What a nice web page to discover. I have a canon AE1Program with a 28 to 50mm zoom lens. The lens says macro in red on the distance ring and the 28mm setting is also in red. So when set to 28mm and macro what is the macro function? Does that just mean that I can focus at less than 1.6 ft? I also have a 70 to 200 zoom lens with macro. The word macro is in red on the distance ring and aligns with a scale that goes from 1:4 to beyond 1:10 as I zoom. What does this mean and how can I use it? Sorry for asking such dumb questions but I would really like to know. Thanks Mike

-- Mike Kinney (mikekinney@aaahawk.com), March 19, 2002

Answers

All that "macro" means on a lens like this is that it focuse closer than the same lens does when not set on "macro". A true macro prime lens focuses down into the 1:2 to 1:1 range, and is optically corrected for best performance at 1:10 and closer; in zooms, generally "macro" just means something closer than 1:10, and they typically max out at about 1:4. they are also not optically corrected for the kind of performance youwould get with a true macro lens, although they can be very handy and adequate for many casual uses.

rick :)=

-- rick oleson (rick_oleson@yahoo.com), March 21, 2002.