Christmas-Present-To-Self

Day 75: Every year, I buy myself a Christmas present. It's not that I don't get enough presents from friends...because I do!...but I like to reward myself for leading a fairly frugal life the rest of the year. That's not to say that I buy anything expensive or extravagant, either. Oftentimes, it's something relatively simple which I just haven't been able to justify purchasing except on this special occasion.

This year, I came into a small windfall when Hyundai decided that they had overestimated the MPG rating for my new car. They sent me a rebate based on the number of miles I've driven. It wasn't a large amount (I've only owned the car since last spring), but it paid the tab for a set of three Hoya "macro filters" which attach to my Canon SX30 IS by means of an adapter ring which I already owned. The filters are rated at 1x, 2x and 4x and may be stacked in any combination for up to 7x magnification, although there is significant vignetting if more than one is used.

I spent an hour or so yesterday playing with them under quite an assortment of scenarios. I am quite pleased with the functionality of them, particularly in the way they gather light and also how they alter the depth of field to allow the foreground to pop even more dramatically with the lower f-stops. My sole objection is that they seem to gather dust all too readily, although that may be an effect of my forced-air heat. As regards that, the dust-gathering seemed to diminish somewhat when I was standing in the rain photographing lichens, the purpose for which I intended the filters in the first place.

This photo was taken using the 4x filter. It is only slightly cropped from the original. I'm having fun with my new toys!