Macro lens or close-up filter?

[Hoky]

Use a reversal ring and a 50mm f/1.8 to play with macro if don't hv the budget for macro lenses.

 

[oneheart]

oh ya, i asked my friend. he said the lens is Canon prime lens EF 50mm f1.8..

So wat is the diff between macro lens n prime lens since this is also 50mm (some macro lens are 50mm too) and this has a wide aperture that increases the depth of field?

should i get a 50mm prime lens since i hav a zoom lens of 55mm?

 

[oneheart]

I might have missed it along the thread..... have you mentioned what kind of macro do you intend to take?
if it's in the live insects category, I recon' at least you will need 90mm, or go to 180mm, the longer the better. if only for product/dead subject macro shots, 50mm or stack lens is fine.
please do note that we are talking about 'true macro lens' here where 1:1 reproduction is possible, which has a higher magnification than those pseudo macro lens as mentioned by Ortega:
"magnification 1:3
this is a psudo macro lens"

erm.. actually i like portrait but with a deeper DOF.. perhaps flowers and insects are fun to snap too..

 

[oneheart]

Same... diff working distance and often, diff lowest f-stop

so prime lens hav a lower f-stop (aperture)?

 

[oneheart]

In summary...

Macro lens: Allow you to focus near the subject to get certain reproduction ratio (1:1, 1:2.. etc).

Prime lens: Fixed focal lens, cannot zoom. Doesn't necessary mean you can go very close to your subjects.

My $0.20...

now i understand better.. thank so much for ur 20 cents advise..
So prime lens cannot zoom and if it is at 50mm only, it doesnt mean it can go very near an object.. now i understand.. i think my fren recommended me bcos of the DOF that it offers.. lower f-stop.. f1.8 as compare to the kit lens (Zoom lens) i hav..

 

[Hoky]

oh ya, i asked my friend. he said the lens is Canon prime lens EF 50mm f1.8..

So wat is the diff between macro lens n prime lens since this is also 50mm (some macro lens are 50mm too) and this has a wide aperture that increases the depth of field?

should i get a 50mm prime lens since i hav a zoom lens of 55mm?

The 50mm F/2.5 Macro has closest focusing distance of 0.23m whereas the 50mm F/1.8 has closests focusing distance of 0.45m. You have to ask yourself how near can you approach your subject and how much do you want of the subject do you want to fill your screen / picture.

The kit lens when extended to 50~55mm is F/5.0 ~ F/5.6 at it's widest. (My guess... correct me if I'm wrong)
How "fast" do you require your lens to be at this focal length. What kind of photos will you be taking at this f/ length. Do you really need the "bokeh"? I would be asking myself these questions if I were you.

 

[oneheart]

Use a reversal ring and a 50mm f/1.8 to play with macro if don't hv the budget for macro lenses.

May i know what is a reversal ring? i tried to find in yahoo but erm..

 

[Hoky]

May i know what is a reversal ring? i tried to find in yahoo but erm..

Here is example of Nikon's reversal ring.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=37171&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

 

[oneheart]

The 50mm F/2.5 Macro has closest focusing distance of 0.23m whereas the 50mm F/1.8 has closests focusing distance of 0.45m. You have to ask yourself how near can you approach your subject and how much do you want of the subject do you want to fill your screen / picture.

The kit lens when extended to 50~55mm is F/5.0 ~ F/5.6 at it's widest. (My guess... correct me if I'm wrong)
How "fast" do you require your lens to be at this focal length. What kind of photos will you be taking at this f/ length. Do you really need the "bokeh"? I would be asking myself these questions if I were you.

Thanks for ur questions.. they are very useful.. i think perhaps if i want to hav a deeper DOF, i should go for the prime lens EF 50mm f1.8 since my zoom lens widest aperture is only f/5.6 i guess (cant rem too). If i want to get very close to my object, i should get a macro lens.

What do u mean by "How "fast" do you require your lens to be at this focal length."? Bokeh?

 

[mckenzy]

waitaminute... you want to do macro or not?

if you're just starting off... please... just get a close up lens and start shooting stuff.. don't waste too much time thinking of what macro lens to get... for all you knwo you might not have the patience for macro photography anyway... get a cheap close up filter of 3+ or 4+ for a miserly S$40 or less and jsut fire away...

 

[Hoky]

waitaminute... you want to do macro or not?

if you're just starting off... please... just get a close up lens and start shooting stuff.. don't waste too much time thinking of what macro lens to get... for all you knwo you might not have the patience for macro photography anyway... get a cheap close up filter of 3+ or 4+ for a miserly S$40 or less and jsut fire away...

Yes indeed... I agree...
Close up filters will provide a cheap way of macro introduction. (Excl. the Canon 500D and 250D, darn exp.)

 

[Hoky]

Thanks for ur questions.. they are very useful.. i think perhaps if i want to hav a deeper DOF, i should go for the prime lens EF 50mm f1.8 since my zoom lens widest aperture is only f/5.6 i guess (cant rem too). If i want to get very close to my object, i should get a macro lens.

What do u mean by "How "fast" do you require your lens to be at this focal length."? Bokeh?

Definition of Bokeh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

The aperture size of the lens controls the amount of light passing through; the shutter speed of your camera for a given light condition is calculated by this amount of light.

Wide aperture size, more light pass through, shutter speed increases... That's what "fast" meant.

 

[oneheart]

thanks so much everyone.. got a better idea the differences! i'll study harder.. argh.. but havent hav much practical.. everyday knock off fr work, it's already night time.. nothing much to shoot near my house..

 

[DT_]

thanks so much everyone.. got a better idea the differences! i'll study harder.. argh.. but havent hav much practical.. everyday knock off fr work, it's already night time.. nothing much to shoot near my house..

if theory doesnt works, borrow or rent a delicate macro lens to play around.. you may have read alot, but practical on macro is so different (and too a huge gap compare to other types of photography), go have a feel of it..

 

[mckenzy]

thanks so much everyone.. got a better idea the differences! i'll study harder.. argh.. but havent hav much practical.. everyday knock off fr work, it's already night time.. nothing much to shoot near my house..

wah liau eh... nothing to shoot? macro is EVERYWHERE... shoot your pencil... shoot your handphone... shoot the circuits on a piece of RAM... its a whole world by itself...