Macro Photography with a Cell Phone
I just went on a longish hike up hill and down dale to what is called Empire Bluffs in the Leelanau Peninsula overlooking Lake Michigan… and back. The bluffs are a couple hundred feet above the water and you can often look down and see the large salmon swimming below.
I was carrying a Nikon Z7 II with the Z 24-70mm f/4 “S” lens, which is about as light a lens as I can get away with that will do the job I need. I am having a little trouble with one knee and that made carrying much not fun and climbing something I had better not do much of. I wanted to see how I would do carrying a mirrorless Nikon camera up several inclines and declines. I include some photos of the Empire Bluffs view of Lake Michigan.
And what I learned is that my knee did not like the extra weight and anything that felt like stair-steps. Walking a level plain did not seem to faze it. And so I have been looking into seeing what can be done with my iPhone 14 Pro Max, which has DNG files of supposed 48 megapixels on only one of its lenses, the main one. And this is what I found.
If I am careful and steady my hands any way I can, some pretty good images can result. However, my particular interest in close-up and macro photography, and this takes a little more doing, and here is what I came up with.
In the iPhone Settings, under Camera, is a switch called “Macro Control” that has to be set to ‘ON’. When that is done, as you get very close to any object, a flower or insect, etc., the camera will automatically switch to the wide-angle lens which makes for a much better close up.
And when you position the yellow-box for focus, if you touch that yellow box and hold your finger there, this will lock the focus, so you can move in and out or your subject can move and the focus is tracked.
And of course, you can use the 6x digital zoom to get even closer which results in getting as close as I ever need to get.
Next is the issue of stabilization. Particularly if you are doing close-ups and trying to hold the cellphone steady, there is too much shake… movement. To help with this, I found two mini-stands that can allow me to position my iPhone close, but without needing my hands, and I include them here, with comments:
ULANZI Phone Tripod Mount 2 Cold Shoes & Arca Port
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN1TD4SZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsThis is a clever piece of work that can slip into a pocket. As you can see from the image, this is a hinged device with two bottom feet that spread out to sit on the ground. And these same two feet snap together and form an Arca-Swiss plate that fits in any tripod that has an arca clamp.
The iPhone snaps into the hinged clamp and can be moved up and down, and bends backward and forward. The clamp has two cold shoes, one on either end (for LED light, mic, etc.) and a ¼ inch threaded hole through the arca clamp at the bottom. The cellphone can pivot from horizontal to vertical (or any angle in between). It weighs 4.7 oz (135 grams).
I like this and it folds up and fits in your camera bag or in a back pocket. The only thing I don’t like about it is that when a cell phone is clamped in and you are positioning the device, the clamp is quite sensitive to touch, like touching the shutter release, so a very soft is required. Either that or a Bluetooth remote will do the job.
Oben ASPTA-20 Smartphone Tripod Adapter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C22Y6YM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsAs for the Oben Smartphone Adapter, it too is solidly made and has an arca plate for a foot, but the foot does not splay for better support on the ground, although it is very stable.
It too has a snap-in clamp to hold the cellphone, and on either side of the clamp are a cold shoe with knob, and two ¼-20 and two 3/8-16 threaded mounting holes. It also has a foam-lined clamp to protect the cellphone finish. Only 4.6 oz. (130.4 grams)
The phone clamp has a 360-degree ball joint, so you can tilt the cellphone up, down, and around, plus a secure knob on the back to tighten the whole thing.
I like this device better than the Ulanzi, although it does not slip into your pocket as easily.
And last, if you need it, here is a wireless remote that costs only a few dollars.
Wireless Camera Remote Shutter for Smartphones
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MR1PHPZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsSo, I can get reasonable close-up shots of flowers and insects using this rig and it weighs very little.
I carry my iPhone in a nylon belt holster with a Velcro closure like the link below. However, I removed the metal belt clip and only use the nylon loop for my belt because it is quite possible when using the belt clip to lose the phone. I cut it out with a tool. I tried a couple leather holsters, but they either were too big for my phone or did not close with their magnetic catch well enough.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JZVMF9Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1And so, there you have probably more than you want to know, but some may find this helpful.
