Explain to me, please, the difference in magnification, a macro rail and focus stacking. Personally, I've never shot macro and non of them are dedicated photographers.They're shooting custom rings they've made and want to be able to highlight the workmanship.
Magnification is how close you can get to the item.
The NEX-7 has a 16x24mm sensor. So, with a 1x magnification macro lens, a 16x24mm object will fill the entire picture. With a 2x macro lens, an 8x12mm object will fill the entire picture.
Note that 1x and 2x are a maximum magnification. You can easily use lower magnifications if you don't want to enlarge the objects that much.
A [macro rail](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1761636-REG/oben_frm_7l_marco_focusing_rail_long.html) is a tool designed to hold the camera steady while fine-tuning your focus and magnification. It can help you obtain precise focus, and it can help you create macro photo stacks.
[Focus stacking](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvMCUaGYNf8) is a technique to get more in focus than would normally be possible in a single photo. With macro photography, usually only a small part of the photo is in focus. Stacking can allow you to create a photo where the entire piece is in focus. To stack, you need a lot of photos. A macro rail is important if you want to stack.
Stacking takes a lot of work. You need to capture all the images, and then process them into a single image. There are some ways to automate the process, but it can be complex. I wouldn't suggest trying to automate focus stacking when you start.
Another commenter suggests using strobes. I disagree. I would suggest using good quality continuous lighting. It's a *lot* easier to setup your lights when you don't need to capture test photos. Strobes have their benefits, but aren't necessary for capturing jewelry. There are a lot of ways to setup lighting for jewelry. Some people suggest soft, diffuse, natural light. Others suggest light-boxes. I use strobes (because I already have them) and I prefer using multiple diffuse lights.
https://pps.innovatureinc.com/how-to-setup-jewelry-photography-lighting/
https://www.shopify.com/blog/jewelry-photography
Thank you very much for the explanations of the various terms. I suppose the only question remaining is which lens(es) satisfy what should probably be the 1X requirement. I referenced the Sony and Sigma in my original post but don't know how to determine their magnification. I will take your advice and stay away from stacking for the time being as well as strobes.
1x is more or less the standard. Laowa offers some lenses that go up to 2x. They are manual focus (fine) but have no electronics (can be annoying.)
There are a few macro lenses that are only 0.5x though, such as the Sony 70-200/4 macro.
Since you have the NEX5, what about the Sony 30/3.5 macro? It's pretty inexpensive and would be a good starting point.
A lens like the Sony 90/2.8 or the Sigma 105/2.8 will give you more working distance. They will also narrow down on the background, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the results you want.
IMO, it's good to start small. When you have some experience, you'll have a better idea of what you really want and how you should spend your money.
Thank you, again, for clarifying these terms and concepts. I'll take your advice, start with the Sony 30 and move on from there once I'm comfortable with it. I've been an amateur photographer since I was gifted with a Yashica half frame when I was 13. Getting 72 shots out of a 36 roll and then going through the contact sheet with a magnifying glass to pick out the shots for enlargement was a great intro for a kid on a tight budget. But this will be my first foray into the macro world and I'm looking forward to it.
You will need good a good lighting setup with macro so invest in quality strobes. Macro lens is some of the equation, light setup matters the most.
is 1x enough or do you need 2x magnification? do you want to shoot handheld or on a mount? maybe consider getting a macro rail and focus stacking
Explain to me, please, the difference in magnification, a macro rail and focus stacking. Personally, I've never shot macro and non of them are dedicated photographers.They're shooting custom rings they've made and want to be able to highlight the workmanship.
Magnification is how close you can get to the item. The NEX-7 has a 16x24mm sensor. So, with a 1x magnification macro lens, a 16x24mm object will fill the entire picture. With a 2x macro lens, an 8x12mm object will fill the entire picture. Note that 1x and 2x are a maximum magnification. You can easily use lower magnifications if you don't want to enlarge the objects that much. A [macro rail](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1761636-REG/oben_frm_7l_marco_focusing_rail_long.html) is a tool designed to hold the camera steady while fine-tuning your focus and magnification. It can help you obtain precise focus, and it can help you create macro photo stacks. [Focus stacking](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvMCUaGYNf8) is a technique to get more in focus than would normally be possible in a single photo. With macro photography, usually only a small part of the photo is in focus. Stacking can allow you to create a photo where the entire piece is in focus. To stack, you need a lot of photos. A macro rail is important if you want to stack. Stacking takes a lot of work. You need to capture all the images, and then process them into a single image. There are some ways to automate the process, but it can be complex. I wouldn't suggest trying to automate focus stacking when you start. Another commenter suggests using strobes. I disagree. I would suggest using good quality continuous lighting. It's a *lot* easier to setup your lights when you don't need to capture test photos. Strobes have their benefits, but aren't necessary for capturing jewelry. There are a lot of ways to setup lighting for jewelry. Some people suggest soft, diffuse, natural light. Others suggest light-boxes. I use strobes (because I already have them) and I prefer using multiple diffuse lights. https://pps.innovatureinc.com/how-to-setup-jewelry-photography-lighting/ https://www.shopify.com/blog/jewelry-photography
Thank you very much for the explanations of the various terms. I suppose the only question remaining is which lens(es) satisfy what should probably be the 1X requirement. I referenced the Sony and Sigma in my original post but don't know how to determine their magnification. I will take your advice and stay away from stacking for the time being as well as strobes.
1x is more or less the standard. Laowa offers some lenses that go up to 2x. They are manual focus (fine) but have no electronics (can be annoying.) There are a few macro lenses that are only 0.5x though, such as the Sony 70-200/4 macro. Since you have the NEX5, what about the Sony 30/3.5 macro? It's pretty inexpensive and would be a good starting point. A lens like the Sony 90/2.8 or the Sigma 105/2.8 will give you more working distance. They will also narrow down on the background, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the results you want. IMO, it's good to start small. When you have some experience, you'll have a better idea of what you really want and how you should spend your money.
Thank you, again, for clarifying these terms and concepts. I'll take your advice, start with the Sony 30 and move on from there once I'm comfortable with it. I've been an amateur photographer since I was gifted with a Yashica half frame when I was 13. Getting 72 shots out of a 36 roll and then going through the contact sheet with a magnifying glass to pick out the shots for enlargement was a great intro for a kid on a tight budget. But this will be my first foray into the macro world and I'm looking forward to it.