bodiebill

What are the technical difference between the Macro lens (say 80mm) and an 80mm Telephoto lens?
Any good websites to learn about both lenses

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

A macro lens lets you shoot very close to the subject so you can fill the frame with a small object, like using a microscope (eg. a coin or an insect). A telephoto lens doesn't let you shoot close but lets you get a close up of objects at a distance, like using binoculars (eg., a 300 mm lens shooting a pet at 10 ft.). As far as the differences in optical and lens design that allows these different capabilities, I honestly don't know. Maybe another member of the group with knowledge of optics and lens design could provide an answer.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

A macro lens is typically defined as a lens that will reproduce the "real size" image on the camera's sensor meaning the reproduction ratio is 1 to 1 (a one millimeter image will project one millimeter on the sensor). They are also designed for much closer focus distance which in many cases the lens of the camera nearly touches the subject when using high reproduction ratios such as 5X or more much like a microscope's lens gets very close to the slide placed beneath it.

Using telephoto lenses is commonly referred to as "closeup photography" which can produce some stunning results.

Word to the wise, be careful for once you try macro photography it becomes highly addictive and all consuming as I have come to find out.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

One point not mentioned yet is that a true macro lens is a "flat field" design meaning sharp from edge to edge. Standard lenses IQ will fall off at the edges. That is why many people use Full Frame lenses on Crop Sensor bodies, as the center of standard lenses are sharper than their edges...

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

For any specific focal length the difference is that a macro lens is designed to focus closer, generally close enough to get a 1:1 reproduction ratio.

Historically a macro lens was not sharp at longer focusing distances due to astigmatism, and a non macro lens did not focus close enough and would have astimatism if used with extension tubes or a bellows

Modern lenses use "Internal Focus" designs which allow compensating for atigmatism over a wide range of focus distance. However it requires a fixed sensor to lens distance and performance is degraded with a bellows or extension tube.

One very useful technique with macro lenses is to use a 105mm lens and also carry a 2x telextender to make it a 210mm macro focusing lens. At macro focusing distances the extender does not degrade the image as it does at greater distances.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Aside from what has been mentioned, macro lenses tend to be optimized for manual focus - so turning the focus ring is slow but very precise. A lens of similar focal length that is not considered a macro will have a much shorter "throw" on the focus ring, which will focus faster, though not more accurately.

Depending on the lenses being considered, the macro "can" have a flatter field of focus - sharper across the field from corner to center, and may have optimum image sharpness at F11. A similar focal length non-macro may have a larger maximum aperture, and provide optimimum quality at F5.6 or F8, and may have some sharpness drop off in the corners, as well as more aberrations that could negatively impact image quality. Making the aperture smaller will often fix these issues.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

One thing to consider with internal focus lenses....."The drawback of shortening the focal length as the lens focuses closer is that the object distance is also related to the focal length. Because of this you will also lose a portion of your working distance as you focus closer. For a longer focal length lens, this tradeoff won't make a big difference, but can be a significant problem for shorter focal length lenses." Basically this is saying that a 100mm macro lens may be 100mm at infinity focus but not when focused at the min focus distance....

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Astigmatism is not a camera lens defect. It is an eye defect where the eye cannot focus a point source as a point on the sensor or film because the eye's lens has a different focal length along one axis, for example left-right, than another, top to bottom. In other words, the eye is not symmetrical in shape in all directions around the lens axis.

Besides being able to focus closer without the aid of a bellows or extension tune, a macro lens is supposed to provide a flat virtual image (on the surface of the sensor or film) when focused on a flat objective that is perpendicular to the lens axis. That's not always critical in macro work since the objective is often not flat, like a newspaper or film negative. That's why extension tubes or bellows often work very nicely with almost any lens. So does reversing a wide angle lens lens.

Buecause of the emphasis on getting a flat virtual image onto the sensor or film in the camera, a macro lens is not necessarily ideal for long distance work like landscapes. But it will probably work very well if you stop down to the diffraction limit - about f/11 for FX and f/8 for DX.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

I have a sigma 70 300 zoom lens that has a macro switch retail cost £95 as it is a kit lens. Using Macro on a postage stamp I can fill the lens but I need to use a tripod and timed shutter release to keep it sharp.

I also use extension tubes as a cheap alternative. Great for still objects absolutely rubbish for moving objects (probably my lack of skill!!!)

Have fun

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Astigmatism is also a camera lens defect.

The relative amount of astigmatism for a given lens setting can be seem in MTF charts where the sagittal and meridontal lines diverge. That divergence will always be zero at the center of the lens and generally increased toward the edges.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorial/lens-quality-mtf-resolution.htm

Almost everything in your article is essentially incorrect due to stating generalities as if they are always specific. Note that for macro work the actual fstop will be past f/11, and diffraction limited, unless used wide open if focus is close enough for a 1:1 reproduction. A marked setting of f/5.6 will actually be f/11.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I stand corrected on the aplicability of astigmatism to camera lenses - see also Astigmatism (optical systems)

Nevertheless, for macro work that is normally at or just beyond the diffraction limit to maximize DOF, it is less when the lens is stopped down and not usually a problem near the center of the lens. It has little meaning if focus stacking is used.

So your statement that,"everything in your article is essentially incorrect due to stating generalities" is itself an exagerrated generality that is essentially incorrect - the pot calling the kettle black.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Almost all work near 1:1 with a macro lens is done stopped down well past where diffraction limiting starts, simply to get adequate DOF.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Is there an echo here?

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Actually most macro work at 1:1 or higher magnification is done well beyond the point where diffraction limiting starts. Apertures such as f/32 and even higher are common, with f/64 not unheard of.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Generally speaking the Macro lens is designed to focus much closer than your telephoto lens. Usually a macro will deliver a 1:1 image are greater. The telephoto cannot deliver this. Also, some macro's are specifically designed to give a flatter image resulting in even sharper closeup images.
The Nikon 105 mm micro is not only a great Macro lens, it is also a great portrait lens. So, your getting two lenses in one. With a telephoto lens, you are only getting one lens, a telephoto.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/424744-USA/Nikon_2160_105mm_f_2_8G_ED_IF_AF_S.html?sts=pi