I want to buy a Macro lens and need advice...

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xSitara™

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... Hi, i'm looking to purchase a Macro lens for my Canon 450d 58mm but i'm very confused, i will need it for taking close up shots of mainly droplets. I want something good but cheap, something i can afford, my budget is £350 can you guys suggest anything, i've looked everywhere and can't find anything. Thanks :D
 
xSitara™;1303124 said:
... Hi, i'm looking to purchase a Macro lens but i'm very confused, i will need it for taking close up shots of mainly droplets. I want something good but cheap, something i can afford, my budget is £150 can you guys suggest anything, i've looked everywhere and can't find anything. Thanks :D
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You might, MIGHT get a Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX Macro for £150 second hand.
It would mean a long wait, and a load of luck though!!

It's a fantastic little lens, and it will do a true 1:1 macro shot. Although you'd have to be VERY close to the subject to get a 1:1, a few cm's so perhaps not the best lens for water shots :bonk:
But that's pretty much it really for your budget.

Or perhaps even a Sigma 70-300mm Macro. Only a 1:2, but that's still pretty good. I reckon second hand you'd easily get one for less than £150.
You can be 1.5 metres away from the subject with this baby!
But not a true 1:1 macro lens........
 
andy_fozzy said:
You might, MIGHT get a Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX Macro for £150 second hand.
It would mean a long wait, and a load of luck though!!

It's a fantastic little lens, and it will do a true 1:1 macro shot. Although you'd have to be VERY close to the subject to get a 1:1, a few cm's so perhaps not the best lens for water shots :bonk:
But that's pretty much it really for your budget.

Or perhaps even a Sigma 70-300mm Macro. Only a 1:2, but that's still pretty good. I reckon second hand you'd easily get one for less than £150.
You can be 1.5 metres away from the subject with this baby!
But not a true 1:1 macro lens........
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I'm sorry my budget is 350 not 150 :nuts: typo, my bad.
 
I don't know how good those macro filter thingys you have are, but you could also consider the EF-S 55-250 IS lens. It's a cracker of a lens for the money, new is a bit over your budget, but if you can find one second hand, I suspect that would do you well, the filter threads are the same size as the kit lens too.


Ignore that.... Not a clue really, but how about a Sigma 105 Macro then maybe there's been quite a few comments as to how good they are ?
 
jgs001 said:
I don't know how good those macro filter thingys you have are, but you could also consider the EF-S 55-250 IS lens. It's a cracker of a lens for the money, new is a bit over your budget, but if you can find one second hand, I suspect that would do you well, the filter threads are the same size as the kit lens too.


Ignore that.... Not a clue really, but how about a Sigma 105 Macro then maybe there's been quite a few comments as to how good they are ?
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You have the same Camera as me, tell me have you taken any close up shots with detail, if so how have your pictures turned out?
 
xSitara™;1303260 said:
I'm sorry my budget is 350 not 150 :nuts: typo, my bad.
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That changes things quite allot then actually :nuts:

As John says, the Sigma 105mm is very popular.
If you started a thread asking for people's opinion on it, you'd get 100% positive replies I'm sure......
 
xSitara™;1303277 said:
You have the same Camera as me, tell me have you taken any close up shots with detail, if so how have your pictures turned out?
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Check out John's shots with the Raynox.......

:clap:
 
Using the 55-250 and a raynox, they've come out pretty well I think. I posted a couple of spider shots here. I don't have a dedicated macro lens. It's on my wish list, but there are a lot of expensive things on my wish list. If you want I can post a few of my macro shots taken with the 55-250 and the Raynox.
 
The Tamron 90mm looks a good choice :)
 
andy_fozzy said:
That changes things quite allot then actually :nuts:

As John says, the Sigma 105mm is very popular.
If you started a thread asking for people's opinion on it, you'd get 100% positive replies I'm sure......
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Sigma 105mm? I shall research see if i can get hold of it :D
jgs001 said:
Using the 55-250 and a raynox, they've come out pretty well I think. I posted a couple of spider shots here. I don't have a dedicated macro lens. It's on my wish list, but there are a lot of expensive things on my wish list. If you want I can post a few of my macro shots taken with the 55-250 and the Raynox.
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Can you please? I'd really appreciate that :)
 
Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro or Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di Macro. Both excellent (Sigma better by a shade) and under £300.

OR, stretch your budget by another £50 and get the best of the bunch, Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro...

Cheapest Sigma 105 right now:

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/1096/Show.html?SkuId=1096&tduid=c30d05e4dee264372d60b13955dd355f&url=http://www.jessops.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?SkuId=1096

Cheapest Tamron 90mm right now:

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1001403&utm_source=aw&awc=2298_1234915231_f724d923e010d79af6e8e8f4c9fe29cc

Cheapest Canon 100mm:

http://www.rgb-tech.co.uk/product/494

EDIT: Dammit, beaten to it all by taking too long to type :p
 
jgs001 said:
Using the 55-250 and a raynox, they've come out pretty well I think. I posted a couple of spider shots here. I don't have a dedicated macro lens. It's on my wish list, but there are a lot of expensive things on my wish list. If you want I can post a few of my macro shots taken with the 55-250 and the Raynox.
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And that way you get a very sharp zoom lens, to use for lot's of other things, and then clip the Raynox on for close ups.

This would be what I personally would do.
 
I would go with the Sigma 105 and use the rest of the money on some Kenko tubes. Trust me, you will not regret it.

Thing800_edited-1.jpg
 
I have the same camera as you, and I bought the Sigma 105. Its a great lens and I'm very pleased with my purchase.
 
Personally if you have the budget for a true macro lens (1:1) i'd buy that rather than a 'add on style lens' which can be more difficult to use - As people have already said the sigma 105mm is a excellent lens for the price, and coupled with a set of Kenko tubes will give you 2:1 magnification.
 
Ok guys, it decided i'm getting a sigma 105.

Dave your picture is amazing, thanks for sharing and i love you guys man :D

Thanks alot :)
 
neo2810 said:
Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro or Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di Macro. Both excellent (Sigma better by a shade) and under £300.

OR, stretch your budget by another £50 and get the best of the bunch, Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro...

Cheapest Sigma 105 right now:

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/1096/Show.html?SkuId=1096&tduid=c30d05e4dee264372d60b13955dd355f&url=http://www.jessops.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?SkuId=1096

Cheapest Tamron 90mm right now:

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1001403&utm_source=aw&awc=2298_1234915231_f724d923e010d79af6e8e8f4c9fe29cc

Cheapest Canon 100mm:

http://www.rgb-tech.co.uk/product/494

EDIT: Dammit, beaten to it all by taking too long to type :p
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SAme lens right? http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1012695
 
get tubes too :)

and yes, thats the correct lens
 
I can highly recommend the Canon 100 Macro.
Edit: Sorry I just checked the price and it's gone up.
 
animal168 said:
on my 450 i use the sigma 105 complimented with a set of kenko extension tubes, well within your budget.

sigma 105 + 36mm extension gives you this sort of closeness

3146848465_404fabeb83_o.jpg
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Amazing photo - what did you do to get that shot?
 
Raynox, macro lens, extensions tubes and bellows not to forget reversing a lens too. All these methods work, I have used most and I found the Raynox the easiest to use just because you can pop it on the front of your lens and get pretty incredible results at a low cost but only in the filter range of 43mm to 62mm I think thats about right. Extensions tubes will work with any lens and are also very good, make sure you get one with electrical contacts so you can still meter through them (much easier plus I wouldn't trust my lenses to hang off a cheap fleabay set). The macro lenses available are much of a much TBH not a lot of difference between them so if you go the lens route I wouldn't worry about getting the wrong one. I use a Sigma 50mm for 1:1 indoor stuff and the sigma105 for outdoor, both are sharp. I also use the mp-e but that is a different monster all of it's own. I do also use the Raynox clipon lenses for extra magnification.
So I suggest a 1:1 lens and a Raynox or extension tube set. Oh and whatever you choose, have fun ;)
 
I can't recommend the Canon 100mm f/2.8 enough! It's an awesome lens, I chose it over the Sigma 105mm because after reading all the reviews I could find, it seemed to come out on top of the sigma in terms of speed of focussing, and it has full-time manual focussing as well, whereas on the sigma you have to pull something, and flick a switch. I know when doing macro it's going to be manual focussing anyway, but it's a nice feature nonethless! I'm still not very good at macro, but have a look at my flickr, anything small and taken with my 450D is with this lens! I picked it up 2nd hand for £230 as well........

Chris
 
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