Old Canon kit lenses (35-80, 28-90mm) modification for macro.

[inphoto]

With those old and cheap Canon kit lenses we can achieve 1:1 macro easily, all is needed is to remove their front lens element.

 

[inphoto]

1) Canon EF 35-80mm USM
Unscrew the 3 tiny screws and the front element pops off. If you tape it back the lens works as a normal kit lens.

 

[inphoto]

Canon EF 35-80mm USM

 

[inphoto]

2) Canon EF 28-90mm. This one requires a twist with the plier tool.

 

[inphoto]

Canon EF 28-90mm

 

[Levina]

This is so cool. Thanks for posting this, inphoto!

 

[inphoto]

3) Canon 35-80mm
This lens requires the name plate removed with a needle.

Then the front element is removed with a counter clockwise twist.

Assembly in the reverse order makes the lens usable for regular shooting again

 

[inphoto]

Now that I unscrewed the front element of the 28-90mm I didn't tight it back firmly, so now I can use a hard wire or something.

 

[Levina]

Now that I unscrewed the front element of the 28-90mm I didn't tight it back firmly, so now I can use a hard wire or something.View attachment 13664

So you can still zoom? That's clever.

 

[inphoto]

Yes I can zoom, but DoF is nonexistent even at f22, and magnification is more than lifesize, maybe 1.5x

 

[Levina]

Yes I can zoom, but DoF is nonexistent even at f22, and magnification is more than lifesize, maybe 1.5x

Wasn't extreme macro the reason you did the modification?

I don't know much about macro photography but I did the reverse lens method once, with two lenses. Also extremely thin DOF. I took I don't know how many shots and I ended up with only one that was useable. But, I had no reverse ring adapter at the time. I bought one but then never took another macro shot.

 

[inphoto]

Wasn't extreme macro the reason you did the modification?

Yes indeed, I have to search for something flat to have it in focus, but it's a lot easier and lighter than two lenses joined together. A cheap method that works well with some objects.