Some cameras will allow close-up photography without the need to purchase any paraphernalia. Most modern cameras work in close by allowing you to select a “macro” mode. This is a menu item or button designated with the symbol of a flower. You need to check your camera manual, likely you don’t need any accessory to get you started.

Next, look at your camera and lens as you focus. You will notice that as you focus on nearby objects, the lens is actually moving forward elongating the distance lens-to-camera.

So the question is: If you have a craving to do close up work and you need some gadgets, what should you buy?

1. To work in close and obtain optimum quality with ease of operation, hands down, buy a “macro” lens. These are specialized lens, optimized to work in very close. They deliver the finest close up imagery.
2. Rings/Tubes: Many camera / lens makers limit close focusing to about 1 meter (1 yard). This is because a general purpose lens is optimized to work distant objects and slightly compromised when tasked to work close. These are actually hollow tubes / spacers that mount between lens and camera body. They circumvent the inability of the standard camera lens to enlarge camera-to-body distance. These work great but with some caveats. Unless advanced rings / tubes are purchased, they disrupt body-to-lens automation. You will be on your own to set the lens aperture. In other words, most all automation will be lost. Advanced rings / tubes will maintain the lens-to-body connection but they are costly. Because a standard lens is optimized to image subjects with a diversity as to their depth, they will be slightly compromised if the subject lacks depth, like a stamp or coin. The countermeasure is to reverse the lens. A reversal adapter can be interposed between lens and ring/tube. This points the rear of the lens at the subject. The idea is, the rear of the lens is optimized to work something flat like film or digital imaging chip. Thus the rear or the lens gives improved performance working flat objects.
3. Supplemental Close up lens: Sometimes called “close up attachment”, ‘close up filter” “close up adapter”: These are simple magnifying lenses that mount before the camera lens. They are an adaptation of the typical reading eyeglass lens. These are available in different strengths. The labeling is +1 - +2 - +3 - +4 etc. This is a unit of optical strength called a diopter. +1 = 1000mm, +2 = 500mm, +3 = 333mm, +4 = 250mm, +5 = 200m, +6 = 167mm, +7 = 143mm, +8 = 125mm, +9 = 111mm and +10 = 100mm. If you mount a +4 over your existing camera lens, the distance camera to subject is drastically reduced. With a +4 mounted, your camera will now focus at objects 250mm (10 inches) thru 200mm (8 inches). Supplemental close up lenses are stackable. You can sandwich say a + 2 with a +3 and the combination delivers +5. Such a stack yields a lens to subject distance of 200mm thru 167mm (8 thru 6 ½ inches). A Supplemental close up lens is your best bet for an entry level way to do extreme close up work. Despite bad press by mavens, they work quite well. Especially true of compound units, those with two lens sandwiched together. You can try one free. Go to the drugstore, find the reading eyeglass display, pick up a +3 and hold it before you camera lens. The results will be degraded but this will give a peek at what a photo grade supplemental lens will do.

Best of luck in the realm of “micro” photography.