Should i get a macro lens for my baby shots?


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electron

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Jan 11, 2008
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I just became a proud father to a baby girl. I'm trying to get nice shots of her eyes, lashes, feet, etc but i can't get close enough with my 50mm (I have a 18-200 but its not so sharp). Would it be practical to get a macro lens just for this purpose? I want sharp photos but I've also heard of difficulty in focusing (shallow DOF), difficulty to use in low light indoors and so on which makes me hesitate on spending $1k+. Any advice or thoughts on things i haven't thought about?
 

Macro lenses hunts in low light conditions, your best bet would still be using your 50mm and try to crop to the areas you want.
 

yes, just use 50mm lens, crop it at post.

it is not easy to shoot baby with macro lens, you can rent a macro lens to try out.
 

Get a prosumer camera; you can go very close using macro mode.
 

Use your 50mm lens. No point getting a macro lens for baby shots. I'm using the same body as you are and I'm mainly using my 18-200 + 50mm for potraits. The PQ of 18-200 is not bad, not that soft, just that it can't fight with the primes or lens with less mag range, different approach to the lens.
 

Thanks, looks like I can shelve buying the new 100mm f2.8 IS L then! However, I did get a response from someone when I asked if I could rent the 100mm (non IS-L) lens. He asked how much but i have no idea what the going rate for lens rental is?
 

In the age of consuming obsession with sharpness, many have forgotten how thoroughly FUN and effective a decent (and CHEAP) close-up filter can be. :)

Buy a Hoya brand +1, +2 or +3 close-up filter and use on your 50mm lens. It's about the same price you would pay to rent a macro lens for a day. Try both diopters at the shop to see which suits your needs better before purchasing. Can also get both +1 and +2 and stack. For the price of two filters, you get the effect of 3 filters (+1, +2 and +3 which is +2 and +1 stacked).

Just switch on a few more lights, or shoot near a translucent curtained window or open doorway and stop down the lens as much as you can for nice close-ups of your baby's features.

It might be a bit challenging at first, especially if you start with the higher magnification, but it's also very good practice with shallow DOF and near macro distances.
 

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I just became a proud father to a baby girl. I'm trying to get nice shots of her eyes, lashes, feet, etc but i can't get close enough with my 50mm (I have a 18-200 but its not so sharp). Would it be practical to get a macro lens just for this purpose? I want sharp photos but I've also heard of difficulty in focusing (shallow DOF), difficulty to use in low light indoors and so on which makes me hesitate on spending $1k+. Any advice or thoughts on things i haven't thought about?

I didn't have any problems when I was shooting my baby nephew even as a newborn. :dunno:

So far, I've used my 35mm, 58mm and 135mm lenses to help take photos of him (and I'm on full frame). Don't see why you need a macro lens really.
 

In the age of consuming obsession with sharpness, many have forgotten how thoroughly FUN and effective a decent (and CHEAP) close-up filter can be. :)

Buy a Hoya brand +1, +2 or +3 close-up filter and use on your 50mm lens. It's about the same price you would pay to rent a macro lens for a day. Try both diopters at the shop to see which suits your needs better before purchasing. Can also get both +1 and +2 and stack. For the price of two filters, you get the effect of 3 filters (+1, +2 and +3 which is +2 and +1 stacked).

Just switch on a few more lights, or shoot near a translucent curtained window or open doorway and stop down the lens as much as you can for nice close-ups of your baby's features.

It might be a bit challenging at first, especially if you start with the higher magnification, but it's also very good practice with shallow DOF and near macro distances.

Thanks Dream Merchant, that's the best idea anyone's mentioned so far! Can't wait to try it out! However, no access to shops (I'm in Brunei) and just checked ebay and can't seem to find 50mm close up filters (lots of 52 & 58). Prefer to use the 50mm as its the sharpest.
 

i don't think using macro lens to take photos of your baby is a very good idea...

i did once took my legs with macro lens... the skin look smooth with raw eyes... but taken with macro lens i could see a lot of tiny tiny flakes of my skin is falling off my legs... and frankly... can see my legs is really dirty (initially i though wasn't that clean only)... :embrass:
 

Thanks Dream Merchant, that's the best idea anyone's mentioned so far! Can't wait to try it out! However, no access to shops (I'm in Brunei) and just checked ebay and can't seem to find 50mm close up filters (lots of 52 & 58). Prefer to use the 50mm as its the sharpest.

The 50mm lens has a 52mm filter size (check the front of your lens), so you should be looking for 52mm filters, not 50mm.

Also, I own hoya close-up filters, and when stacked, the quality degrades a lot. You'll get really blurred corners, depending on how much you stack.
 

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May I know how sharp you expect? For 18-200mm type of lens, u can get sharp pics. But if u view it at 100% in the PC screen especially with a high MP sensor, it will not be as sharp as other L lens etc.But for normal viewing or printing up to 8R, should not be an issue.

If u see blur at 50% viewing, then the problem may be the photographer.
 

I'll recommend Sigma 30mmF1.4.
Sharp and Good in low light condition.
 

Thanks Dream Merchant, that's the best idea anyone's mentioned so far! Can't wait to try it out! However, no access to shops (I'm in Brunei) and just checked ebay and can't seem to find 50mm close up filters (lots of 52 & 58). Prefer to use the 50mm as its the sharpest.

If you have other lenses, I suggest getting a bigger diameter close-up filter and a stepdown ring. (i.e. I use 67mm closeup filters so I can use it for those big lenses, and a stepdown to 62mm for my 85mm, and if needed I can still buy stepdown 52mm for my 50mm). Stepdown ring should be around $10 only.
 

Is your baby so small that you need a macro lens :)
 

Is your baby so small that you need a macro lens :)
I shoot newborn babies, the close up of baby tiny eyes, ears, lips, hands, feet are all the must have shots.

are there any other lenses can do these without additional attachment?

I just became a proud father to a baby girl. I'm trying to get nice shots of her eyes, lashes, feet, etc but i can't get close enough with my 50mm (I have a 18-200 but its not so sharp). Would it be practical to get a macro lens just for this purpose? I want sharp photos but I've also heard of difficulty in focusing (shallow DOF), difficulty to use in low light indoors and so on which makes me hesitate on spending $1k+. Any advice or thoughts on things i haven't thought about?
 

i suggest getting a raynox as compare to the close up filter and macro lens
as i bought the Raynox 2000A after comparing all the factors
 

With a 50mmF1.8, you should be able to focus pretty close. Then, crop away the excess.

And then, dun be afraid to go higher ISO like 800. Most dSLR give decent quality up to about 800 or so at normal screen size viewing or print to like 8R.

I dun think close up filters are that wonderful. You will not be able to AF or it would hunt readily. And it is only sharp at the centre.

You might wanna to consider the Tamron 90mm or Tokina 100mm - they are both excellent macro lenses that are affordable. Even more so if you buy used from the B&S in CS.
 

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