Could a 70-200mm f/2.8LIS be used for macro....

[PrOxY]

Hi,

I recently picked up the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS for nature shooting. I never really delved into the Macro shooting realm before, but I recently took a photoshop class with someone who had taken amazing pictures of flora and fauna using his Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS with Kenko rings (apparently hand held).

Would the Kenko rings & my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS be a good way to go for the occasional shot of small reptiles or amphibians I encounter on the trail (Hand Held), or should I consider adding a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro for such purposes (Its certainly smaller and lighter, but I don't often carry a tripod or mono on the trail)?

Suggestions?

[Dalantech]

Yes :)

The tubes are so cheap, and the 100mm macro is such a good lens, that I'd do both. One of my next lenses might be the 70-200 F4 L and I'll probably have a diopter on it most of the time...

[LordV]

Tubes on the 70-200 will be very useful- allowing you to get up to 0.7:1 magnification at the 70mm end- only problem would be loss of longer distance ability with the tubes on.
Brian V.

[jgogums]

Hi Proxy -
Personally can't speak to the 70-200 w/kenko tubes for macro but I've seen others post their close-up work using that lens (dragons flys come to mind...) and it looked incredible.

But...the 100 mm macro is amazing...and pretty easy to handhold IMHO, so a mono or tripod is certainly not a requirement especially for the types of subjects you mentioned you are interested in shooting.

The least expensive is, of course, to get a set of tubes. They can always be used with the 100 mm macro should you eventually buy that lens.
Aloha!

[PrOxY]

Thanks for the feedback...

EDIT: Sorry jgogrums, your answer preceded this posts questions on the hand hold:)....answered and thanks!

:)