Macro Lens (Fast vs Slow)
Feb 9, 2019 14:59:08 #
The Minolta AF 100mm f2.8 macro is as good or better than all the other macro lenses listed here. It is all metal construction vs the modern plastic lenses of today. Tokina makes great lenses but I believe they are mostly plastic construction same with Sigma. Give me the incredible build quality of the metal Minolta over plastic Anyday!
Feb 9, 2019 15:02:38 #
SteveG
Loc: Norh Carolina
Ditto that Minolta. Great lens! But there are a ton of legacy macro lenses out there and not to mention, extension tubes, fully automatic, on a great prime, will do the trick very inexpensively!
Feb 9, 2019 15:11:41 #
LWW
Loc: Banana Republic of America
The issue with shorter length macros is the working distance ... measured from the sensor, not the end of the lens ... gets precariously short.
Feb 9, 2019 15:12:59 #
LWW
Loc: Banana Republic of America
SteveG wrote:
Ditto that Minolta. Great lens! But there are a ton of legacy macro lenses out there and not to mention, extension tubes, fully automatic, on a great prime, will do the trick very inexpensively!
Also, if a lens is to be a dedicated macro AF is useless.
Feb 9, 2019 15:13:51 #
LWW wrote:
The issue with shorter length macros is the working distance ... measured from the sensor, not the end of the lens ... gets precariously short.
Focal length also effects the quality of background blur.
Feb 9, 2019 15:21:24 #
Feb 9, 2019 15:22:43 #
SteveG
Loc: Norh Carolina
I rarely ever use auto focus for macro. As far as automatic tubes are concerned though, the metering is fully capable
Feb 9, 2019 15:24:23 #
MechEng wrote:
Hi all. My first topic post so be gentle. I did ... (show quote)
There a short answer here stay clear from multi lens they tend do close ups. they are good but not true macro. I have a 105 at f2.8. I just right for my drop collision images. I have yet to try focus stacking
Feb 9, 2019 15:26:24 #
Please help me out with the images are they classed as macro or close up?
Blurryeyed wrote:
Focal length also effects the quality of background blur.
Feb 9, 2019 15:34:55 #
SteveG
Loc: Norh Carolina
Curious, why do you say a dedicated macro is useless for auto focus? I have the Olympus 60mm macro and auto focus works quite well, when I use it.
Feb 9, 2019 15:35:53 #
MechEng wrote:
Hi all. My first topic post so be gentle. I did ... (show quote)
True macro lenses are capable of 1:1 reproduction on the format for which they are engineered. In other words, they make a life size reproduction on the film or sensor.
Macro lenses are generally NOT zooms, have a fixed aperture, are apochromatic, and are corrected for close use.
The terms 'macro' and 'micro' are thrown around carelessly by manufacturers. Nikon labels its technically MACRO lens 'Micro Nikkor'. Without extension tubes or bellows, however, those lenses don't even record images between 1X and 20X life size! That is the 'Macro' range. Microphotography starts about 20X life size on sensor! And yes, it is typically done with microscopes.
Tamron makes a 28-75mm f/2.8 zoom I'm familiar with that has a 'Macro' mode. It works down to 1:4, or 1/4 life size on sensor. That is technically just a close focusing lens. It works okay in a pinch, but the amount of distortion it adds means you wouldn't want to copy documents or art with it, other than casually.
MOST of what UHH members call Macrophotography is really just closeup photography...
Feb 9, 2019 15:41:15 #
My macro 105mm hunts all the time in very low light. With your 60 mm being a wider I can only assume more light is coming in. I always use my macro track to fine tune in manual focus.
SteveG wrote:
Curious, why do you say a dedicated macro is useless for auto focus? I have the Olympus 60mm macro and auto focus works quite well, when I use it.
Feb 9, 2019 15:48:14 #
SteveG
Loc: Norh Carolina
Well, low light can cause just about any lens to hunt, depending on amount of light on your particular sensor. Having IBIS on my Olympus though, I get pretty good auto focus indoors, under the light of one 60w bulb at 1600 ISO. Maybe your ISO is set too low??
Feb 9, 2019 15:58:26 #
You could be on to something here, I do keep my focus light on. I can not shoot drop photography any higher the 200 iso because the way I am set up. The flash stops the action! My shutter is open for 3 seconds thats why I have to be very low light, but I shall try your why in different shoots thanks
SteveG wrote:
Well, low light can cause just about any lens to hunt, depending on amount of light on your particular sensor. Having IBIS on my Olympus though, I get pretty good auto focus indoors, under the light of one 60w bulb at 1600 ISO. Maybe your ISO is set too low??
Feb 9, 2019 16:15:19 #
I have to laugh. I'm old, and have both the Nikon 55 micro and the 105 micro, manual focus from the dark ages. When I bought and used those, nobody, and I mean NOBODY talked about fast lenses producing shallow DOF. We wanted them faster because we would have the advantage of more accurate focusing, and almost never shot photos closer to wide open than f8.
But that's from the days when folks got lenses having a good balance between contrast and sharpness, and produced distinctive photos. Now, everybody is either consumed by how sharp a lens could get, or how the out of focus parts look. Getting old sucks.
But that's from the days when folks got lenses having a good balance between contrast and sharpness, and produced distinctive photos. Now, everybody is either consumed by how sharp a lens could get, or how the out of focus parts look. Getting old sucks.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.