (for example, 52mm if that’s what these are).
The tradeoff is image quality: basic single-element close-up lenses often reduce sharpness and can increase chromatic aberration, especially compared with a true macro lens. Still, they’re a cheap/easy way to experiment with close-up photography.
Other common ways to get macro capability are extension tubes and a dedicated macro lens.
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