Hey, it’s not high-def, but a pinhole lens lets you capture high depth of field, as in the shot on the left. Meanwhile, a DIY macro lens offers a close-up peek at teeny-tiny things, such as the mustard seeds in the pic on the right, for less than 20 bucks.

WHAT YOU NEED

> Empty Pringles can
> SLR body caps to fit your camera ($5, www.calumetphoto.com)
> Dremel or small-bit standard drill
> Tin snips
> Utility knife
> Rough sandpaper or metal file
> Hot glue or contact cement
> Black marker or paint
> Black construction paper or felt
> Black sock (optional)
> Used SLR lens (fixed distance works well)
> Needle
> Foil tape (optional)

Other photogs will snicker at you when you whip out your Pringles can macro lens - but think of all the money you’ve saved!

If you’re a practitioner of the photographic arts, eventually you’re going to want the freedom of having a number of different lenses at your disposal. But single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, standard issue among amateurs and pros alike, offer a wide variety of sometimes shockingly pricey lenses - specifically in the macro (up-close) photo arena, where capturing the tiny can cost thousands of dollars.

Which is why we’re going to show you how to cheaply build a camera extension tube to capture macro details down to the millimeter, and ditch the glass lens for an altogether different effect with a high depth-of-field (equally focusing near and distant subjects) pinhole setup. Note: Both DIY lenses require a tripod since the tiniest movement will blur your shots, and a shutter-release remote (or the camera’s timer) is recommended, as well.

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