Whats best for taking macro photos?

Bambi'sThumper

Bambi'sThumper

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Jenny
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Hi.
I'd like to know whats best for taking very close up images/macro?
I've been looking on ebay and found that theres thin "add on" lens or theres the proper sized lenses. Currently i have and only have a 18-55mm lens.
My DSLR is Canon 350D.
Sorry if i haven't given enough info this is only my second post.

Any help would be very appreciate. Thank you! :)
 
The Sigma 105mm lens is a popular choice. You should be able to pick a second hand one up for around £230
 
what's best? you'll have to change to NIKON...................

































.............. BEFORE I CAN TELL YOU! :)
 
Stay away from the dark side, young padwar.
 
the Sigma 105mm is a very capable lens, nothing u can not do with it if u have the time and the enthusiasm ... £230-240 from ebay and possibly a bit less from here
 
Hi Jenny and welcome to TP The raynox 250 is a good start in close up and macro and extension tubes are another cheap way to get into macro on a budget. There are also options to use a reversing ring and you can get some fantastic results with these too.

Raynox-DCR-250

Check out Tomas Whitehouse's Blog page to see what you can achieve with a reversing ring Here Awesome photos.

Hope this helps
John
 
Ok, well here are your options:

- Dedicated Macro Lens with 1:1 magnification (expensive, but fantastic image quality and great flexibility. This is the best option if you have cash)
- Extension Tubes (inexpensive tool, which will allow you to turn any lens into a macro tool. It is a pain in the backside though with Aperture on the new lenses. There is no glass either, so no image quality loss. I personally advise getting a Manual lens e.g. M42 for use with extension tubes, unless you get an expensive version which has electrical contacts for your lens to communicate with the body.)
- Close-up filters (Screw in on the front element of a lens to give greater magnification. They cause quite a lot of quality loss and often difractions. In my opinion, not a good solution, but very cheap)
- Dedicated macro converter e.g. Raynox DCR-250 (works on a similar principal to close up filters, but the quality and flexibility is a little bit improved. The results are a little bit better, since I know that my friend uses one of these and he is very happy with it. They are a tad more expensive though)
- Reversing Rings (These enable you to reverse your lens, which allows to achieve good magnification. Very cheap, but again they are a pain in the backside when it comes to aperture, since you can't control it really)

My suggestion would be the Raynox DCR-250 on a budget, but if you have the money then definitely go for a dedicated macro lens.

Hope I helped and all the best!

Bart

Hope that I was of help and all the best in choosing your solution
 
bartoszwozniak said:
Ok, well here are your options:

- Dedicated Macro Lens with 1:1 magnification (expensive, but fantastic image quality and great flexibility. This is the best option if you have cash)
- Extension Tubes (inexpensive tool, which will allow you to turn any lens into a macro tool. It is a pain in the backside though with Aperture on the new lenses. There is no glass either, so no image quality loss. I personally advise getting a Manual lens e.g. M42 for use with extension tubes, unless you get an expensive version which has electrical contacts for your lens to communicate with the body.)
- Close-up filters (Screw in on the front element of a lens to give greater magnification. They cause quite a lot of quality loss and often difractions. In my opinion, not a good solution, but very cheap)
- Dedicated macro converter e.g. Raynox DCR-250 (works on a similar principal to close up filters, but the quality and flexibility is a little bit improved. The results are a little bit better, since I know that my friend uses one of these and he is very happy with it. They are a tad more expensive though)
- Reversing Rings (These enable you to reverse your lens, which allows to achieve good magnification. Very cheap, but again they are a pain in the backside when it comes to aperture, since you can't control it really)

My suggestion would be the Raynox DCR-250 on a budget, but if you have the money then definitely go for a dedicated macro lens.

Hope I helped and all the best!

Bart

Hope that I was of help and all the best in choosing your solution
Click to expand...

yep as said above the raynox would be a wise choice, i would however also purchase a cheap 50mm f1.8 because this lens and the raynox are made for each other, same with the extension tubes except tubes are around £150 for the electric contact versions.

btw does anyone know of uk suppliers that sell raynox?
 
Bambi'sThumper said:
Hi.
I'd like to know whats best for taking very close up images/macro?
I've been looking on ebay and found that theres thin "add on" lens or theres the proper sized lenses. Currently i have and only have a 18-55mm lens.
My DSLR is Canon 350D.
Sorry if i haven't given enough info this is only my second post.

Any help would be very appreciate. Thank you! :)
Click to expand...

It depends what you mean by Macro. If you just mean close up shots of things like, err, a candle flame, a dripping tap, etc, the 18-55 will do that well and I use it for that. If by Macro you mean bugs' eyes, et al, then a dedicated Macro lens will be what you're after.
 
I got my Ranox via amazon.co.uk although I can't say whether the trader in there is uk or not. However it does make the transaction nice and easy.
 
Ok thanks every for the great advise. I'm just really looking at the moment as i dont have the money but just wanting to know whats good as im new and not to sure about lens and stuff. Its really just close ups of plants, bugs and little bits and bobs.
I have tried it out with my 18-55mm and they came out ok but i'm going on one of the "wild areana workshop (not sure which one yet) but there's work doig with Macro.
Has anyone been on one of these tours with Wild Areana? Thanks x
 
Yeah i have a little compact samsung and when it was summer i got some fantastic shots of the bugs and plants. So its just as easy using a compact as it is to get a macro lens?
 
A shortish dedicated macro lens can be found secondhand for comparatively little money - I grabbed a 50mm Sigma f2.8 EX Macro off here for £100 and it's cracking - doubles as a pretty good portrait lens too.
 
Photek said:
I got my Ranox via amazon.co.uk although I can't say whether the trader in there is uk or not. However it does make the transaction nice and easy.
Click to expand...

That is where I got mine. It came from Germany but was delivered quickly.

mastertrinity said:
yep as said above the raynox would be a wise choice, i would however also purchase a cheap 50mm f1.8 because this lens and the raynox are made for each other, same with the extension tubes except tubes are around £150 for the electric contact versions.

btw does anyone know of uk suppliers that sell raynox?
Click to expand...

I use it on my nifty fifty and they work really nicely together :thumbs:

Cheers

MIP
 
Best? For Canon users, probably the (?)MP-E65 but at £859 (WHE price) it's not a cheap option.
Cheapest? Add on close up lenses such as the Raynox.
Other cheapish options? Extension tubes & reversing rings. The reversing rings have at least one major downside - no automatic aperture control (not a problem if the subjects still but not ideal if it's moving).
Then there's the dedicated Macro lens option. Tamron and Sigma both offer f/2.8 lenses around the 100mm focal length with true Macro capability and both can be found 2nd hand (with a little patience!).
 
If costs is a consideration, why not buy yourself a Panasonic Lumix LX3 - its a fantastic little compact that deals with Macro shots admirably, especially outdoors and if you're capturing bugs etc, its shutter won't scare off the little buggers!

LX3 retailing at below £300 and can still give my new favourite camera the Lumix GF1 a run for its money, especially at low ISO.
 
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