Best lens for Macro

Wolf_36

Wolf_36

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I hope this isn't asking to much but I will give it a go all the same.
Macro is one field I would like to get a little more of a go at over all the other things we can do now.

I have got a Sony DT 2.8/30 Macro as I have got a Sony A77.
The lens I have when I get a shot I really have to get in close and I don't mind it too much but my wife hates it.
So I was wondering if there is a lens out there where I I can still do the close up shots while keeping at a distance.
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks to all in advance.
 
I get confused by the different Sony mount options so apologies in advance if it's not available but the Sigma 150mm is a beauty. There's an OS version now but I've only used the non OS, which is fantastic. There's also an older 180mm version and I think Tamron do one at that length as well though finding either of those might be pot luck. Otherwise there are a few options in the 90-105mm range from Tamron, Sigma and Tokina. All great lenses. I don't actually ever remember reading a bad review of any macro lens but they all have their own pros and cons.
 
Thanks for that and I agree with Sony on the A or E mount plus I think there is another for the NEW camera then you have the Minolta which is supposed to fit my camera but all I have seen are too small.
I will go looking for your suggestions. I hope some time next year I can get one.
 
I'd vote for the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro. But you have about 5 different versions. There's several old versions from the 90s which were technically produced with the A-mount (for Minolta) but will fit your Sony A77, then you get to the newer versions.
If you have the budget, get the newest version you can find. The older Tamron - SP AF 90 F2.8 Di Macro 272EM (from 2004) should set you back about £120-150. The next newest is the Tamron - SP 90 F2.8 Di Macro USD F004 (from 2012, I have this one) should cost about £200-250) and the latest version released this year is the Tamron - SP 90 F2.8 Di Macro USD Product code: F017S. Note the product codes when looking at these lenses as the model names are practically the same.
Basically Tamron have been developing this lens and refining is since the 1970s (when it was manual focus). The two newest versions have USD, which is their quiet faster auto-focus motor and they also have a focus limit switch so if you aren't doing close focus you can stop the lens from trying to focus on close objects, thus speeding up AF on the rest of the scene, which is a major benefit on macro lenses, which aren't known to be the fastest focusing type of lenses.

Note that the two most recent versions of the Tamron 90mm do come in an Image Stabilised version for Nikon and Canon, but because the Sony cameras have stabilisation built in, the Sony versions of the lens don't have Image Stabilisation (or VC as Tamron call it). Also this means that if you buy the older versions of Sony/Minolta fit lenses, they benefit from the Sony stabilisation (SteadyShot) in the camera. I used to have a Sony DSLR so I was quite pleased with this feature.

If you don't know about it already, take a look at the Dyxum website, it's a great resource for everything related to Sony/Minolta SLRs, including a brilliant database of lenses with user reviews. So click here: http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/results.asp?chbLensType=2 to see all the Macro lenses available in the Sony/Minolta A-Mount.

Here's a shot I took with my Tamron:
Little balls of water by Alistair Beavis, on Flickr
 
Wasp said:
Thanks for that and I agree with Sony on the A or E mount plus I think there is another for the NEW camera then you have the Minolta which is supposed to fit my camera but all I have seen are too small.
I will go looking for your suggestions. I hope some time next year I can get one.
Click to expand...
Sony made life complicated. I used to own an Alpha 100 and then Alpha 350 so I know the pain.

Potted info:
Back in the 70s and 80s Minolta made film SLRs with the MD lens mount. (They have no electronic contacts on the lens mount)
Then they started producing Auto Focus cameras and lenses under the "Dynax" and "Alpha" model names. Most lenses say "AF" in the model name and there are some brilliant lenses in the back catalogue.
Sony bought Minolta's SLR business in the 2005 ish. Minolta had only produced 2 Digital SLRs (confusingly called the 5D and 7D) by then, but had made countless film SLRs and Lenses.
Sony brought out their first DSLR the Alpha 100 which was very similar to Minolta's 5D and 7D with the A-mount that Minolta had invented. So all existing Minolta users could simply take their Minolta A-mount lenses and fit them onto the new Sony cameras.
In 2010 Sony stopped making DSLR cameras with a moving mirror for the view finder and started using the SLT system with an electronic view finder. Hence the DSLT models.
In 2010 Sony brought out the NEX series of compact system cameras with the E-Mount lenses. This is a crop sensor, but you could get an adaptor to use A-Mount lenses on the E-mount.
In 2013 Sony released the a7 series of full frame E-Mount cameras. So now they were producing full frame and crop frame cameras and lenses for both E-mount and A-mount.

Also of note: Up until 2012 Sony Alpha DSLRs and DSLT cameras used the old Minolta-style flash hotshoe. After this point, Sony introduced a more standard hotshoe, so you no longer have to use Sony-specific flashes and triggers (unless you want TTL).

Types of Sony camera and their mounts:

Sony DSLR a100 (crop sensor) to a950 (full frame) - A-mount
Sony DSLT a33/55/77 (crop sensor) to a99 (full frame) - A-mount
Sony NEX3/5/7/9 to a5000/a6300 (crop sensor) - E-mount (crop)
Sony a7/a7II/a7R/a7R2 (full frame) - E-mount (full frame)

If you are thinking about secondhand lenses at all, do check out the Dyxum website. When browsing ebay if you find lenses which say Minolta AF on them, they are full frame and will fit your a77. Anything labelled Minolta or Sony A-mount will fit your camera.
Have fun.
 
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Wasp said:
I hope this isn't asking to much but I will give it a go all the same.
Macro is one field I would like to get a little more of a go at over all the other things we can do now.

I have got a Sony DT 2.8/30 Macro as I have got a Sony A77.
The lens I have when I get a shot I really have to get in close and I don't mind it too much but my wife hates it.
So I was wondering if there is a lens out there where I I can still do the close up shots while keeping at a distance.
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks to all in advance.
Click to expand...

What do you want to take photos of? if you want to take photos of things that will scare (e.g. insects) then you want something with a long working distance, if you are taking photos of something that won't it isn't such an issue although something with a very short working distance can cause issues when using additional light.

Budget? needless to say the better, longer models tend to cost more.

Personally, I don't find the Minolta/Sony system confusing at all but I am a long time user. You can say pretty much the same about Canon & Nikon systems where some lenses will work on certain bodies & not others.
 
There's loads of 'best macro lens' threads on TP, have a little search...
 
You could always look into macro tubes/rings for a very cheap set up using your current lenses. Just ordered myself some yesterday for £20. They'll offer decent enough close up not-quite-1:1 with my 35mm on the Fuji. They also maintain auto focus, which is fine. But for proper macro you will want to get to grips with manual focusing.

I'm not familiar with Sony lenses, but someone pointed out the Tamron 90mm, and the Sigma 105, both very decent options that may be found used for good value.
 
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To me the big decisions are working distance, perspective and any secondary non macro uses. Answer those questions and the focal length will be decided and then you can choose a lens :D I think that often people forget about perspective, so I'd keep that in mind.

For walk about stuff with occasional close up shooting I'd go for 50mm (on FF) and for more deliberate and not so much walk about stuff I'd go longer and use it as a longer general lens too. I had a Sigma 150mm which I thought was excellent and very good for the latter scenarios.

Good luck choosing.
 
The sigma 150mm is excellent. I would advise against the pricey OS version though. Mine dislodged after just over a year, and when I looked it up, it seems it's a common issue with that lens. OS isn't needed for macro anyway, and the non OS version is just as good optically I hear.
 
There are lots of good macro lenses out there as already mentioned I think you would be hard pushed or unlucky if you were to get a bad one !
AF isn't a requirement either TBH some suggested extension tubes higher up the thread which would be my first dip as they will work with lenses you already own ?
And give you a better working distance with a telephoto or longer zoom.
 
The best results I achieved on my Sony a200 was with the Tamron 90mm, it never let me down and produced excellent results.
 
Thank you everyone you have given me food for thought on this. I really like the 90mm lens which has been mentioned a few times.
SO I may start to do some hunting for that one that will go with my camera.
Just to add the reason to what I want it for.
Its more to keep the wife happy as she hates it when I get in real close with my macro lens I have now and you have to get in close to make it work right.
SO the 90 will keep me away and her happy.
Thank you all once again.
 
Why is your wife so bothered about you getting so close?

Anyway, since you're on a Sony A77, you can actually go for the older Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro because you already have image stabilisation in your camera body.
Ebay search
 
ABTog said:
Why is your wife so bothered about you getting so close?
Click to expand...

My GF is the same. I think ladies think that a close up will show every imperfection but shooting from further away wont.
 
woof woof said:
My GF is the same. I think ladies think that a close up will show every imperfection but shooting from further away wont.
Click to expand...
Ah, are you using the macro lens to photograph your wife?

Well you didn't say that specifically ;) You're title implies you want a macro lens, not a portrait lens.
Macro lenses are generally very sharp and will show more detail than some other lenses, but a 30mm lens will mean you have to get close.
From my experience a 30mm lens will also be rather unflattering when shooting portraits, which your wife probably won't like either.
I've used the Sigma 30mm f1.4 on a crop sensor camera and it's not that flattering for portraits, especially as you do have to get up close to fill the frame.
Look at these examples:
focallengtharticle.jpg


Notice how the face looks in better proportion and the nose looks smaller at the longer focal length.
(These images were taken on a full frame camera, so your 30mm lens is closer to a 50mm on full frame and putting a 90mm on your camera will give you a similar look to the 135mm).

What's more important to you? Macro or portraits?
If you want a lens that can do both, then the 90mm Tamron or 105mm Sigma are the best bets.
 
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