Canon macro lens

Postie90

Postie90

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Steve
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Think of treating myself to a new macro lens for my canon 650d as a birthday treat, well it will be my first macro lens. Looking to buy the sigma 105mm f/2.8 os macro hsm lens. Price is around what I want to pay.. Just wondered what people's thoughts are or should I consider something else? Would need a filter for this lens... Some use them some don't? Thanks
 
Canon 100 (non L version) is a very good lens and sharp. Canon 60mm i found even sharper in my experience but perhaps a bit short (although it is a macro lens).

Tamron 90mm gets good reviews as well.
 
as @valb says the Tamron is amazing, have a check out the macro section I use Tamron and Les (@Lez325) uses Sigma both of us love our lenses.

Can't comment on Canon but it will be good but a lot more expensive.
 
I've read somewhere that sharpness is not that important in macro photography as most of the shots will be diffraction limited anyways e.g. f32.

My choice would be Sigma 105mm.
 
I have used both a Canon 60mm (7d) and 100mm L (5d2) macro lenses and both are very good. I haven't used the non L Canon 100, Sigma 105 and Tamron 90 but they all get very good reviews.
 
Canon 100 (non L) sell for about £200 and the 60mm for about £180. Tamron 90mm for about £190.

Sharpness is critical in macro photography. The problem with macro photography is the depth of field is very very small usually measured in milimetres. So very little is in sharp focus. To get really good results you need to select very accurately what you want in focus.

Clearly wide apertures do not help the depth of field but equally very small apertures are to be avoided. Something between F16 and F22 would be my choice.
 
Don't forget the mid telephoto macros 180mm I use the tamron and although the focusing is slow in auto the results are stunning.
 
I use the Sigma 105 and it's a super sharp lens, albeit with VERY slow AF, though chances are you'll be focusing manually most of the time.
 
I've gone for the sigma 105mm macro, hopefully arrive beginning of next week, then I can start playing.... Do you guess use filters on macro lenses?
 
Postie90 said:
I've gone for the sigma 105mm macro, hopefully arrive beginning of next week, then I can start playing.... Do you guess use filters on macro lenses?
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What type of filter are you talking of? I use uv on mine just as protection as I use extension tubes also so get very close to subject.

Congrats on purchase sure you will be happy.
 
Tintin124 said:
What type of filter are you talking of? I use uv on mine just as protection as I use extension tubes also so get very close to subject.

Congrats on purchase sure you will be happy.
Click to expand...

Yes I was thinking one for protection... Extension tubes?
 
Extension tubes allow you to get higher than 1:1 magnification.

Link to tubes you want AF so you can control aperture. Obviously if you want to get closer to subject. I personally bought the ones from SRB photographic. But recommend you get used to lens and decide it meets your macro needs before going this route.

As uv filter I use hoya pro1 as dont find it affects sharpness or IQ.
 
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Rudlin said:
I've read somewhere that sharpness is not that important in macro photography as most of the shots will be diffraction limited anyways e.g. f32.
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This is incorrect. Perhaps at magnifications greater than 1:1, yes, but for standard 1:1 mags and below. no. example at http://extreme-macro.co.uk/microscope-objectives/

Chipped tubes are the most convenient, I'm with Tintti24. But there are all sorts of options for extreme macro, have a browse of my site.
 
Postie90 said:
Yes I was thinking one for protection... Extension tubes?
Click to expand...

Extension tubes go between the camera and the lens so won't offer any protection. Just be aware that tubes can take you in very close to the subject and you can have more difficulty getting sufficient lighting etc.. I've used tuibes often enough but now have a ringflash as well, which I find to be really good to have.
You could use a UV filter if you wanted to though, just check results before it's on as well as afterwards to make sure you're happy with it.
 
The only macro lens for Canon that gets anything other than positive reviews is the Sigma 50mm. All others, including the one you're looking at, get positive reviews - you can't go wrong.

Edit: Canon do a 50mm macro lens that only goes to 1:2... so yeah, you could go wrong :)

Edit 2: Filters? Cost/benefit says no.
 
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