So, I'm looking to get a macro lens for my Canon t3i but honestly don't know much about the different kinds lenses out there and which one would be the best for me. Can someone give me a breakdown of the different types of lenses and which situations they would be best used in? Or direct me to a past discussion that talks about lenses? Thanks!
There's a thread from a couple of weeks ago on this. As I recall, the 100 macro had about 100 votes and ... hmmm ... I'm not sure any others got any votes LOL.
I use the 28-135 macro and love it as an "on all the time" lens.
There are a lot of discussion on here about lenses. Look for the search box at the top right of the screen and search for lenses or macro lenses and you will a lot of information.
What lens is right for you really depends on what you want to photograph.
Make sure you get a proper macro lens -- lots of zoom lenses, like the 28-135mm, have the word 'macro' printed on them, but it's verging on false advertising -- they are not true macro lenses.
A macro lens should be able to provide a maximum magnification ratio of 1:1 (or occasionally greater) -- that means that they can project an image onto the sensor that is as large as the object itself. This gives you the ability to see extremely fine detail on small objects.
Almost all macro lenses are fixed focus -- they don't zoom. Most zoom lenses that say macro on them have a maximum magnification ratio of around 1:5 -- which means your subject appears 5 times smaller than with a real macro lens (and hence has very little detail). About the only exception to this is the brand new Canon 24-70mm f/4L, which has a maximum magnification of 1:1.4 -- very respectable for a general-purpose lens.
The Canon 100mm macro is, as mentioned, pretty much the go-to choice if you're on a budget -- it's a truly superb lens for macro work, and anything cheaper will be a big step down.
I do not love canon camera, have always been partial to nikon, but every single macro that I fav is done with a canon 100. If i want already invested $$ in my nikon I would love to get that lens
I have a Nikon camera (D7000) and the Tamron 90mm macro lens. I'd love to have the Nikon 105mm macro but it's too pricey for me. I love my tamron lens though and I get some great shots with it. I haven't used it too much lately but here is one recent one.
Before I upgraded to full-frame, I had a 60mm macro for my Canon 50d. I loved it. Not too expensive, super sharp, light so it was easy to hand hold (I'm horrible about using my tripod). I sold it when I upgraded - the 100mm is a little too pricey for me now so I'm looking at the Tamron 90mm. I've heard really good things!
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I use the 28-135 macro and love it as an "on all the time" lens.
What lens is right for you really depends on what you want to photograph.
Here is a link to review of Canon specific macro lenses: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Canon-Macro-Lens.aspx.
But again, it really depends on what you want to photograph.
A macro lens should be able to provide a maximum magnification ratio of 1:1 (or occasionally greater) -- that means that they can project an image onto the sensor that is as large as the object itself. This gives you the ability to see extremely fine detail on small objects.
Almost all macro lenses are fixed focus -- they don't zoom. Most zoom lenses that say macro on them have a maximum magnification ratio of around 1:5 -- which means your subject appears 5 times smaller than with a real macro lens (and hence has very little detail). About the only exception to this is the brand new Canon 24-70mm f/4L, which has a maximum magnification of 1:1.4 -- very respectable for a general-purpose lens.
The Canon 100mm macro is, as mentioned, pretty much the go-to choice if you're on a budget -- it's a truly superb lens for macro work, and anything cheaper will be a big step down.
Here are some shots I took with the lens:
It also doubles up as a fantastic portrait/all around lens:
I also use it alot for portraits too.