Macro mode on SLR lens?

[pete6032]

I have a Pentax SLR. I got a 70-300 zoom lens for it. This lens also has a macro mode swith on it. Can someone explain how this works? Do I need to have the camera set to macro mode and have the lens set to macro in order to use this feature, or can I have my camera on manual and the lens on macro and still take macro pictures?

 

[destrekor]

I don't know Pentax models, but I'm fairly certain you should be able to just set Macro on the lens and that's all you need.

I'm assuming the "Macro" mode on the camera is probably a scene-type setting, like Landscape or Portrait, also found around the Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority settings?

If that's the case, you can use the lens macro in any given priority or scene setting.

 

[Throckmorton]

It allows closer focus. You don't have to do anything on the camera http://forums.steves-digicams.com/newbie-help/172673-what-does-macro-switch-do-my-lens.html#b

 

[iGas]

I'm not sure what make your lens is but macro mode let your lens focus from minimum distance to infinity, so that you can take closeup pictures but at the penalty of AF focusing speed, due to long throw of the focusing gear especially for closeup focusing accuracy. The regular mode shorten the focus range from a specific distance that is far from minimum focus (possibly starting anywhere from 0.5~3.5m) to infinity.

For instant the Canon 100L macro have 3 focusing modes, Full (0.3m-∞, very slow focusing due to long focusing range and long throw), 0.5m-∞ (more than quick enough for AI Servo sport photography), and 0.3-0.5m which narrow the focusing range down for closeup work.

 

[Gintaras]

Macro "mode" on DSLR camera is - Macro lense(telephoto lense sometimes can be used for macro photography)