conigk

I am looking for a suggestion for a macro lens. I am not sure what mm would be the best and could use some advise. I have been on UHH for less than a year and have learned a lot but I am still very much a newbie. Thanks.

Jerry1940 Loc: Born in OH live in CA

My choice....Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Fixed Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

gary8803

I use a sigma 105 can buy them used at a good price.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

It depends on your intended macro uses. Do you desire indoors static shots like products, coins, stamps, flowers and similar where the subject will not move no matter how close you bring the lens / camera to the subject? Or, do you desire to work outdoors for active / living insects? Also, do you have a sturdy tripod? External speedlight flash?

A good working distance starts around 100mm for insects, regardless of sensor format. But, for that first indoor-only usage for static subjects, Canon's EF-S 60mm macro is an extremely sharp lens.

IS is a nice feature for handholding, but entirely unneeded if you're shooting from a tripod. If you're serious about macro, you'll need a tripod and a lens with a tripod collar...

rodpark2 Loc: Dallas, Tx

The Canon EF-S 60-2.8 USM is an outstanding macro and short portrait lens for crop sensor Canons only. It's also small and easy to pack and comes at a very decent price: http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/513-canon60f28apsc

conigk

Thanks for your thoughtful suggestions.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I will offer another view point.
I do use the 100 mm f/2.8 Canon at times, but more often I use the Tamron 180 mm f/3.5 on both APS-C and FF sensor Canon bodies.

Why, because I hand hold out doors a lot and bees, butterflies etc often won't sit still and allow me to get really close. Plus when working indoors or on a tripod the longer lens lets me stay back and have working room for lights and reflectors.

A secondary advantage to me is that the lens works well for hummers at the feeders. If you sit still in a lawn chair they let you get within 6-10 feet after they are used to you. (they have used my head for a race course pylon when chasing each other) I usually use pre focus because the AF is a bit slow for hummers and birds in general. There are faster focusing long macros and who knows what will come out in the future. My copy of this lens also works very well with my Kenko 300 Pro 1.4X extender which gives me an angle of view equal to a 403 mm lens on the crop sensor. That works well as a general birding lens under the right circumstances.

This lens comes with a tripod collar and is less than $800. B&H and a few others list it as no longer available so maybe a new version is coming out and they are out of stock while waiting for the new one.

conigk

Thanks. I am interested in photos of bees, butterflies, hummingbirds so your advise is well taken.

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

While I don't own one of these, I have used a borrowed one and can confirm the outstanding performance of this lens. I wish I could afford one.

10MPlayer Loc: California

I have one and it's a good choice. Just as sharp to my eyes as the L lens. Some reviews at the time I bought mine agree.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

The Canon EF-S 60mm macro lens is excellent. I have one. It is small and excellent quality, however you need to get very close for some subjects. If buying again I would go for a longer focal length. This also used a 250D close up lens.

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John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I've got a CANON crop sensor camera (60D) and a Signa 105mm macro. It's a good lens (optically) but it hunts around on autofocus. If you're going for a walk through Nature and maybe want to pop off a quick dragonfly/butterfly shot on the fly you might be better off with the CANON 100mm 'L' macro (if you've got the bucks) but it is twice the price. If you are content with tripod work you can save some big money (50% in the U.K.) with any of the big brand macros.

I have found the thread on my Sigma to be coarse (but smooth) so you can easily go past focus and have to come back.

At the club the other night we had a talk from a keen macro snapper and if I heard him right he suggested a Zeiss 50mm on a 42mm thread can be picked up cheap on fleabay and used with a reversing ring will give excellent results. Speak to the people in the macro section - they know theyre stuff and are more than happy to help in my experience.

Haymaker

I just got the IS version of this as a "Merry Christmas to me" item. Awesome glass! Good recommendation Jerry1940

RWCRNC Loc: Pennsylvania

Tamron 90mm

rydabyk Loc: Florida Panhandle

I have one of these http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/100mm-f28.htm and I really like it. Plus, it's priced pretty reasonable.