Which one I should go for Macro Lens

[totoro17]

Hi,

I am super noobie in photographing. Which lens I should go for my first macro lens? 50mm, 70 or 90 or 100mm? When shall I need 50mm, 70 or 90 or 100mm Macro Lens? Under what circumstances do I need 50mm, 70 or 90 or 100mm Macro Lens?

This is the list of the lens I interested in:
1) Sigma MACRO 50mm F2.8 EX DG - $830
2) Sigma MACRO 70mm F2.8 EX DG - $745
3) Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 - $580
4) Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro - $680
5) Tokina AT-X 100 PRO D -$600 AP
6) Sigma MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG

 

[ExplorerZ]

what do you shoot? btw there is a tokina 100mm and sigma 105mm as well.. and i don think the sigma 50mm f2.8 is anywhere near that price... iirc IT show price tag is like $499?_?

 

[deckard]

most guys here would say the tamron 90mm, but I would say the tokina 100mm because of the extra 10mm and also because it is cheaper than the tamron.

 

[totoro17]

i want to take marine fish (when i got money to buy underwater body), flowers like orchid and insects (when im able to take insects without blur image due to the insect moving)

 

[totoro17]

most guys here would say the tamron 90mm, but I would say the tokina 100mm because of the extra 10mm and also because it is cheaper than the tamron.

is tokina good brand? seldom hear in this forum....how much is it?

 

[metallilan]

most guys here would say the tamron 90mm, but I would say the tokina 100mm because of the extra 10mm and also because it is cheaper than the tamron.

right on

is tokina good brand? seldom hear in this forum....how much is it?

I got mine for about $630 at AP.. $30 was for the hoya super HMC. You don't hear it much from SG but its quite a popular lens in the US... Mine was the last box :X

Some pics i shot with it:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/49354933/
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/49352145/
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/49439714/
http://metallilan.multiply.com/photos/photo/68/3

But to me any lens would suffice. Depends on your budget still.

 

[totoro17]

right on



I got mine for about $630 at AP.. $30 was for the hoya super HMC. You don't hear it much from SG but its quite a popular lens in the US... Mine was the last box :X

Some pics i shot with it:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/49354933/
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/49352145/
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/49439714/
http://metallilan.multiply.com/photos/photo/68/3

But to me any lens would suffice. Depends on your budget still.

how come only the head is sharp and surrounding is blur? is it intentionally? for me, i prefer the macro thing is sharp and surrounding can be blur.

 

[metallilan]

how come only the head is sharp and surrounding is blur? is it intentionally? for me, i prefer the macro thing is sharp and surrounding can be blur.

Depth of field. Go read it up. I'd prob need to have something around f/8 to f/11 to get the whole thing sharp. Guess cuz the larger sensor on my D70. Most of the shots are shot at around the effective aperture which was f/5.6 or so. (i think)

 

[totoro17]

when u buy it? cheaper? or still selling at $600?

 

[metallilan]

when u buy it? cheaper? or still selling at $600?

i bought it in february. i cant confirm if its 600 now because when i bought it, none of the shops had it, well maybe except MS Color and AP... so best you ask around... else theres always a Tamron 90mm..

 

[Galdor]

Go for the Tamron 90mm or Sigma 105mm lor. The Tamron one is selling at $500++ IIRC. Can check with John 3:16.

 

[Adrius]

It dose depend on what kind of macro you want to shoot.

The main difference between all the lenses is working distance and secondary is perspective.

ideally the higher the focal length - the longer the working distance, the narrower the field of view, the smaller the Depth of feild, the blurryer the backrounds come out.

The higher focal length lenses ie 100mm and higher will allow you to with with some distance from your subject, and allso produce telephoto lens perspective, with smaller and more blurry backrounds.

The lower focal lengths ie 50mm will work closer to the subject, and allso produce a wider lens perspective then the higher focal length lenses, with wider backrounds and less backround blurr then the telephotos.

Macros at around 100mm or higher are usally perfered for shooting insects, bugs and butterflies, due to the longer working distance of these lenses you are less likely to disturb your subject.

Macros below 100mm are usally prefered for shooting products and flowers. and anything you can get close to.




Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8*, is not a macro lens, its use is mainly in archectual photography, it removes common lens distortions, to produce natural perspective, it can allso be used for other creative purposes.

 

[totoro17]

Go for the Tamron 90mm or Sigma 105mm lor. The Tamron one is selling at $500++ IIRC. Can check with John 3:16.

what about sigma? i request for equote by MS but they never reply.

 

[totoro17]

It dose depend on what kind of macro you want to shoot.

The main difference between all the lenses is working distance and secondary is perspective.

ideally the higher the focal length - the longer the working distance, the narrower the field of view, the smaller the Depth of feild, the blurryer the backrounds come out.

The higher focal length lenses ie 100mm and higher will allow you to with with some distance from your subject, and allso produce telephoto lens perspective, with smaller and more blurry backrounds.

The lower focal lengths ie 50mm will work closer to the subject, and allso produce a wider lens perspective then the higher focal length lenses, with wider backrounds and less backround blurr then the telephotos.

Macros at around 100mm or higher are usally perfered for shooting insects, bugs and butterflies, due to the longer working distance of these lenses you are less likely to disturb your subject.

Macros below 100mm are usally prefered for shooting products and flowers. and anything you can get close to.




Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8*, is not a macro lens, its use is mainly in archectual photography, it removes common lens distortions, to produce natural perspective, it can allso be used for other creative purposes.

but i have this sigma lens that can do macro at 1:2, is it advisable to buy 180mm or 150mm macro lens to do insect macro photography? any major difference?

 

[Adrius]

what sigma lens

 

[totoro17]

i request equote for Sigma 18-125mm F3.5-5.6 DC, Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC, Tamron AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) and Canon 430EX. They have yet to reply to me

 

[totoro17]

is there alot of difference between 1:1 and 1:2?

 

[valice]

i want to take marine fish (when i got money to buy underwater body), flowers like orchid and insects (when im able to take insects without blur image due to the insect moving)

the marine fish you refer to is under the water or from a fish tank?
it will need different setups and equipment besides your underwater casing.

as for blur image due to insect moving, you need high shutter speed and not really a macro lens.

the difference between a macro lens and a zoom lens is that a macro lens allows you to do a 1:1 magnification of your subject, while not a zoom lens.

so do you think the pictures you want to do require a 1:1?

 

[totoro17]

the marine fish you refer to is under the water or from a fish tank?
it will need different setups and equipment besides your underwater casing.

as for blur image due to insect moving, you need high shutter speed and not really a macro lens.

the difference between a macro lens and a zoom lens is that a macro lens allows you to do a 1:1 magnification of your subject, while not a zoom lens.

so do you think the pictures you want to do require a 1:1?

can i take macro picture from the fish tank? will they have any glass reflection? i thought i can only do it under the water...

 

[Rich-Page]

A good lens that I use and can recommend is the Nikon 105VR, I know Sigma do a 105 not sure if its VR though ?

Rich