Macro photography is a genre that many people avoid because they think they need specific gear (a macro lens) and they haven’t bothered to make the investment. For anyone considering the jump into macro photography, there are a multitude of different approaches to increase your magnification into the 1:1 lifesize realm and beyond. If you already have a macro lens, this video will show you the myriad of ways you can push closer and closer still.

Simple options:
Close-up filters (eBay search) »
Kenko Extension Tubes »
Close-up filters are by far the least expensive way to approach macro photography without a dedicated lens (though you can put them on a macro lens for an extra boost as well). Expect optical degradation, especially around the edges of the frame, but these filters open a door for you.
Extension tubes are a better option if your budget allows, and can be used in a number of creative ways. Effectively, they can shift your lens focusing range forward; this prevents focus very far away but allows for focus at a much closer scale. Normal and medium-telephoto lenses benefit from extension tubes the most, but I’ve cobbled together a composition or two with a fisheye lens. Be warned that adding too much extension to a wide angle lens can shift the focus so far forward that it’s actually internal to the front lens element and you’ll never find anything in focus! Some tinkering required but these are a great option.
Bonus: if you own a teleconverter, you can use extension tubes to cover the protruding lens element and allow you to couple the TC to a standard macro lens. These additional optics on a macro scale can work wonders to increase your magnification if you just can’t get close enough!
 
High-magnification lenses:
Canon MP-E 65mm 1x-5x macro »
Mitakon 20mm 4-4.5x macro »
Laowa 60mm 2X macro »
Laowa 25mm 2.5-5X macro »
1:1 macro offers near-infinite possibilities, but you’ll soon discover details that you want to dive deeper into: the eyes of a bee, the pollen inside a flower, snowflakes and more. Canon is the only major manufacturer that offers a modern lens that pushes well beyond 1:1 magnification, but thankfully a number of third-party lens manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with designs for a variety of lens mounts with more extreme capabilities.
Having used the Mitakon 20mm extreme macro lens, I can tell you it’s like have a microscope on your camera. It has an odd three-blade aperture and a seemingly useless transition from 4x to 4.5x magnification… but for $200 it’s an easy way forward. I have handled the Laowa 60mm 2X macro and it’s very well built with great image quality.
All extreme macro lenses are manual-focus only, and this is something you should embrace at a close scale. Nearly all of my macro work is done by leaving the focus at a set point (this establishes magnification factor) and then physically moving the camera forward and back. More on this technique in future videos!
A notable factor here is sensor size. Using a 1:1 magnification macro lens on a micro four thirds camera is the equivalent of pushing to 2:1 magnification on a full-frame camera without needing to add on anything extra.
 
Ring flash: Yongnuo YN-14EX »
Good lighting is often underrated when it comes to macro photography gear. From snowflakes to insects, I often use a ring flash to illuminate my subjects. Off-camera flash via a wireless trigger is another fantastic option. So long as you’re doing something to control your lighting you’ll get much better results. Pro Tip: when shooting outside in sunlight, use a black umbrella with a long handle as a way to create portable shade so your flashes don’t have to overpower the sun. This drastically improves your results!