Quick and Dirty Close-up Photos?

[3Dfan]

I seem to recall hearing you can get close-up photographs using reading glasses in front of the lens of a point and shoot camera. Has anyone tried that? Would it work? My need for close-ups is not sufficient at this time to justify special lenses or cameras, especially if my old 110 instamatic will do the job for the half dozen shots I need.

 

[Steve Smith]

Supplementary close up lenses are usually sold in +1, +2 and +4 dioptres strength. Reading glasses (non-prescription) are also usually sold with the dioptre strength written on them so it is theoretically possible to use one of these lenses for close up shots.

However, you really need to be able to view through the taking lens to be sure that you have the subject in focus so I don't think it will work with a 110 Instamatic without a lot of trial and error.

Steve.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. Kodak made close up kits for 126 Instamatics, not sure about 110s. You might want to look for a copy of Kodak Publication N-12A Closeup Photography which goes into some detail about using supplementary close-up lenses on (surprise!) 126 Instamatics.

 

[Akki14]

You could try the way of doing macro/slightly-closer photography with holgas but unless your 110 has a bulb mode or some way of holding open the shutter, it could be difficult (involves a piece of waxed paper or other translucent paper taped over where the filmplane will be and focusing in the dark and measuring focal distances depending on which lens you use). You might have difficulties with getting the lens stuck onto the camera the same way every time which can distort the image.
This is a lot easier if you have proper "close up lenses" and a 110 SLR.

 

[Maris]

I once took photographs of text with fixed focus point 'n shoot by sticking a +3 close-up lens onto it with Blu-Tac. Since the focal length of a +3 lens is 333 millimetres the pictures will come out sharpish if the camera lens is focussed on infinity and the camera with close up lens is about 333 mm from the subject. Getting the distance was easily done by tying a piece of string to the camera and leaving a free end 333 mm long.

The end of the string goes onto the subject, the camera is pulled back until the string is tight, hold steady, move the string aside, shoot! The technique works well except for the awfully approximate framing.

 

[bdial]

Another quick and dirty method if you have a 35 mm SLR is to simply reverse the lens. For a one off effort, you don't need a reversing ring, just hold then lens in place. Focus by changing the distance.