Macro

[Rich Knoles]

I want to take some bug pictures. What do I look for in a Macro lens?
Rich

[Viking Lars]

You look for one where it says "Nikon Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR" on the barrel :-).

OK - there are other great lenses too, but you definitely don't want to go shorter than 100mm - most bugshooter use 150mm or longer. But it's certainly possible to do good bug photography with a 105mm lens, which will also do well as a "normal" lens. Plus it will take great portaits of those lovely girls of yours :-).

Which camera do you use?

Canon makes some great macro-lenses that are not quite as fast as the Nikon f/2.8 - I think they're f/4.0 or something, but they're super sharp, and f/2.8 gives a ridiculously shallow DOF anyway. But it's nice sometimes and often for other things that macro.

And besides, most macrolenses are crazy sharp anyway...

Lars

[JanMan]

Hey Rich,

I use the Canon 100 f/2.8 L IS, which is a fantastic lens. Before I went full-frame, I used the EF-S 60 macro - also a great lens. If you're on a budget, I'd get the "old" Canon 100 non-L, it's much cheaper than the L version with stabilizer, in particular as second hand - and just as good optically. Doubles up as a very nice portrait or medium tele lens. As Lars said, it's really hard to find a macro lens that isn't sharp.

Jan

[JanMan]

Oh, and to be more precise in case you're looking at other brands: Make sure that its magnification ratio is (at least) 1:1 and that it has a good rating on either fredmiranda.com or photozone.de

[o2flyfish]

found the below article helpful a while back not sure if I'm allowed to post it here, but think it helps.

Lord V Article

[Malcolm]

My question would be: how serious do you want to be?

You can get acceptable shots using an all-round lens if you simply wish to creep up on dragonflies or butterflies while you are out fishing. This is a 100% crop of a common darter dragonfly, about 6x life size, taken with a standard Nikon 18-200 lens on a D90. Not as good as with the 200mm Micro Nikkor (which I own and will one day get round to exploiting) but it's a fraction of the weight, much cheaper and is much more versatile.

[keystone]

Hi,
Sigma 100 macro is a good lens.
They have also introduced a 100 and a 150 macro with OS. Prices are about half the camera makers own lenses.
Dave.

[pyko]

I know I'm off-topic, but my little G10 does great Macro...
Bibio.

[pyko]

Stone...

[Rich Knoles]

Thanks guys. Not sure what I'm going to do. Keeping the price down would be good as I won't expect to use it much.

Its a 7D Lars, so no Nikon

[AndréBrun]

Hi. With a dedicated macro lens, one get much sharper and detailed images up close. That is what they are primarily designed for. But of course, they are not as versatile as a zoom lens for everyday use.

Here's one of my macro shots with the 105 VR Macro f/2,8 lens.
André

[Jeroen]

nice fly André, not sure about the hook point though...

[AndréBrun]

It's some small dust there on the hook point The Knapek hook is ok

[VoodooChild]

Whoa, Déjà vu Dude.

[Old Fart]

Medical nikkor 200mm f4 but my face sigma 105 f2.8.
Nothing less than 100 mm to get decent working space.


Terry