Sigma 105 macro advice please

scottduffy

scottduffy

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I have just purchased this lens and i am wondering how easy it is to use this for macro. Don't mean to sound too stupid but do you just set your camera to the macro setting and you're off? The limiter switch on the side of the lens is throwing me a bit. Not sure what it's for. Any advice welcome.
 
Personally i'd switch the lens / body to Manual focus then use the focus ring on the lens to set the magnification you want - you will see numbers like 1:1 1:2 etc on the little window on the lens 1:1 is life size / maximum magnification. then to focus move the camera towards / away from your subject.
 
As far as the limit switch is concerned, switching to "limit" means that the autofocus will not use the full range so will spend less time hunting when taking non macro shots. You will need it on "full" for macro.
 
I have the Sigma 105 macro and really rate it. As has been said you need to have focus set to the full range, not limited, for macro work. While MF is often best for macro work the AF on the lens is nice and acurate when you do need it. At 1:1 the DOF is very thin if you shot wide open, this can be effective for some shots but you'll often need to stop down a fair bit to the most/all of the subject in focus.
 
Have you used the lens much for portrait use? I was wondering where the so called sweet spot was. I was told by another member that around f4-f6 is where I should see the best results.
 
I've got this lens as well and love it. For macro photography you want to use manual focus, close the aperture as much as possible and have some form of lighting.
 
trying to get more from my 105mm sigma, but the camera flash is next to usless, want to get a flash but should i buy the sigma ring flash or the speedlite 530ex II ?
 
I had the 105 EX too and after it was stolen I really missed it! I've recently picked up a 150 EX though so looking forward to getting back in to some macro.

The 105 was a great lens, although I was never a fan of just how far the barrel went out when focussing :puke:
I can't remember what options were on the limit switch, is one of them not so you can keep the range close for when your doing macro? Wouldn't setting it to full make it hunt more if it can't nail focus in auto (I know manual is the prefered method)? I was sure you could set it to only focus between min and 1 foot or something! It was a looong time ago I had it though so there may be no truth in the words I mutter lol
 
Richard Peters said:
I had the 105 EX too and after it was stolen I really missed it! I've recently picked up a 150 EX though so looking forward to getting back in to some macro.

The 105 was a great lens, although I was never a fan of just how far the barrel went out when focussing :puke:
I can't remember what options were on the limit switch, is one of them not so you can keep the range close for when your doing macro? Wouldn't setting it to full make it hunt more if it can't nail focus in auto (I know manual is the prefered method)? I was sure you could set it to only focus between min and 1 foot or something! It was a looong time ago I had it though so there may be no truth in the words I mutter lol
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If you set it to limit, the focus will not go to 1:1 so you won't get true macro.
 
fabs said:
If you set it to limit, the focus will not go to 1:1 so you won't get true macro.
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I don't believe this to be so, on mine if you set the limit switch you get EITHER 1:2 down to 1:1 (approx 1.3ft or less) OR 1:2 upwards (1.3ft to infinity) depending where the focus is set before using the limit switch.

Having said that I have the range set to full and use manual focus for macro (y)
 
MatthewA said:
I don't believe this to be so, on mine if you set the limit switch you get EITHER 1:2 down to 1:1 (approx 1.3ft or less) OR 1:2 upwards (1.3ft to infinity) depending where the focus is set before using the limit switch.

Having said that I have the range set to full and use manual focus for macro (y)
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You are in fact quite correct. I'd never tried setting it to limit when it is at 1:1 before. (y) (probably because I don't use 1:1 in AF)
 
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