Which Fujifilm X lens is best for photographing toys and model kits on an X-T20?
Asked 9/11/2018
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I’m moving from a Nikon D7000 to a Fujifilm X-T20 and mainly photograph small toys/model kits (about 10–30 cm) on a tripod. With Nikon I usually used an 18-200mm zoom, framed the subject, and shot from fairly close range.
For Fuji, I’m considering lenses like the XF 55-200mm or the XF 60mm Macro, but I’m not sure when a dedicated macro lens is actually better. My main concern is close focusing distance and being able to fill the frame without having to stand far back and crop heavily.
For this kind of tabletop toy photography, do I really need a true macro lens, or would a zoom plus extension tube be the more practical choice?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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The benefit of dedicated macro lenses is that they can focus very close, and achieve a 1:1 or 1:2 reproduction ratio. Based on your existing data (which is cool!), it looks like you're shooting a wide variety of focal lengths, at short focus distances. But it doesn't look like you need extreme 1:1 close up capability; correct me if I'm wrong.
Based on the above, I'd recommend trying an XF 55-200, plus an MCEX-16 extension tube. It will accomplish two things: first, your longer focal lengths will be served by the 55-200, but the macro ring will give you the close focus you require. Second, if you have a wider lens, such as a 27mm pancake or either of the 16-50 or 18-55 kit lenses, the macro ring will work with them too. It will have a dramatic effect on their focusing range -- 16mm of extension will make the kit lenses almost unusable on the wide end, but the mid-to-tele range should be able to get pretty close.
You will end up with a very versatile zoom plus a macro ring which works with any lens, for $100 more than the XF60mm macro lens. If you can easily rent this combo before you buy, that's a fantastic approach. And if you're willing to use third-party macro rings, it's $40 for two instead of $100 for one. (That's your decision; personally, I like my Fuji brand.)
Fujifilm publishes a very handy table of focusing distances, with and without macro rings, for all their lenses, here. My advice: don't get wrapped up in maximizing the reproduction ratio at all costs; just figure out what would give you the best value per dollar.
Originally by user72888. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user72888
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For 10–30 cm toys/models, you probably don’t need extreme 1:1 macro very often. A dedicated macro lens mainly helps because it focuses much closer and gives higher reproduction ratios, which matters most for very small details.
Based on the community advice, a practical Fuji setup is the XF 55-200mm plus an MCEX-16 extension tube. That gives you the flexibility of a telephoto zoom for framing, while the extension tube shortens minimum focus distance for closer shots. Extension tubes can also be useful on other lenses you may already have.
If you already own the XF 18-55mm kit lens, it’s also a sensible place to start, with or without extension tubes, before buying a dedicated macro lens.
A true macro lens like the XF 60mm Macro is more useful if you specifically want tighter close-ups of small parts and details. But for general tabletop model photography, a zoom plus extension tube is often the more versatile choice.
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