What does 1:1 magnification mean on a macro lens?
Asked 10/15/2012
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I’m shopping for a macro lens and want to understand what a 1:1 reproduction ratio actually means. How is that ratio determined, and what is it measured against?
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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The 1:1 ratio means you can focus close enough that you can fill the frame with an object the same size as the sensor. I.e. for an APS-C DSLR this means you can focus on an object only 22mm wide.
The 1:1 reproduction ratio is independent of focal length, you can have a 50mm macro and a 200mm macro both filling the frame with the same 22mm wide object, albeit at different distances.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
13y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A 1:1 reproduction ratio means the subject is projected onto the camera sensor at life size. In other words, a subject that is 10mm long will form a 10mm image on the sensor.
Practically, this means the smallest area you can fill the frame with is about the same size as your sensor. For example, on an APS-C camera, a lens at 1:1 can fill the frame with a subject roughly the width of that sensor.
The ratio is measured between the real subject size and the size of its image on the sensor, not from the front of the lens or by focal length.
Focal length does not determine whether a lens is 1:1. A 50mm macro and a 200mm macro can both reach 1:1 magnification; the main difference is the working distance needed to achieve it.
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