Close up lens for XF305?

[Bob Prichard]

Can anyone recommend a close-up lens for this camera?

The prices seem all over the place, from $29 to hundreds of dollars.

I'm interested in a +3 and +4.

Thanks.

[Alastair Traill]

Hi Bob,

+3 and +4 close-up lenses are fairly strong and I would suggest the more expensive multi element lenses if the quality of your results is important. I have had good results with Canon close-up lenses which come in strengths of 250 i.e. +4D and 500 i.e. +2D. I do not know the thread size you need but the Canon 250 does not come in such large diameters as the 500. I bought an unused 58mm 250 D on eBay for about $60.

[Bob Prichard]

The XF305 requires an 82mm.

[Alastair Traill]

Hi Bob,

I know theCanon 500 comes in at least 77 mm as I use one on my EX3 and I know the 250 comes in at least 58 mm as I use one in a stepping ring on my TM900. The trouble is that as the strength is increased the radius of curvature has to be reduced and that means that a large diameter lens has to be very thick at its centre. You could try a 77 mm Canon 500 in a stepping ring with the risk of vignetting at wide angle.

The strengths of multiple close up lenses add together e.g. 2 2D lenses used together become 4D however there are usually warnings about drastic quality loss.

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

I'm using the Hoya +2 and +4 72mm (from my Z1) with a stepping ring for the XF300. They are very good. I don't care about vignetting since by definition I want to be getting in tighter, so I wouldn't be zoomed out anyway.