What lens good for Macro Shoot Or....

Rooky007

Rooky007

Rooky007

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
3,638
I want a lens that can focus on a object that have good blur background I believe you need to have somthing like f2.8 or somthing is that right?

What lens is good for this and be able to do macro too. Dont want to spend a lot ont his one thou

cheers
 
You don't *need* an f/2.8 lens to get an out of focus background, all you need is the correct distances from yourself to your subject and your subject to the background for the aperture that your using. F/2.8 lenses just mean that those distances are more easily acheived.

1) What camera is it for? There's no point in me recommending a Canon lens if you're using Nikon

2) What sort of focal length range are you looking at? Normal (~50mm), short telefocus (<150mm) or long tele (>150mm)?

3) Zoom or fixed focal length?
 
Sorry

It for the Canon 400d. I do like taking Close shots of things sometime and i find my lens does not focus well when too close or is that the same for every lens?
 
The design of each lens will limit the minimum focussing distance possible. Normally telephoto lenses won't focus on very close subjects because there just isn't the need to whereas wider angle lenses will get you closer.

Usually a macro lens is required for close up work but these tend to work on the basis of having good magnification rather than being able to focus at very short distances. The Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro is one of the best macro lenses available but it's not that cheap - £300-350. It's also a very good portrait lens but on a 400D it might be a bit long. There's a 60mm EF-S macro from Canon as well but I'm not sure how that stacks up to the 100mm.
 
rpstewart said:
The design of each lens will limit the minimum focussing distance possible. Normally telephoto lenses won't focus on very close subjects because there just isn't the need to whereas wider angle lenses will get you closer.

Usually a macro lens is required for close up work but these tend to work on the basis of having good magnification rather than being able to focus at very short distances. The Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro is one of the best macro lenses available but it's not that cheap - £300-350. It's also a very good portrait lens but on a 400D it might be a bit long. There's a 60mm EF-S macro from Canon as well but I'm not sure how that stacks up to the 100mm.
Click to expand...

Hi

Are you saying the Canon 100mm lens is too good for my cam or ????

If that a good lens and that a price to pay I would do it as I rather get a good lens.

Cheers
 
The Canon 100mm Macro lens is stunning - rp was saying that it is a touch on the expensive side but it is well worth it.

Forget all of the macro modes and other general lenses with a 'Macro' label tagged onto the back of them - all they mean is the lens can focus a bit closer than standard stuff.
A true Macro lens like the Canon 100 macro only has a minimum focus distance of 38cm but it can magnify up to life size (1:1). This means that on a 35mm camera the subject is recorded at actual size on the sensor/film.
 
Rookies said:
Are you saying the Canon 100mm lens is too good for my cam or ????
Click to expand...
Far from it, as SDK^ says it's an absolute stunner - check out his sample shots from earlier in the week. My only concern was it may have been out of your budget but if your happy with the cost then you'd struggle to do better than the Canon 100mm.
 
Here is an example from the Canon lens.
I've just taken this, my first macro of the year :)

hoverfly_Mar_2007.jpg


The Macro lenses from Tamron and Sigma are very close in terms of image quality but they are not as easy to use - they extend during focussing and so you have to be careful not to bump into your subject. The Canon has internal focusing so doesn't change size. The Sigma and Tamron lenses are cheaper though :)

This side-by-side comparison shows the amount the Sigma and Tamron lenses change size.

Left to right – Sigma 105mm, Tamron 90mm and Canon 100mm.

Canon-Sigma-Tamron-Macro-Lens-Extended-Comparison.jpg
 
A couple more shots, these were taken with extension tubes attached to the Canon macro lens. EXIF info is in the file if you need it :)

hoverfly_Mar_2007_b.jpg


hoverfly_Mar_2007_c.jpg
 
Last edited:
SDK^ said:
Here is an example from the Canon lens.
I've just taken this, my first macro of the year :)
Click to expand...
I hate coming into this forum at bonus time :( I'm really starting to fancy one of these now.

SDK^ said:
A couple more shots, these were taken with extension tubes attached to the Canon macro lens. EXIF info is in the file if you need it
Click to expand...
That's not helping! ;)


You using the ring flash with those or a normal one?
 
rpstewart said:
You using the ring flash with those or a normal one?
Click to expand...
Ring Flash - standard settings.
The Ladybird shot is showing some highlights from the flash but generally it works very well.
 
For info : this is a shot of a Ladybird taken without extension tubes; just the Canon Macro lens set to 1:1. The image above is approx 2:1.

They are small insects.

ladybird-lifesize.jpg
 
Last edited:
rpstewart said:
OK I'm convinced but I don't think I can get my hands on one of these until Tuesday :(
Click to expand...
hehe :D
The weather forecast is snow next week but at least you'll have it for the Spring and Summer, if that ever happens :/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom