Cheap Macro Lens - Canon Fit?

rjmartin

rjmartin

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Rob
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Hi Everyone :)

I am a student and so on a tight budget - I have a Canon 500D and recently bought a Canon 55-250mm lens to go with it (I chose this over the Sigma 70-300mm). Now so far I am very happy with the Canon lens but I am missing the macro mode ....

I am just wondering what is the cheapest macro lens I can pick up? I don't care what brand it is - it doesn't have to be anything fantastic, just something that will allow me to take closeups of Butterflies/Dragonflies come the Spring ....

The cheaper the better! Any suggestions?

Many Thanks,

Cheers, Rob
 
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Well you can get pretty good shots with a set of cheap close up lenes from Ebay - a set of 4 lenses are about £10-15.00

Next up is a set of extension tubes - I'd recommend Kenko DG AF tubes to retain all the auto functions of your lenses.

See here:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=295573

Then next is the Canon 100mm Macro lens - the top of the range in Macro photography - a s/h one can probably be picked up on here (non IS) for about £300.

.
 
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These cheap lenses on Ebay - would you be so kind as to link me to an example?

Are any of the cheaper alternatives autofocus?
 
rjmartin said:
These cheap lenses on Ebay - would you be so kind as to link me to an example?

Are any of the cheaper alternatives autofocus?
Click to expand...

Here's one link:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/52mm-Close-up...es_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item19c30bf3bc

Close up lenses simply screw onto the lens in exactly the same way as a filter so you retain all the auto functions of your main lens.

But note that these lenses work better on small filter sizes - Like the 18-55mm kit lens - they don't work very well on large diameter lenses like 72mm.

.
 
Thanks for that :)

Will they fit on a Canon 55-250mm lens (58mm thread)?

How about this? LINK

Or is what you suggested better?

Cheers, Rob
 
rjmartin said:
Thanks for that :)

Will they fit on a Canon 55-250mm lens (58mm thread)?

How about this? LINK

Or is what you suggested better?

Cheers, Rob
Click to expand...

No that one is a wide angle converter - totally different.

Close up lenses are rated in DIOPTRES - usually with a + sign and a number e.g: +1 +2 +4 +10.

you need a set for a 58mm filter size for your 55-250mm lens:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-58MM-MACR...es_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item2a07287c5c

Or, if you have the 18-55mm kit lens you could also use that with the right size set of lenses.

.

.
 
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How about a Raynox DCR 250, that would fit just right on your 55-250.
 
A set of cheap extension tubes from ebay, you don't get AF but then not usually used in Macro anyway. An old manual aperture lens, any make with a suitable adapter is another alternative. I have an old Cosina 100mm Nikon mount with a Canon Adapter.
 
i bought a cosina/vivitar 100mm macro it comes with a matched 1:1 adaptor works in auto or manual focus on my 1100d and I'm happy with it

pretty shoddy build compared to my canon lenses but it does the job and was £75 off ebay so much cheaper than a canon or sigma etc

if you search the cosina 100mm macro it does get some favourable reviews
 
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