Macro Photography Equipment – Choosing A Lens Reversal Ring

If you do not have a macro lens, you can obtain very similar results by using a lens reversal ring with your current macro photography equipment. As the name suggests, the lens reversal ring allows you to mount your current lens backwards onto your camera. It is essentially a converter/adapter that screws onto the end of your lens and will allow you to mount the lens the other way around onto your camera.

A lens reversal ring is a vital macro photography equipment if you do not have a macro lens.

Reversing your lens has the effect of turning it into a close up lens. Any lens can be used with the reversal ring, however you can typically achieve better results by using a prime wide angle lens (eg. a single focus length wide angle lens). A wide angle lens will magnify your subject quite significantly. For example, reverse mounting a 20mm prime wide angle lens could achieve close to 4:1 magnification ratio (eg. 4 times the size of your subject). If you then combine this with the extension tubes, it will further increase the magnification!

While there are benefits in reversing your current lens, there are also some drawbacks that you will need to be aware of. Obviously your auto controls such as the capability to auto focus and aperture settings will not operate anymore.

So, please keep in mind the advantages and disadvantages of this specific macro photography equipment.