Hello all. I hope some one might be able to help

Id like to shoot a close up of an eye so that it pretty much fills the screen. Its an Art project and it need to work in daylight and then also in the dark. In the dark version the film is of a series of brief 'flashed' images (4 frames each flash with the sound of a flash gun) reflected off the surface of the eye. The image doesnt have to be recognisable because the image that is being reflected is being show simoultaneously elsewhere in the installation.

For shooting the series of flashes i will use the computer monitor (seat my eye model in front of the screen) so i suspect thats got its own issues too (refilming video on a computer monitor) If it were sharp and noiseless that would be nice though.So which adapter for my setup is the question im asking.I do need the resolution so id like to avoid zooming in the edit. I have after effects if this might help me clean up noisy material.

Many thanks

You can try a photographic "close-up lens" adapters offered by Hoya, Tiffen, and other filter makers. They come in sets of 3 or inidvidually in strengths of +1, +2 and +4, although the +4 is a bit too much. They mount on the lens like a filter and are about the same size. I've found they worrk reasonably well for video and are moderate cost. Cost around US$ 20 each.

Alternatively, if highest quality is what you hve in mind, consider the Canon diopter, e.g., 500D in 72 mm that provide a similar effect in a higher quality and price optic. Available from B&H for about US$119.

Thats good news. I thought i would have to source an adapter and Eos Macro lens or something made for a stills camera. Now do you think the diopter will work with the 16x lens. Amazon recommends the 5OOD is used with lenses of focal range 75mm-300mm. The X16 goes up to 88mm right? (i do need to study up on these specifications and learn more about lenses)

The 14x manual lens made for the XL1/2 has a macro switch that allows you to almost touch the subject matter with the lens.

Tough to find, but for ecu's this lens is great.

The main advantage of the close-up adapters is that they will allow some stand-off distance between the subject and the front element of the lens. good for lighting and thing you do not want to or cannot get real close to.

The 500D should work OK with the XL1, but I've not tried that specific combo. I have used a Tiffen close-up set with the XL1. I've used a 250D the Gl1. The GL1 has a shorter focal length. Keep in mind, the greater the close-up power, the more likely you sil see distortion.