First Macro lens ordered, what else do I need to get up close?

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Hi all,

I'm a newcomer to Macro photography having placed an order for my Sigma 105mm 2.8 OS lens due to arrive this coming week. If I want to capture really up close shots what else would I need? Would I need ring flash as well and would the Raynox DC-250 magnifier help me to achieve even closer shots than the Sigma can deliver? Will be shot on a Canon 700D.

Many thanks for any advice!
 
•
Close up lenses and alike a poorly recommendable but I
can point towards extension tubes!
 
smr said:
Hi all,

I'm a newcomer to Macro photography having placed an order for my Sigma 105mm 2.8 OS lens due to arrive this coming week. If I want to capture really up close shots what else would I need? Would I need ring flash as well and would the Raynox DC-250 magnifier help me to achieve even closer shots than the Sigma can deliver? Will be shot on a Canon 700D.

Many thanks for any advice!
Click to expand...

There's already a similar thread (several actually) with all the answers you need have a look there. I can't post the links right now but there's plenty info.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
•
Close up lenses and alike a poorly recommendable but I
can point towards extension tubes!
Click to expand...
Why don't you recommend Macro/close up lenses?
 
smr said:
Hi all,

I'm a newcomer to Macro photography having placed an order for my Sigma 105mm 2.8 OS lens due to arrive this coming week. If I want to capture really up close shots what else would I need? Would I need ring flash as well and would the Raynox DC-250 magnifier help me to achieve even closer shots than the Sigma can deliver? Will be shot on a Canon 700D.

Many thanks for any advice!
Click to expand...
How close are you wanting to get? This was shot with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 OS which you have ordered, and to give you some idea of scale the eyes are about the size of pin heads.

DSC_8759 by TDG-77, on Flickr

This is on FF so with crop body you'd be even closer. You can attached a raynox but depth of field will be as thin as a piece of paper and very difficulty to focus. Apparently ring flashes give very harsh light and is difficult to control. I tend to use an off camera flash on a bracket with a small softbox.
 
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snerkler said:
Why don't you recommend Macro/close up lenses?
Click to expand...
•
Macro lens defines a dedicated lens for macro work as
Close up lens defines an added glass screwed in front of the lens.

The close up lens doses what is meant to do but with too costly optical
detriment compared to extension tubes that have no such disadvantage.
Extension tubes add no glass and may have the same contacts as the
camera so permitting all the normal functions of the lens.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
•
Macro lens defines a dedicated lens for macro work as
Close up lens defines an added glass screwed in front of the lens.

The close up lens doses what is meant to do but with too costly optical
detriment compared to extension tubes that have no such disadvantage.
Extension tubes add no glass and may have the same contacts as the
camera so permitting all the normal functions of the lens.
Click to expand...
Sorry, my misunderstanding. I'm with you on the close up lens.
 
snerkler said:
Sorry, my misunderstanding. I'm with you on the close up lens.
Click to expand...
•
I knew it, don't worry.
… that's why I started with the definitions
 
smr said:
That photo with just the Sigma lens and no extension tubes or other magnification then? Super photo!
Click to expand...

You'll find the Sigma is a very capable lens with fantastic macro abilities and there's no need for tubes or Raynox unless you need to go beyond 1:1. It's a fantastic general Macro lens and can be used as a decent portrait etc lens too. Beware tho the MPE-65 is the next step;)
 
smr said:
That photo with just the Sigma lens and no extension tubes or other magnification then? Super photo!
Click to expand...
Thanks. No nothing apart from the lens, although the image is cropped a bit.
 
BRASH said:
You'll find the Sigma is a very capable lens with fantastic macro abilities and there's no need for tubes or Raynox unless you need to go beyond 1:1. It's a fantastic general Macro lens and can be used as a decent portrait etc lens too. Beware tho the MPE-65 is the next step;)
Click to expand...

Hmmm how did I not see that lens mentioned during the days and days of macro lens roundup /research I did !
 
smr said:
Hmmm how did I not see that lens mentioned during the days and days of macro lens roundup /research I did !
Click to expand...
I wish Nikon did a lens like that.
 
smr said:
Hmmm how did I not see that lens mentioned during the days and days of macro lens roundup /research I did !
Click to expand...

Dunno mate. It is the holy grail of macro lens but a bitch to get used to. You'll be fine with the Sigma for now but I'll bet after a while you'll fancy the MPE:D​
 
Astonishing lens, just had a look at the flickr pool. Well, one step at a time, thoroughly looking forward to getting the Sigma - back OT... are all ring flashes prone to producing too harsh a light then? There seems to be so many and then LED types as well it's difficult to understand what's what. I don't really want to pay 4 or 5 hundred on one, or £200 even, unless it was going to help my photography.
 
smr said:
Astonishing lens, just had a look at the flickr pool. Well, one step at a time, thoroughly looking forward to getting the Sigma - back OT... are all ring flashes prone to producing too harsh a light then? There seems to be so many and then LED types as well it's difficult to understand what's what. I don't really want to pay 4 or 5 hundred on one, or £200 even, unless it was going to help my photography.
Click to expand...
Do you have a flash already? If so just buy a bracket for under a tenner, TTL cable for under a tenner and a small softbox for around £20-30, or even better build your own.
 
smr said:
Astonishing lens, just had a look at the flickr pool. Well, one step at a time, thoroughly looking forward to getting the Sigma - back OT... are all ring flashes prone to producing too harsh a light then? There seems to be so many and then LED types as well it's difficult to understand what's what. I don't really want to pay 4 or 5 hundred on one, or £200 even, unless it was going to help my photography.
Click to expand...

Naked flashes of any type will give overly harsh light for macro. The trick and part of the fun is getting the diffusion right. Look at the Yongnuo ring flash for about £75. It's every bit as good as the Sigma ring at 4 x the price. I've had both. Then there's the MT-24EX. I closed my car boot on mine and busted it. Not got round to replacing it yet. The MPE-65 and the MT-24EX with the right diffusion are a match made in heaven. The ultimate combination imo. Of course there are plenty alternatives that will do a great job but that set up takes some beating.
 
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BRASH said:
Naked flashes of any type will give overly harsh light for macro. The trick and part of the fun is getting the diffusion right. Look at the Yongnuo ring flash for about £75. It's every bit as good as the Sigma ring at 4 x the price. I've had both. Then there's the MT-24EX. I closed my car boot on mine and busted it. Not got round to replacing it yet. The MPE-65 and the MT-24EX with the right diffusion are a match made in heaven. The ultimate combination imo. Of course there are plenty alternatives that will do a great job but that set up takes some beating.
Click to expand...
How are you diffusing ring flash and what subjects are we talking about?
 
snerkler said:
How are you diffusing ring flash and what subjects are we talking about?
Click to expand...

I diffuse mine with white packing foam just taped on. I sometimes use it with no diffusion tho. Take a look at some if my 'planets' threads in the Macro section, they are all taken without diffusion. The insects etc on my Flickr are all with diffusion.
 
@smr Joel, I advise getting to know your macro lens really well first before considering what else you may need. By discovering its strengths and limitations according to your image subjects and results, you will buy additional gear more wisely for your needs.
 
Rapscallion said:
you may also look into a focussing rail.
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I keep thinking of getting one of these but I really only take insects and the little blighters don't stay still ;) Would love to be able of focus stack. Don't know how you do this with insects but Thomas Sahan seems to be able to (live his work). Maybe I'm just not patient enough ;)
 
RedRobin said:
@smr Joel, I advise getting to know your macro lens really well first before considering what else you may need. By discovering its strengths and limitations according to your image subjects and results, you will buy additional gear more wisely for your needs.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was thinking this too, sound advice, thanks Robin.
 
smr said:
On Amazon it's selling with a 58mm adapter ring - the Sigma is 58mm filter thread but one of the reviews on the Yongnuo said they had to buy a step up ring for their Sigma 105mm.... I don't understand that if a 58mm is included?
Click to expand...
The original 105/2.8 has a 58mm thread but the newer OS version (as you've bought) has a 62mm thread.

Bob
 
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if you are not worried about looks, try a pringles tube with clear plastic cap on bottom to diffuse the light off of flash, cut one end to fit under pop up flash, then by trial and error alter power of flash in camera, cheapest way to get started,
 
Thanks for the suggestion.

The lens arrived this morning - fantastic delivery from Amazon as it did say it was coming Thurs, then Weds, then an email to say today! Saver delivery.

Anyway, I've just unboxed the lens, unfortunately the packaging, even though all through Amazon, wasn't brilliant - they'd not really put enough of that brown paper in the box to stop the sigma box from moving around. The lens when I pick it up makes a bit of movement inside, is that normal? Like I can feel something rattling a bit but it's not rattling loads? What could that be? Hope its not faulty.
 
IS/OS lenses often rattle a little.....is the parts that move to provide the stabilisation.

Bob
 
smr said:
Thanks for the suggestion.

The lens arrived this morning - fantastic delivery from Amazon as it did say it was coming Thurs, then Weds, then an email to say today! Saver delivery.

Anyway, I've just unboxed the lens, unfortunately the packaging, even though all through Amazon, wasn't brilliant - they'd not really put enough of that brown paper in the box to stop the sigma box from moving around. The lens when I pick it up makes a bit of movement inside, is that normal? Like I can feel something rattling a bit but it's not rattling loads? What could that be? Hope its not faulty.
Click to expand...
As bob says you can hear the OS moving inside, as you can when in use too.
 
smr said:
Hi all,

I'm a newcomer to Macro photography having placed an order for my Sigma 105mm 2.8 OS lens due to arrive this coming week. If I want to capture really up close shots what else would I need? Would I need ring flash as well and would the Raynox DC-250 magnifier help me to achieve even closer shots than the Sigma can deliver? Will be shot on a Canon 700D.

Many thanks for any advice!
Click to expand...

Whilst Kodiak Qc cannot recommend close up filters for macro?!...Im the complete opposite, I cant recommend them enough! ;).
The Raynox 250/150 macro close up lenses work really well, as do the Canon/Polaroid 500/250D screw on filters. You would be foolish not to add one of those clip on/screw on close up filters to enhance your macro set up. For the sake of £30 to £40 each(or less if bought used) its a cost effective way to improve your macro photography.
Like all things close up/macro, once you get used to using your Sigma dedicated macro lens, you will want to get even closer to your chosen subjects...thats where these good quality close up filters come into play.
Be warned though, they are not that easy to use, so perhaps start with the Raynox 150 first, then work your way up to greater magnification.
I guess it all depends on your chosen close up/macro subjects?...I reckon we all start on Bugs/Insects ;)

Several examples from me(i hope you dont mind me posting my images on your thread). All these images utilize close up filters/achromactic lens, some of my images will not be cropped either.

Cheers Paul.


Hornet.
Hornet feeding on Ivy. 13th-October-2015. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Small Copper Butterfly(not much bigger than your thumb nail).
Small Copper Butterfly. 25th-October-2015. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Dragonflies in Cop.
Migrant Hawker Dragonflies, in Cop. Macro/close up (uncropped). 4th-October-2015. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

To be fair, the above images are shot with old bridge cameras, so i should add some images using a DSLR and dedicated macro lens plus Raynox 150.

Nikon D7100/Nikon 105mm VR macro lens/Raynox 150.
Crab Spider.
Crab Spider. 19th-May-2015. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Orange Tip (Male) Butterfly.
Orange-tip Butterfly (male) uncropped. 16th-May-2015. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Juvenile/Baby Adder (Viper berus).
Juvenile/Baby Adder (uncropped). 5th-April-2015. by Testudo Man, on Flickr
 
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Great post and great images thanks. They are the kind of subjects I was thinking about earlier, bees, flowers, insects, critters etc. I did order a ring flash which comes in a couple of days - as I've read up about the pros and cons and decided on getting one. I'll get a Raynox then as well I think, as you say for £40 and if I can get even closer then it sounds like a good investment.

I'll just stick with that for the time being, and practice and enjoy using the lens. I've only used the lens briefly today indoors with the lights on. Because I'm not used to working at such DOF I am finding it hunting for focus quite a bit but I guess that's down to my inexperience. I know getting a ring flash and any other magnification therefore sounds a bit brash but I'll learn without them, then learn with them and learn how it all works together.
 
smr said:
I am finding it hunting for focus quite a bit
Click to expand...
You might find it easier switch to manual, and focus by rocking back and forth slightly. Without a flash you may find it difficult to get sharp images, so brace yourself against whatever you can, keep your elbows in and try not to breath :p
 
smr said:
Great post and great images thanks. They are the kind of subjects I was thinking about earlier, bees, flowers, insects, critters etc. I did order a ring flash which comes in a couple of days - as I've read up about the pros and cons and decided on getting one. I'll get a Raynox then as well I think, as you say for £40 and if I can get even closer then it sounds like a good investment.

I'll just stick with that for the time being, and practice and enjoy using the lens. I've only used the lens briefly today indoors with the lights on. Because I'm not used to working at such DOF I am finding it hunting for focus quite a bit but I guess that's down to my inexperience. I know getting a ring flash and any other magnification therefore sounds a bit brash but I'll learn without them, then learn with them and learn how it all works together.
Click to expand...

Ive never used a Ring Flash myself, i sometimes just use the on board camera flash, with a home made Pringles diffuser. It depends what camera Im using at the time.
Since my chosen subjects are generally outside in the sun, i can get away with just using the available light for most of the time.

Good luck with your close up/macro, use the winter months to practice, then when Spring comes, you will "have it off to a fine art" ;)

If you do choose my types of subjects, then you will have to also improve your Fieldcraft/Skills! but thats a whole other area to think about!

Cheers Paul.
 
smr said:
Cheers Paul. I'd like to protect the glass - any recommendations of a clear filter to do this with?
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....I used to think this way but took notice of what some photographers were saying here on TP and now don't mount a filter unless on a beach or cliff top. The lens hood offers a lot of protection and certainly Canon (and doubtless Nikon) have top grade glass coatings and say that protective filters aren't necessary. I guess that with Sigma, Tamron, and the cheaper lenses a protective filter may be wiser - Afterall they have to save their production costs somewhere.

Hoya Pro1 Digital are established as good quality clear filters.
 
smr said:
Cheers Paul. I'd like to protect the glass - any recommendations of a clear filter to do this with?
Click to expand...

I never use clear filters to protect the glass, but i can see why some people do this.
Since i use close up filters/Raynox macro lenses frequently, then i guess these "add ons" are protecting the front element. Without the close up filters, then the lens hood offers some protection.

It looks like RedRobin has given you your answer ;)
 
Yeah don't get overly worried about protecting your lens. The front elements are usually pretty tough:


I suppose it might be possible to scratch the lens coatings, but I think it would take a fair bit of abuse to do this.
 
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