After turning green with envy at all the wonderful macro shots I see on this site, I have decided to bite the bullet and buy a good macro lens to go with my Canon EOS 7D camera. I've been struggling with a close up lens that screws on the end of other lenses like a filter, but the results are pretty ordinary. My point and click does a better macro.
I have been reading about 100 mm, 180 mm etc lenses but still don't have a good handle on what the best one is to get so I can take good sharp shots of ladybirds and other tiny creatures - assuming any turn up in my garden (they seem to be a bit absent at the moment).
Money isn't a problem (within reason) and I'd prefer to get a good L lens that does the job now. Does anyone have any advice for me?
As long as the rating of the lens can produce a 1:1 shot, it will be just fine. (1:1 meaning that the image will appear at it's actual size if you were to look at it with your own eyes) Hope this helps
I just got a Canon f2.8 100mm USM lens (not the IS version due to $). It was most recommended to me by the folks on this site and I LOVE it! I have only had it a week, so I am just learning but it has made me look at the world in a different way. It does 1:1 as TJ suggested. I have a Canon Rebel Xsi. The lens was about $600 CDN. I think the IS version is about $1100 - not sure about L lenses as they are out of my range!
Thanks Tanya. I've read on the Internet that this is a good lens and was considering the L version of it. But the 180 mm also has a good rap.
Does the 180 mm give better results than the 100 mm or is it just that you can be further away from the subject? Is the focus narrower on the 180 mm making it harder to use? I'm just a novice so whichever lens I end up buying, I'll be on a steep learning curve. Still practising with my other lenses.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
Does the 180 mm give better results than the 100 mm or is it just that you can be further away from the subject? Is the focus narrower on the 180 mm making it harder to use? I'm just a novice so whichever lens I end up buying, I'll be on a steep learning curve. Still practising with my other lenses.
Does anyone have a first hand comparison?
This was just in time to take some great shots of a spider's nest that I found in my garden. See one of them at http://365project.org/margaretg/365
Thanks for the advice TJ and Tanya.