Hi (:
I'm planning on buying a macro lens in the not too distant future. I currently own a Nikon D5000 with an 18-55mm lens (the one it came with).
I've tried searching on Amazon but a million and one different things come up and I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for...
Please could someone help me out? What sort of millimetres would I need to get? I'm completely and utterly clueless when it comes to the technical side of photography so any help you could give me would be much appreciated! Also, are there any brands I should avoid?
Thank you :]
Naomi.
Not sure about brands. But I own an 0.126-.06. range is 5inches to 2-6 feet. I like it enough. It gets the job done but I want to go closer and bigger. I am looking at a 200mm macro lens. That will fill a frame with a fly's eye. It really depends what you want to shoot with your macro that will make the difference in what lens you want to get. I also have tried a 10x macro filter. It works well with my existing 200mm lens but is really leaves you with a very shallow DOF regardless of aperture setting. So most of the image is in a foggy haze. Rather cool effect for certain shots.
So if you want very close up and personal macros of very tiny subjects go bigger.If you want flowers and bees and butterflies with a small amount of background then smaller would be just fine.
These are all good questions. I'll try to answer them as *briefly* as possible but, hey, I'm a windbag haha
@shuterfly started it out pretty good: it all depends on what you want to do. A general macro lens is in the 100mm range. If you intend to shoot macros of food or people, I would suggest somewhere between 60-85mm. If you want to shoot extreme close ups of insects or small part I would suggest 150-200mm. I have the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro...it is an amazing lens, but sometimes shooting food is very difficult.
You want to avoid the closeup filters. Sure, they get your lens closer to the subject which in essence allows you to shoot macro photography, but it is another piece of glass between the sensor and the subject which leads to distortions and loss of focus. It also KILLS the depth of field and there is no way to correct it.
When it comes to brands, always stick with the Big Two & Little Three, as I call them. The big two names are, of course, Nikon and Canon depending on which body you have. The little three are Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron. I've used all five of these brands and find them all to be very good. However, the Nikon 105mm Micro and Sigma 150mm Macro are the two best macro lenses I've used yet.
Any other questions? I'm sending the bill to @shadesofgrey so ask all the questions you like!!!
@jasonbarnette Tamron puts out the 200mm macro I want. I have to add that the little three are a little easier on the wallet as well. The tamron 200mm macro I priced at 300.00to 400.00 verses the Sony lens (I own a Sony A330) at 600.00.
Hi go for either the nikon 105 or the sigma 105 both awesome dont go below 100mm as you need to get too close & scare off the subject hope this helps try panamoz.com they are cheap but imported but 100% perfect used them a lot 7 all duty is paid upfront in the price
@ptowncook Try either extension tubes or reverse lensing instead! If you really want to do macro, those are both great options. You can get a set of extension tubes for around $10 or so on Amazon, and technically, you can reverse lens with the equipment you already have, although having an adapter is lots easier. Those are also roughly around $10 on Amazon.
Why do I read these discussions? I love my 100mm macro lens, but now I see that I'm going to need another macro lens with a longer focal length. Every time I drop in on these threads, my "need" list gets longer. The only hope I have is to win the lottery.
Thank you so much for this, everyone! There's a huge amount to consider there but it's been really helpful. I think I understand it a little more, now :] Thank youuuuu!
@kloud I have to agree with Bonnie. The 105mm is the most incredible lens. Perfect for portraits too. I have quite a few macro shots in my album shot with this lens, as does Bonnie, if you want to have a squiz.
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So if you want very close up and personal macros of very tiny subjects go bigger.If you want flowers and bees and butterflies with a small amount of background then smaller would be just fine.
@shuterfly started it out pretty good: it all depends on what you want to do. A general macro lens is in the 100mm range. If you intend to shoot macros of food or people, I would suggest somewhere between 60-85mm. If you want to shoot extreme close ups of insects or small part I would suggest 150-200mm. I have the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro...it is an amazing lens, but sometimes shooting food is very difficult.
You want to avoid the closeup filters. Sure, they get your lens closer to the subject which in essence allows you to shoot macro photography, but it is another piece of glass between the sensor and the subject which leads to distortions and loss of focus. It also KILLS the depth of field and there is no way to correct it.
When it comes to brands, always stick with the Big Two & Little Three, as I call them. The big two names are, of course, Nikon and Canon depending on which body you have. The little three are Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron. I've used all five of these brands and find them all to be very good. However, the Nikon 105mm Micro and Sigma 150mm Macro are the two best macro lenses I've used yet.
Any other questions? I'm sending the bill to @shadesofgrey so ask all the questions you like!!!
In general, this is how the Little Three work out best:
Tokina makes great wide angle glass 10-24mm.
Tamron makes great normal glass 25-100mm.
Sigma makes great telephoto glass 100-300mm.
I've used the Tamron 200mm Macro and it's not as sharp as the Sigma, but then again I paid $900 for my Sigma lens.