Macro Lens

CATALOGUEKID

CATALOGUEKID

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Tom
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Want to start getting in to Macro......I use Canon...which would be the best Lens for me to start with? which offers best value for money?

Do I just get the 35mm or 5omm 1.8 prime with a raynox dcr 250?

Your advice is greatly appreciated :thumbs:

Tom
 
footman said:
There's nothing wrong with that combination if your'e just starting out in macro.
If you find you like it then you can move to a dedicated macro lens such as the Canon 100mm f2.8 or the Sigma 105mm.
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Thanks...what advantage do you get from a dedicated Macro Lens? isnt 100mm or 105mm long for a technique that is all about being close up? :thinking:
 
Proper macro lenses give you 1:1 or better and the longer focal length lenses give you a longer working distance so that you can stand back and don't frighten off whatever you're taking a shot of.

I have a Canon 50mm f2.5 (which isn't really a true macro without the lifesize adapter) which is good and a Siggy 150mm f2.8 which is fantastic.
 
woof woof said:
Proper macro lenses give you 1:1 or better and the longer focal length lenses give you a longer working distance so that you can stand back and don't frighten off whatever you're taking a shot of.

I have a Canon 50mm f2.5 (which isn't really a true macro without the lifesize adapter) which is good and a Siggy 150mm f2.8 which is fantastic.
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|Gotcha :thumbs:

yeh the Siggy would just about be in my price range....do you have any pics on here that you have taken with it? would the flash be enough to get decent shots?

Cheers :thumbs:
 
It's good that you're thinking about flash, some of the greatest macros are taken using flash, but not everybody would agree with that.

The pop-up flash on your camera would not be near enough to the object to make a significant difference.

I use a Canon 430 EX flash gun, probably the most basic of the modern Canon flashguns although you can always buy a 3rd party flashgun.

The trick is to get this as close to the subject with some kind of diffuser attached.

Have look at this thread for ideas:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=132158
 
footman said:
It's good that you're thinking about flash, some of the greatest macros are taken using flash, but not everybody would agree with that.

The pop-up flash on your camera would not be near enough to the object to make a significant difference.

I use a Canon 430 EX flash gun, probably the most basic of the modern Canon flashguns although you can always buy a 3rd party flashgun.

The trick is to get this as close to the subject with some kind of diffuser attached.

Have look at this thread for ideas:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=132158
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WOAH wasnt expecting to see all that kit!! main reason for getting in to macro is for my holiday next year.....will be trekking so dont wanna carry all that kit...what would suit out in the rain forest?
 
CATALOGUEKID said:
WOAH wasnt expecting to see all that kit!! main reason for getting in to macro is for my holiday next year.....will be trekking so dont wanna carry all that kit...what would suit out in the rain forest?
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Quite agree with you. However the light may be poor in the rain forest so it may be worth thinking about a minimal setup.

You should get some cracking insects there. Whereabouts are you going?
 
CATALOGUEKID said:
|Gotcha :thumbs:

yeh the Siggy would just about be in my price range....do you have any pics on here that you have taken with it? would the flash be enough to get decent shots?

Cheers :thumbs:
Click to expand...

I mostly use mine for stuff like this...

IMG_4348.jpg
6.jpg
 
footman said:
Quite agree with you. However the light may be poor in the rain forest so it may be worth thinking about a minimal setup.

You should get some cracking insects there. Whereabouts are you going?
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Yes your right...light will be a big problem....I'm trekking coast-to-coast across Costa Rica for the FireFighters Charity......

The flash ring looks managable with the pop up on top?
 
Bit worried about the trecking in the rain forrest bit as the 150mm f2.8 is quite a big lens and once it's on the camera you'll need a bit of room to get anything bigger than a bunch of flowers in the frame and would you want to change lenses in a rain forrest?

Maybe a shorter macro might be worth thinking about?
 
woof woof said:
Bit worried about the trecking in the rain forrest bit as the 150mm f2.8 is quite a big lens and once it's on the camera you'll need a bit of room to get anything bigger than a bunch of flowers in the frame and would you want to change lenses in a rain forrest?

Maybe a shorter macro might be worth thinking about?
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What other size macro lenses do siggy and canon do? I will also have my canon100-400 for wildlife with me :eek: not sure how dense the forest will be that we will be lead through or if we will be in it all day every day.........

but i do wanna get good bug shots..........maybe 35mm/50mm 1.8 prime with the
raynox dcr 250? would that get me as good results as a canon or siggy macro lens?
 
50, 60, 70, 90, 100/105mm are all available.

I suppose it depends upon what length you like to shoot at. I like wider lenses apart from the 150mm for flower shots so if I was off into the forrest I'd probably take a 50mm so that at least I could shoot a wider scene. I suppose another answer could be to have a long macro on a DSLR and have a LX5 or similar or a MFT for wider shots?
 
woof woof said:
50, 60, 70, 90, 100/105mm are all available.

I suppose it depends upon what length you like to shoot at. I like wider lenses apart from the 150mm for flower shots so if I was off into the forrest I'd probably take a 50mm so that at least I could shoot a wider scene. I suppose another answer could be to have a long macro on a DSLR and have a LX5 or similar or a MFT for wider shots?
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Are macro lenses all prime?

what are LX5 and MFT? excuse my ignorance
 
Yup. All macro lenses are primes (AFAIK) but of course not all primes are macro :)

The Panasonic LX5 is a sort of high end compact.
MFT = Micro Four Thirds - a smallish camera with a bigger chip than that found in compact cameras, but still smaller than the APS-C chip found in many DSLR's. Panasonic and Olympus make MFT cameras (Sony and a couple of other companies make similar stuff...) and you can change the lenses just like a DSLR. One popular model / lens combination is the Panny GF1+20mm f1.7. It'll fit in a small bag or coat pocket and gives good image quality, much better than a compact and probably as good as an entry to mid range DSLR in all but very poor lighting,
 
woof woof said:
Yup. All macro lenses are primes (AFAIK) but of course not all primes are macro :)

The Panasonic LX5 is a sort of high end compact.
MFT = Micro Four Thirds - a smallish camera with a bigger chip than that found in compact cameras, but still smaller than the APS-C chip found in many DSLR's. Panasonic and Olympus make MFT cameras (Sony and a couple of other companies make similar stuff...) and you can change the lenses just like a DSLR. One popular model / lens combination is the Panny GF1+20mm f1.7. It'll fit in a small bag or coat pocket and gives good image quality, much better than a compact and probably as good as an entry to mid range DSLR in all but very poor lighting,
Click to expand...

top info...thanks...but im planning on using my canon 50d dont wanna spend more money on cameras as well as a lens
 
If you're trekking around, then I guess the less kit you have to carry around, the better. I'm a big fan of extension tubes, they'd work with any of your current lenses, and using witchcraft (and simply moving the lens further from the camera body) you can get some really impressive results!
 
I recently purchased a Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro. It out performed the more expensive glass in some reviews.

I use mainly Canon L Glass, and this is certainly not out of place in my bag.

It's a small lens that's a true 1:1 as well.

Here's a few examples from: http://www.flickr.com/groups/tamron90macro/
 
Since you mention rainforest... and dangerous beasties spring to mind... I'd look at the 150 sigma (get it asap and practice!). Might be bigger and heavier than the 90mm, but still 1:1 ratio and you wont need to be close to the subject. Or at least not as close.

The 105mm I have gets me around 10cm (may be 5cm) working distance, add on the tubes and that shrinks.

The 150 would mean you wouldn't scare it away, and hopefully not allow it to be frightened/defensive to attack...

Check flickr for picture quality, but you'd need to find a site that shows you the normal view (35mm/50mm) and working distance.

May be see if you can hire the lens before to try it out?

Flash onboard perhaps, but a flash gun, maybe a bracket or the ring flash?

Depending on budget :)


Hope you get the lens you want and the flash... Love to see the pics afterwards.
 
As your going to be in a damp and dirty environment I'd stick to a internally focussing lens, if you have the budget a Canon 100mm 'L' or the std Canon 100mm, the siggy 150mm is a good lens but its heavy and can be difficult to hand hold at 1:1. Your going to need a flash as you will be using small apertures to maximise DOF and the light is going to be poor in a rain forest.
 
Dogfish_magnet said:
As your going to be in a damp and dirty environment I'd stick to a internally focussing lens, if you have the budget a Canon 100mm 'L' or the std Canon 100mm, the siggy 150mm is a good lens but its heavy and can be difficult to hand hold at 1:1. Your going to need a flash as you will be using small apertures to maximise DOF and the light is going to be poor in a rain forest.
Click to expand...

Those are the image qualities I'm looking for!! excellent images!! so what exact kit did you use for those results? would adding extension tubes be a great advantage or not really needed with this lens?
 
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ecniv said:
Since you mention rainforest... and dangerous beasties spring to mind... I'd look at the 150 sigma (get it asap and practice!). Might be bigger and heavier than the 90mm, but still 1:1 ratio and you wont need to be close to the subject. Or at least not as close.

The 105mm I have gets me around 10cm (may be 5cm) working distance, add on the tubes and that shrinks.

The 150 would mean you wouldn't scare it away, and hopefully not allow it to be frightened/defensive to attack...

Check flickr for picture quality, but you'd need to find a site that shows you the normal view (35mm/50mm) and working distance.

May be see if you can hire the lens before to try it out?

Flash onboard perhaps, but a flash gun, maybe a bracket or the ring flash?

Depending on budget :)


Hope you get the lens you want and the flash... Love to see the pics afterwards.
Click to expand...



Thanks for the advice! I had thought about the dangers of the creepy crawlies over there compared to here and I will get the kit asap to practice with as I'll probably only get this opportunity once so want to make the most of it...

So much to choose from...my brains frazzling again lol :thinking:
 
CATALOGUEKID said:
Those are the image qualities I'm looking for!! excellent images!! so what exact kit did you use for those results? would adding extension tubes be a great advantage or not really needed with this lens?
Click to expand...

Thanks - Most of my photos are now taken with a Canon MP-E65mm with a MT24-EX twin flash, I sometimes use tubes but not very often as you get 1-5:1 with the MP-e, its not the easiest lens to use though, so if you go down this route you'll need a load of practice before you go on your trip :)
 
Right.....think I'm gunna try and pick up a second hand Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro Lens and a Flash Ring....

Now.....any tips on Flash Rings please.....whats top end? mid-range and low end? would the low end ones do a good enough job etc etc?

many thanks
 
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