XH A1 close up lens macro or telephoto? whats difference

[Victor Boyko]

Guys. I am really having trouble finding the lens I need. Im a part time wedding videographer that is looking for a "Close UP" lens that will attach to my XH A1. I want those really amazing close up shots that can focus the lens of say a wedding ring that fits in the full frame. I am trying to get some close ups that people usually do. The xh a1 standard lens is terrible on close ups (like most cameras w/focusing issues). Is the lens im looking for a macro or telephoto lens? I am thinking of getting the wd h72 as well. Can I attach a close up lens on the wide angle adapter? Also are there any fisheye lens that allow close up focusing capability? I want to be able to capture some footage wit my xh a1 like this for example: San Francisco Wedding Video | Studio MSV | Artisan Wedding Films for the Couture Bride (the first opening scenes of the site)

Thanks in advance. Please understand im new to videography (so refrain from making fun of me, im sure we all have better things to do).

[Michele Coser]

I think you can buy a Close-Up lens easly from Ebay, i brought one (here in italy) from less than 10€, i guess the price in other countries is nearly the same.

[Tom Hardwick]

You can indeed buy close-up lenses and in combination with full telephoto a +1 or +2 dioptre lens will get you really close. But I'm surprised you find you need one as the 20x zoom at full tele and closest focus can give you some startling closeups, and that's without the hassle of removing the hood, attaching the CU lens and so on - none of which you want to be doing on a wedding day..

I'd avoid the use of a +3 dioptre as the edges of the frame can look pretty soft unless you splash out for a cemented doublet (a two element CU lens).

Canon's 0.7x wide-angle converter is a goodie, but you won't want to fit the close-up lens to that. The focal length will be in the region of 3mm, so dof will be from the wide-angle's front element to a few feet away when you're focused close.

The clips you like the look of in the film are shot with very limited dof, most probably on an SLR.

tom.

[Annie Haycock]

I shot the close-ups in this with a Hoya +2 dioptre close-up lens/filter on the Canon XH-A1. It was the first time I'd used the lens, so there is probably room for improvement.

Journey to the bottom of the garden on Vimeo

[Alastair Traill]

Canon make an excellent close up lens called the 77mm Close-up lens 500D. It is a corrected 2 element lens which makes it expensive, the focal length is 500 mm i.e. 2 diopters - this gives a maximum focussing distance of 500 mm. I do not know what other diameters it comes in or what diameter you need however I am impressed with mine even though it vignettes on the wide end of my EX3's standard lens.

[Victor Boyko]

isnt xh a1 72 mm?

[Allan Black]

Annie, nice garden, did you lay up extra wildlife sounds? What font did you use for the title?

Cheers.

[Don Palomaki]

Nice.

A +2 close-up lens works well, and generally is moderate in cost .One advantage of the close-up attachment is it can give you some stand-off distance compared to a macro setting.

The Canon 2-element would be optically better, but might exceed your needs. Consider trying the low cost approach first.

[Annie Haycock]

Allan, I can't remember all the details, but:

the editing was in Premier elements, so that's where the font came from.

The sound track was just a section of ambient sound from the garden - I managed to find something long enough without interruptions from high-flying jets, tractors on the farm across the fields, etc. though I had to cut out a section with dogs barking. The voice-over was also recorded by an open door, so another layer of garden sounds to blend in.

That one flower bed is about the only part of the garden that wasn't affected by the building work when we extended the house - there are still piles of wood, stone, slates, blocks, sand, etc all over the place. I'm hoping this summer to move the big shed to one side and get the whole garden back.

[Allan Black]

Thanks Annie, I like your broadcast grade soundtrack, tops the show off.

Thinking about it, you'll develop close up techniques as you come across small critters who suddenly move. That lens should help finding new locations too .. I'd ask for an ant farm for my birthday, lotta fun :)

Cheers.