WHATS A GOOD MACRO LENS

andyt72

andyt72

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andrew
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as a new guy to photography and im using a canon eos 450d
as well as other types of picture i like to take im quite into macro aswell i do NOT currently have a macro lens can anyone suggest a very good macro lens to buy any make as long as its canon fit
 
you've quite a selection.

Canon 100mm
Canon 60mm
Canon 180mm (expensive)
Sigma 150mm
sigma 105mm
Tamron 90mm

not forgetting the MPE65 which is a whole other ball game :)
 
I've got a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and I can't praise it highly enough. I'd suggest you go for a secondhand one (around £200, £250) and spend the rest on a flash setup. You've got to be careful with your light, macro requires very small apertures, so you need to bring your own light sometimes!
 
chris321 said:
I've got a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and I can't praise it highly enough. I'd suggest you go for a secondhand one (around £200, £250) and spend the rest on a flash setup. You've got to be careful with your light, macro requires very small apertures, so you need to bring your own light sometimes!
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sounds like the one ive been advised to buy from here

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-100mm-f2-8-usm-macro-lens/p12862

so are you also suggesting i need to buy a flash gun too as im only using the built in flash that comes with the camera
 
Well I would go for the Tamron 90 or the Sigma 105 and a set of auto extension tubes with the rest of the £400 giving you a magnification of up to 2:1 the rest are about £400 or above. You will need flash but you could use the on board flash but you need to project the light over the front of the lens, have a look in the macro gear list sticky for some contraptions ;)
 
chris321 said:
I've got a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and I can't praise it highly enough........
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Me too :) I've tried the Sigmas but (IMHO) the build quality simply isn't as good as the Canon. The Canon's ultra-fast, near silent and internal autofocus also gives it the edge over some of the opposition.

Jeff
www.jeffharrisonphotography.co.uk
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Avocets, Kingfishers and Barn Owls)
 
Depending on how near you mind being, the Sigma 50mm Macro lens is a cracker - if you're wanting Macro for bugs etc the 50mm might be too short as you would have to be close to them, for plants etc it will do fine :thumbs:
 
chris321 said:
I've got a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and I can't praise it highly enough. I'd suggest you go for a secondhand one (around £200, £250) and spend the rest on a flash setup. You've got to be careful with your light, macro requires very small apertures, so you need to bring your own light sometimes!
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:agree:
I bought one a couple of months ago, its a great lens imho and have had some good results.
 
I agree Jeff but in macro I very rarely use the autofocus as I do everything manual so I wouldn't worry about that. The build is better with the Canon but the Sigma isn't that badly built either being the EX. The Tamron is the best picture quality lens but the worst built. None are built that bad to even think about worrying though unless you are rough with your photo gear.
 
I use the Sigma 105mm on an EOS350D and I have been really happy with it. I have had it for a while and use it not only for a macro lens but also portraits etc when the distance allows.

Bear in mind with any lens the cost of filters also ie possibly a new polariser if your other lenses are smaller than the one you wish to buy! You can get manual extension tubes off ebay for under £10 not as convenient as the the kenko tubes but have the same effect... In fact I even some bellows for just £35 so there is all sorts out there!! Does that help?

For some shots using the Sigma 105mm see my gallery or post in the macro area...
 
Rob.Richards said:
I use the Sigma 105mm on an EOS350D and I have been really happy with it. I have had it for a while and use it not only for a macro lens but also portraits etc when the distance allows.

Bear in mind with any lens the cost of filters also ie possibly a new polariser if your other lenses are smaller than the one you wish to buy! You can get manual extension tubes off ebay for under £10 not as convenient as the the kenko tubes but have the same effect... In fact I even some bellows for just £35 so there is all sorts out there!! Does that help?

For some shots using the Sigma 105mm see my gallery or post in the macro area...
Click to expand...
great thankyou very much
 
Another 100mm f2.8 Canon vote from me. I too would suggest 2nd hand and then consider a flash. I have tried macro for quite a few months without a flash - Now I have one I am expecting some stonking results!! From what I see, a flash seems to make all the difference.
 
JeffH said:
That's fair enough Alby but have you ever tried shooting Dragonflies in flight using manual focus ;):shake:

Jeff
www.jeffharrisonphotography.co.uk
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Avocets, Kingfishers and Barn Owls)
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If you are using autofocus, surely you aren't getting 1:1 ratio? I thought that to achieve 1:1 you had to set the barrel to 1 and then manual focus with those damn feet? I find that if I set it to 1 and use AF, you lose the ratio and while the subject is well focused you have lost size.

Am I totally wrong?:thinking:
 
No, you're right, but if you're just about at the minimum focussing distance before you try autofocussing, it'll only be just shy of 1:1, and probably not noticeable!
 
The tamron 90 won the test in last month digital camera mag test.
 
With the cropped sensor I would go for the EFS 60mm Macro lens.
I had one on my 450D and it was realy sharp.

I now have a 5D MKII and yes the 100mm F2.8 is great but on the 450D the focal length is 160mm and is not so good.

I still have a 450D as a back up and the 60mm on the 450D is equal to the 100mm on the 5D MKII

Just my opinion.

Cheers

Ron
 
I have a 150mm Macro and love it too bits, the sharpness is great and i have never been dissaapointed with IQ or build quality.
 
Right my advice as there seems to be a huge amount of varying reviews!

Firstly, look at your budget - it was set for a reason, unless you are wealthy it is unlikely you can really be persuaded to spend above this, so that eliminates a few options.

Compare the lenses within your budget and look at things like aperture, no of blades in the lens (the more blades gives you a better or smoother background blur as it gives a more perfect circle of light in the lens, MTF charts are found online and talk about image sharpness etc, filter size etc. With this information you will start to see 1 or 2 that are strong favourites. It is then that you head to your local shop and ask them to try them out on YOUR camera. If they dont have them in ask them to get them in! This will give you a proper feel for the balance on your camera, the feel of the lens when zooming etc. Some offer internal focusing others dont, most of them the front lens wont rotate which is really useful when using a polariser or a filter system each to their own on these things!

When I purchase things I look at future proofing, the ef-s lenses are great but could never be used on a 5D if i was fortunate enough to afford one...

Best of luck and i hope this has helped in someway...:shrug:
 
JeffH said:
That's fair enough Alby but have you ever tried shooting Dragonflies in flight using manual focus ;):shake:

Jeff
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ooowww!!!! Dragonfly in flight ....... I got one of those can I show it!! ...:clap: please can I ...... please :clap: :nuts:

.... aawww ... i didn't have a macro though ..... maybe not ..... not in front of alby :$:
 
Why not hammerhead? I've done very little dragonfly stuff and I must try and get out and do some.
 
Having both the 100mm Macro and MPE65 I would say that you would be best suited to using the 100mm Macro (initially)- it gives some spectacular shots and has the versatility of giving you the option of framing full butterfiles and other larger objects that would be too big for 1:1 macro. It also serves up a mean portrait shot due to the generous aperture and focal length.

As for the MPE65, the shots that can be had with this are simply out of this world but it is a very specialised lens meaning it enforces a strict limit on what you can frame with this lens. For example, you can forget about trying to get a full dragon fly in shot. The other thing with the MPE65 is that you need to change your technique with focusing; its better to rock forward/back or focus on the subject and then change the magnification while attempting to keep the subject in focus. However, do this right and you can go way beyond the normal macro standard (upto 5:1) - a truly amazing lens.

One last draw back though (with the MPE65) is that anything beyond 1:1 and you really do need to invest in a specialised flash set up such as the MT24EX or build some fancy dan flash rig so your flash can do its work without the lens getting in the way. You need to see how this lens extends to appreciate what I'm saying. :D

Mark
 
Ajophotog said:
Why not hammerhead? I've done very little dragonfly stuff and I must try and get out and do some.
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I didn't want to hijack the thread so if the OP wants me to remove just let me know. I'm not sure it's that good ? But I was so pleased I managed to get it sort of in-focus and in flight as I stood watching them fly over the pool in my sister-in-law's garden while on my Oz trip.
I stood watching them for about half an hour and had to use a sort of panning technique to get this. Couple this with the lens I have is not noted for it's sharpness ....but here goes .... be gentle :$

I've tried to do a 100% crop in the top corner as it looks really bad when I resize it to 800px.
3792761965_39a1742a86_o.jpg


I really want the Nikon 105mm micro. Maybe someday?

Paul
 
chris321 said:
I've got a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and I can't praise it highly enough. I'd suggest you go for a secondhand one (around £200, £250) and spend the rest on a flash setup. You've got to be careful with your light, macro requires very small apertures, so you need to bring your own light sometimes!
Click to expand...

Where can i find this lens at those prices?
 
The tamron SP 90 takes some beating or a good 50mm lens used with some extension tubes
 
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