My zoom lenses claim of a macro setting, but it seems like nothing more than being at the maximum focal length. For example, if I can zoom between 80-210mm, then it just seems like this mysterious “macro” setting is nothing more than being at 210mm.
Can someone please explain how the “macro” setting is supposed to work? And, how is one supposed to be using this feature?
“They’re coming to take me away ha-ha, ho-ho, hee-hee, to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time… :)” - Napoleon IV
The macro setting is for, as your father says, close-up photos. It allows you to focus on subjects much closer than the normal, or non-macro, setting. Typically, you can engage the macro only from the longest focal length on your zoom. Also, a zoom macro isn’t technically a true macro. A true macro lense will allow you to capture an image at life-size or greater, while a zoom macro image is generally limited to 1/4 life-size. A truer name for these types of lenses would be “micro zoom.”
Here’s a link from Kodak’s Guide to Better Pictures. There is a wealth of good information availble here for beginner/intermediate users.