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Anonymous
I was getting somewhat annoyed that my Canon S2 IS had this nice macro function on it but if used with the inbuilt flash you would get the shadow from the lens cast if you was too close to the subject. So I googled about until I found this.

Macro flash photography on the cheap. Cheaper than buying a macro flash ring for DSLR and works for those that don't have a hotshoe flash.
http://www.shaolintiger.com/2007/09/07/the-shaolin-botol-susu-diffuser-plastic-milk-bottle-for-11-ma
cro-photography/

I figured if you can put it on a hotshoe flash with a DSLR why not with a semi-compact like the S2 using the inbuilt flash? So I fudged something similar together using a small plastic Evian bottle. I put a slot in it. Cut the drinking end off. Cut some of the bottom off. Put in some shiney foil and taped over some kitchen towel. Did a few test shots. Found out I had to turn he flash level down or it would burn out. But it works! No more lens shadow when really close to the subject.

However there are a few caveats (There always is). If you shoot from straight ahead or with a light source behind you you get the flash burning out the top of the object, undershadow from the object itself and the lens casting a shadow. But this time caused by blocking the light directly in front of the object. You can get around all of these by shooting from slightly below instead of straight ahead. My next step is to figure out how to avoid the problems of shooting straight on or from above. I suspect that my flash bottle is too close to the lens itself unlike the DSLR which can use a larger bottle, bigger diffusion and is further away from the lens. My own idea is to add some kind of reflector ring to the end of the lens to reflect some of the light coming from the flash above, back onto the object thus illuminating the undershadows and lens shadows. Foil will do the job but not sure how to attach it right now or even if it will work. Worth a try though don't you think?
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot S2 ISPhotographerAnonymousMaximum Lens Aperturef/2.7Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaImage-Specific Properties:Horizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2007:10:01 23:00:32Exposure Time1/60 secF-Numberf/2.7Lens Aperturef/2.7Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModeCenter Weighted AverageFlashFlash, Compulsory, Red-Eye ReduceFocal Length6.00 mmRenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandard
>> Anonymous
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I did not even notice the fleck of crap on his nose until I blew it up. This figure is smaller than it looks :)

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot S2 ISPhotographerAnonymousMaximum Lens Aperturef/2.7Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaImage-Specific Properties:Horizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2007:10:01 23:03:04Exposure Time1/60 secF-Numberf/2.7Lens Aperturef/2.7Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModeCenter Weighted AverageFlashFlash, Compulsory, Red-Eye ReduceFocal Length6.00 mmRenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandard