A Pringles can macro lens, what!

morgansforever · March 3, 2013 10:24AM

One must be resourceful when funds are limited. I bought the Pringles today thinking it might work.
Used a can opener to cut out the metal end, and my 8x macro lens seated perfectly, then used electrical tape to secure it.
I used the lens cap to scribe a circle, then cut with an X-acto knife. Sliped the plastic cap over the fixed lens, then fit the can to the cap.
FYI cut the hole a bit smaller so it fits snug over the fixed lens of the camera so it can hold the weight of the lens on the other end.
One more thing tape the can cap to the can. Sorry about creating another post but I was so thrilled at the quality considering it's a Pringles can.

CoinZip · March 3, 2013 10:25AM

Awesome photos with your homemade bellows.......

edited to add: can you capture the whole coin with this setup?

BryceM · March 3, 2013 10:27AM

Much, much better than what you had posted previously.

Now that you have this figured out, will you be teaching the class on how to de-grease a lens?

Constantine · March 3, 2013 10:31AM

The original red can produces crisper results.

lcoopie · March 3, 2013 10:32AM

LOL

morgansforever · March 3, 2013 10:33AM

<<Now that you have this figured out, will you be teaching the class on how to de-grease a lens?>>

I blew the can out with air, pretty sure I got most of the chip dust out.

USMoneylover · March 3, 2013 10:35AM

<< Awesome photos with your homemade bellows.......

edited to add: can you capture the whole coin with this setup? >>

I agree, great photos!

morgansforever · March 3, 2013 10:35AM

<<The original red can produces crisper results.>>

It was a toss-up between Original and Sour Cream n Onion

SeattleSlammer · March 3, 2013 10:36AM

IMO those pics are terrific! Nice thinkin'.

Boosibri · March 3, 2013 10:37AM

Thanks for your support of Pringles (and my bonus).

BTW I hear that the BBQ can works even better.

illini420 · March 3, 2013 10:41AM

That is really cool!! WOW!! I see a possible weekend project in my future

messydesk · March 3, 2013 12:01PM

Well done! The pictures lose some sharpness toward the edges, but for a MacGyver Macro, it looks pretty nice!

morgansforever · March 3, 2013 12:08PM

<<can you capture the whole coin with this setup?>>

Yes with the other 2x macro lens, haven't tried it out yet.

CoinZip · March 3, 2013 12:18PM

Great.......now I have to get a can of Pringles.............

blu62vette · March 3, 2013 12:27PM

nice extension tube!

mrpaseo · March 3, 2013 12:34PM

SWEET! Best close ups I have ever seen. I too would like to know what the whole coin looks like through this set up.

Ray

morgansforever · March 3, 2013 12:50PM

<<Well done! The pictures lose some sharpness toward the edges, but for a MacGyver Macro, it looks pretty nice!>>

I'm confident that the can and lens are not completely square to the coin. I noticed that some pics are sharper on one side versus the other. There is also some shake when I hit the shutter even when using the timer. The plastic cap mounted to the fixed lens is flimsy at best. The aluminum adapter/mount should be here tomorrow. I couldn't wait, that mass of caverns n crevices between my ears was a thinking, I'll tell ya.

EDIT: Post your best macro images.

CoinZip · March 3, 2013 8:59PM

<< EDIT: Post your best macro images. >>

I don't know if it's my best image, but is's one of my favorites..........

RonB · March 3, 2013 9:23PM

<< SWEET! Best close ups I have ever seen. I too would like to know what the whole coin looks like through this set up.

Ray >>

Me too, try the dime!

ambro51 · March 3, 2013 10:11PM

If the inside of the can is still shiny foul you are losing contrast. Paint flat black or line with black velvet

rmpsrpms · March 3, 2013 11:17PM

It looks like the lens may not be a "flat field" type, causing fuzziness at the edges. Going back to my original question...can you take a pic that shows good sharpness at the edges, even if the middle is fuzzy? That will indicate the lens is usable but will need focus stacking to get the whole field flat. This is something we can do now with Digital imaging that could not be done with Film. For Film, you had to stop-down the lens to get enough depth of field, and accept the reduction in sharpness. With Digital, you can take a few pictures at different focus depths, optimizing the focus on all areas of interest, and then let the software put only the in-focus parts together for the final image...Ray

AMRC · March 4, 2013 1:52AM

Very creative.

nwcoast · March 4, 2013 4:14AM

Creative and inspiring!
Thanks for sharing!

Been thinking more and more about replacing my old bellows which is patched up with black duct tape and now totally seized up...
Gotta start somewhere.

nencoin · March 4, 2013 4:20AM

Amazing. Great job!

Wabbit2313 · March 4, 2013 5:14AM

That is really cool, and impressive. What will really crack me up is if/when your adapter arrives, they look worse than this!!

mrearlygold · March 4, 2013 5:54AM

Wow, great work. What kind of camera are you using?

keyman64 · March 4, 2013 8:55AM

<< That is really cool, and impressive. What will really crack me up is if/when your adapter arrives, they look worse than this!!

>>

They sell Pringles Can Adapters? LOL!

keyman64 · March 4, 2013 8:58AM

So when people ask you what kind of camera you are using just say it is really ALL ABOUT THE GLASS and then say the brand is Pringles.

What do you think your return on investment would be if people started paying you for Macro Photos? Ha ha ha!

ambro51 · March 4, 2013 9:39AM

The objective lens from an old pair of unused binoculars makes a good lens for these projects. Experiment which direction the lens faces to get your clearest focus. Keeping the lens plane with the camera is essential.

morgansforever · March 4, 2013 10:30AM

<<If the inside of the can is still shiny foul you are losing contrast. Paint flat black or line with black velvet>>

Yes, the inside is still original Pringles silver. I will hit it with some flat black.

<<Wow, great work. What kind of camera are you using?>>

Fuji Finepix S3280 14MP 24X zoom, adjustable everything.

The sharpeness is there IMO, but lacks a realistic view as I'm limited by the length of the Pringles tube.
I'm only able to be about 5" off the coin which isn't enough.

LanceNewmanOCC · October 28, 2014 10:22PM

.
so have you tried making a couple more cans of shorter length to allow you get further away from the coin(s)?

have you tried using various connectors attached to the coins so you can quick-swap from can to can?

keep up the good work.
.

Lew · October 29, 2014 2:17AM

I am familiar with term "105mm macro" lens, but not familiar with 8X macro lens.
Can you explain?

DIMEMAN · October 29, 2014 4:07AM

Being completely photo taking challenged...what exactly does the can do for you??????? I'm completely baffled!

brg5658 · October 29, 2014 4:11AM

I suppose that works just fine...but you realize you can buy extension tubes for next to nothing, right?

Do they still make the dill pickle flavor? Those were always my favorite.

EDIT: Damnit -- I just now noticed this is (yet another) old thread brought to the top....when will people STOP necroposting?!?!

DIMEMAN · October 30, 2014 12:31AM

I would still like to know what the Pringles can does?????

lava · October 30, 2014 12:42AM

Awesome pix. I want to take pix like that, and sit around and eat chips too.

rmpsrpms · October 30, 2014 12:45AM

<< I would still like to know what the Pringles can does?????

>>

The pringles can provides necessary extension for the lens to increase the magnification. For a given focal length of lens (FL), the magnification (M) is given by:

M = (Total Extension - FL) / FL. So if the extension is twice the FL, the magnification is 1. If total extension is 5 times the focal length, the magnification is 4. The pringles can length determines the total extension.

guitarwes · October 30, 2014 12:46AM

Lengthens the space between the image receptor (camera) and the lens to magnify the image.

medalhead · October 30, 2014 10:28AM

awesome pics

DIMEMAN · October 30, 2014 10:58AM

You mean that sticking a can on the camera makes it magnify more???

I don't understand this at all......it's still the same lense.

NumisOxide · October 30, 2014 1:21PM

Cool!

LanceNewmanOCC · October 30, 2014 6:08PM

<< You mean that sticking a can on the camera makes it magnify more???

I don't understand this at all......it's still the same lense. >>

it must be a pringles can. nothing else will suffice. those things are magic!

well, i guess i was wrong. it can be done with black magic paper too, in order to start our understanding, we have to understand getting bent
.

morgansforever · October 30, 2014 7:37PM

<<You mean that sticking a can on the camera makes it magnify more???>>

When you increase the length between the image sensor and the lens you increase magnification.
This was just an experiment in my early days of playing around with macro photography. This is not the way the pros take images.
I simply affixed the 8x lens to one end, the bottom, with electrical tape
and attached the other to the camera. While on the topic of macro, what is the best extension tube for Nikkon 105mm AF Micro Nikkor 1:2.8 D attached to a d3100? Best I mean, what will allow me to use all the shooting modes?

LanceNewmanOCC · October 30, 2014 10:21PM

.
i have professional-level equip for macro photog and i'm sure rspmrpms will argue that pro equipment is good but not required (and it is a good argument), your results are proof of that. obviously there are limitations but nothing that isn't easy to work around, especially from a copy stand.

the easy way around this is to use a microscopic objective with the right tubes and connectors. inexpensive imo but not as inexpensive as a can of pringles. lol

by cost as far as i know.

1. pringles can & parts
2. microscopic objective & parts
3. macro lens

and i'm sure there are exceptions to all on the list.

when i use my objective, i only shoot in manual mode as it does not permit me to use any other mode but that isnt' a problem in the least. here are some example of images i get from manual mode with virtually minimal effort and expertise. these are actually much bigger. i size them down to conserve bandwidth. 1 - 2 - 3 - 4.

if someone put in more effort, the quality would go up sharply.

the biggest variables with my method is simply lighting angles and f/stop. also, i shoot with "exposure delay mode" on as the vibrations from the camera do blur the images without the delay.

i think it would be easier to light up my surface areas with the lights like the OP uses but i simply don't like the color/hue or whatever those lights give off BUT i don't argue with the results and applaud him for it.

i know many people that could benefit from a pringles can type macro work-around. i also know a few sites that would benefit from the use of these.

if anyone wonders about the blurriness, its partly from the shape of the lens (and a few other factors). in macro photography, the focal point is razor thin. literally fractions of millimeter, depending on

the lens being used. in my images, the focal plane is less than the height of the letters on a morgan dollar so if i aim in the middle, the top and bottom are close in clarity but if i go up or down just a

bit, the top or the bottom with be blurry. the ability to adjust in micro amounts is difficult and takes tons of practice but is better with a stand that is built for such increments. a microscope stage for

instance is built for such increments. something i SORELY need to get one of these days but i'm just not willing to pay up for one just now and more importantly, one with the adjustment knobs on the base w/o the overhand and actual lens above it.

i do have many more extension tubes i can use to increase distance aka magnification but they really don't add much more benefit to my current images vs the amount of added vibrations they pick up

as well as the added blurriness outside the prime focal point and now actually having said that, i may remove a couple more pieces to shorten the distance in hopes of getting a wider/longer focal plane.
.

LanceNewmanOCC · January 16, 2023 3:20PM

@morgansforever said:

.
i came across some of your images (from some other searching) that kinda looked like the pringles can enhancement images, SO, i searched pringles to see if my memory is at least still somewhat intact and that you were the one, and viola!

vulcanize · January 16, 2023 3:32PM

Thanks for the bump.
Speaking of Pringles can, made a flash diffuser which has been working pretty good so far in my experiments to improve my photography skills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJYLALQns-U

Cheers.

jesbroken · January 16, 2023 4:31PM

Great, I got 10 pair of Binoculars and plenty of tape. Oh Dang, I don't have a pringles can. Oh well, guess I'll buy a lens.
Jim

tincup · January 16, 2023 5:48PM

MacGyver.... lives on!

tincup · January 16, 2023 5:48PM

(Really enjoyed the old MacGyver shows!)

morgansforever · January 22, 2023 4:36PM

So surprised to login and see this post resurrected nearly 10 years later, to funny.
Some other Pringles macro shots.

LanceNewmanOCC · January 22, 2023 6:55PM

@morgansforever said:

So surprised to login and see this post resurrected nearly 10 years later, to funny.
Some other Pringles macro shots.

.
F I N A L L Y ! (lol)

being here as long as i have been, (not nearly as long as some) i have an absolute insane amount of memories and love bumping the good 'ol threads like this. i'd bump a lot more but 2 forum changes has nuked a ton of good stuff, so a lot that i find are pretty much roadkill. so to find ones like this and that DCW lesher thread, really make my day, PLUS with all the new members, i like for them to see just how it gets done around here but with so many wonderful members that aren't wanting to double, triple, quad etc some of their fantastic posts, well, a simple TTT will do that job and also, so many no longer with us.

A Pringles can macro lens, what!

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