Tips & Tricks
How We Rock a Convex Lens For Flares, Haze, and as a Macro Substitute
Our “camera bag” is full of all kinds of fun odds and ends: prisms, mirrors, copper pipes, and even a crystal ball. One of our favorite “tools” is our trusty double convex lens. It has a myriad of uses, but we use it most for close up shots and creating flares. You can get them on Amazon, but they tend to be sold out often. A simple Google search for “double convex lens 75mm 17.5cm focal length” will net you several hits.
[Rewind: 3 IDEAS TO INSPIRE CREATIVE GETTING READY SHOTS]
If you’ve read some of our other articles, you’ll know that we love getting ready shots (especially all the details that we like to capture: rings, shoes, jewelry, etc.). And this is partially why we initially fell in love with our convex lens; it’s a great macro substitute.
Use a Convex Lens as a Macro Substitute
When we use our convex lens as a macro substitute, we mean we’re literally not using a macro lens for close-up detail shots. We hold the convex lens in front of our camera’s lens to magnify the image (or part of the image). Here’s a tip: when using a convex lens, always shoot in live view. Here’s how we do it…
When magnifying the entire frame for ring shots, in particular, we like to use our 50mm lens (sans hood) with an old 2X Tamron teleconverter that we acquired (ours is actually from the ’90s); it allows us to double our focal length. We open the aperture as far as the lens will allow (f/1.8, for example) and focus as close up to the ring as possible. Next, we hold the convex lens directly against the rim of our lens. And, finally, we physically move our camera away from and toward our subject (still holding the convex lens against our 50mm lens) until the ring is in focus. It’s a bit tricky to nail at first, and it takes some practice. But once you master it, you can create some gorgeous ring shots.
50mm, ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/200 sec
50mm, ISO 50, f/5.0, 1/160 sec
50mm, ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/250 sec
If you’re magnifying the entire frame for a macro look, but don’t need your subject to be quite as close up, you can ditch the teleconverter and simply hold the convex lens directly against the rim of your lens. We’ve found that this technique works really well with a 50mm lens (and other lenses in the same general focal length).
50mm, ISO 80, f/3.5, 1/200 sec
Something else to try is magnifying only part of the frame. Follow the same procedure that we described above for focusing on your subject. This time, hold the convex lens a few inches from your camera’s lens, moving both the camera and convex lens toward and away from your subject until you have the desired subject in focus. You’ll be able to create some pretty solid images.
50mm, ISO 100, f/5.0, 1/200 sec
50mm, ISO 64, f/1.8, 1/4000 sec
50mm, ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/160 sec
Use The Convex Lens to Create Flares & Haze
We also love our convex lens because it flares with the best of ’em. And if you practice enough, you can essentially make it do whatever you want. You can create bokeh-like flares as well as some sweet hazy “blurs.” The effects you’ll be able to achieve will depend on the light you have to work with as well as the colors in your surroundings, but you’ll definitely be able to spice up an otherwise ordinary scene and make your images look even more amazing!
To create a flare or some haze, try holding the convex lens on different sides of your camera’s lens at varying angles to catch the light in a way that looks cool to you within the frame—you’ll be able to check because you’ll be in live view and will clearly be able to see the effects you are creating in camera.
50mm, ISO 200, f/1.8, 1/60 sec
50 mm, ISO 320, f/2.5, 1/2500 sec
50mm, ISO 100, f/3.2, 1/100
50mm, ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/2000 sec
50mm, ISO 50, f/3.5, 1/200 sec
50mm, ISO 50, f/1.8, 1/200 sec
50mm, ISO 80, f/1.8, 1/2500 sec
50mm, ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/125 sec
Conclusion
We’re not necessarily advocating that you ditch your macro lens (full disclosure: we don’t use one and don’t really plan on ever getting one), but we think it’d be worth it for you to spend $10-$20 and add a few convex lenses to your arsenal. Let us know if you’ve tried it or have thought about it/are going to give it a go (comment below). And we’d love to see your images (post some over at our ever growing Facebook community group)!
hello , I read the article with pleasure ! good job! I was looking for a bi-convex lens the same but I can not find even on amazon . you can give me some left indication of some lens like more findable ? consider that use a panasonic GH4 with 1.4 panasonic leica 25mm or 45mm Zuiko 1.8
Thanks for the post, and for checking out the article! Double convex lenses seem to be hard to come by lately. Best option is to search “double convex lens.”
thanks for the reply. but that is the other? I saw this Ajax Scientific Polished Glass Double-Convex (Bi-Convex) Lens, Spherical, Diameter 50 mm, 50 mm Focal Length by Explore Scientific http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EPQ9SO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_udp_api_Oce3xbKJR5120 goes good ? 50mm focal too? thank you
For the price, we’d give it a shot.
Well it appears I could not edit my earlier comment on some new findings I had. So here goes again. I bought a magnifying glass and the concept works! The close up filters I had were only convex on one side, not double.
Yep. You need a double for sure. Great idea to use a magnifying glass!
yup, correct. here is my attempt at this with a dollar store magnifying glass. quality is not as sharp but those amazon links are out of the glasses it appears.
That is a pretty rad shot. A magnifying glass is a solid idea here, esp. because of the handle … (sometimes they slip and sometimes you get your fingers in the way). Maybe a high quality magnifying glass? Hm. Also, just found this link: http://www.amazon.com/Convex-Lens-Double-diameter-17-5cm/dp/B01CYJM9YO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&x=0&tag=slrlounge01-20
yeah i was thinking that too, a high quality magnifying glass. thanks for the alternate link. just tried it but unfortunately they cant ship to Greece. Will be on the lookout for concave glasses. They offer such an otherworldly effect.
great article. i have tried to use some close-up filters that i have laying around to the same effect. Although I can see how one can create flares I am really baffled as to how Sam Hurd manages to defocus the entire frame and manage to have the subject behind the glass in focus. Is the subject a reflection behind the photographer or something behind the glass?
Either way I have not been able to reproduce this, wondering if anyone has had success in that regard.
The only thing I can come up with is stacked frames in post, one unfocused and then masking in the focused area.
Thanks, Sam. Is there a specific image you are referring to? If you give an example, we could likely better weigh in with regard to your question. When we use the convex lens as a macro, we put the convex lens against the camera’s lens and slowly move into the subject until it is in focus.
Hi Andy and thanks for the reply. I found 2 images by Sam Hurd where he does this. Its like a circle of focus.
Not sure how we missed this comment, Sam … :( We are pretty certain this is with a concave and not a convex lens!
I’ve played around with a convex lens for quite some time, absolutely love it, another great way to add some mood and interest on a dull day! Cheers Lewis Fackrell Photography!
Thanks for the comment and checking out the article, Lewis!
Thanks for the comment and for checking out the article, Lewis!
wow this is so interesting! but i didn’t found this specific double convex lens, even in google. i just found a 500mm and 200mm focal length.
¿any suggestions? regards and thanks for share! :D
Thanks so much, Andres! We noticed (thanks to your comment) that our search suggestion originally said 1.75cm. Should be 17.5cm. If you search “double convex 75mm 17.5cm,” you’ll get several good results. Unfortunately they are sold out on our original link. You’ll probably end up paying around $20 for one, unfortunately. Hope that helps a bit! Cheers!
Great post!
Thanks, Geert!
I have a box full of these and rarely use it! Love to see the macro shot in person next week!
Awesome, Chad! We don’t even have a box of ’em! :)
A picture of the setup would have been useful.
Thanks for your comment, Ramon. We’ve been thinking about doing some video tutorials. As far as the set up on this, you literally just hold a convex lens in front of your camera (works best to have your camera in live view). As you move the convex lens around, tilting it in all different directions, you’ll see the effects you can create.
I’ve used a convex lens a couple times, but I never tried it w/ live view. Once in a while I find my finger up in the blurry/reflective mix in post. I’ll have to give live view a go. Anyway, I love your work and your articles are great as well.
Thanks for reading the article, the comment, and for the compliments, Sean! We so appreciate it!
Where are videos? Can i see? Thanks
No videos at this time!
The creative possibilities and ways to get a shot are as infinite as the potential subjects themselves….I’m learning every day! Thank you for sharing these techniques and ways to explore them!
We so agree, Kyle! Thanks for checking out the article!