macro lens for the canon 10D

[ilana]

I have the Canon 28-135 is
and I have the extension tube it's not so easy to work with this combination
i was thinking about buying a macro lens
I can't decide between the canon 100 macro or the Sigma 105 macro
the different between the 2 is around 100$
which one will you recomand for the Macro shooting?

[robertwgross]

I have the Canon 28-135 is
and I have the extension tube it's not so easy to work with this combination
i was thinking about buying a macro lens
I can't decide between the canon 100 macro or the Sigma 105 macro
the different between the 2 is around 100$
which one will you recomand for the Macro shooting?

I think it matters what your subjects are, and how close you are trying to get.

I spent all day long with my Canon 28-135 IS shooting flowers, and the extension tube was on for the really tiny ones. I had to switch over to manual focus for a lot of it, but otherwise it works fine.

---Bob Gross---

[ilana]

I have the Canon 28-135 is
and I have the extension tube it's not so easy to work with this combination
i was thinking about buying a macro lens
I can't decide between the canon 100 macro or the Sigma 105 macro
the different between the 2 is around 100$
which one will you recomand for the Macro shooting?

I think it matters what your subjects are, and how close you are trying to get.

I spent all day long with my Canon 28-135 IS shooting flowers, and the extension tube was on for the really tiny ones. I had to switch over to manual focus for a lot of it, but otherwise it works fine.

thanks
i did it today also and i think about changing my mind and not to spend money on a macro lens
my pix today are much better
ilana


---Bob Gross---

[SKR1]

the 2 lens is good for quality (comparaison with Sigma 105EX 1/1)

BUt the Canon is more pratical.

SIgma make a new lens 105EX DG. To see.

A+

SKR

[CyberDyneSystems]

**Moved thread to EOS where we tend to get more lens discussion.** :)

The two lenses,. Canon 100mm and Sigma 105mm offer very similar magnification and image quality.

The biggest advantage of the Canon would be the Autofocus performance.. which is significatly faster and smoother than the Sigma's

If he price difference is only about $100.00? I'd grab the Canon.

[JZaun]

Not only is the Canon 100mm Macro lens a macro lens, it is a fab close up Zoom lens :D :D Just step forward and back. I take all my flower pics with it. Its not a slouch for portrials and great for distance. A real nice all around lens with the advantage of full time manual focus, fast auto focus and 1:1 macro. Its sharp and well I haven't used my 24-85mm zoom for anything since I got the 100mm! Did I mention I love my 100mm canon macro :D

You won't go wrong with that one!!

JZ :D

[Olegis]

This roundup (http://orchideen-kartierung.de/Macro100E.html) suggests that the Tamron 90mm Macro is the best lens (optically) in the 100mm range, while the Canon 100mm is very close to its performance, but with a much faster and quieter AF (USM).
However another review (http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/can-tam-macro/) of the Tamron vs Canon macro lenses says that the two lenses are very similar in performance with no clear winner between the two.
According to B&H the prices of the Tamron and the Canon are almost identical (about $460 is I'm not mistaken), so personally I would go with the Canon.

[gmitchel]

If you are serious about macro photography, I recommend neither.

The best macro lens is the Canon 180mm "L" Macro lens.

It has superb optics. Much better in every way than the Canon 100mm Macro. Sharpness, flatness of field, contrast, bokeh.

The build quality is much better, too, for the 180mm. Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina build quality does not even approach the Canon 100mm Macro.

You get twice the working distance with the 180mm macro -- extremely important, especially for live subjects. It's the difference between being nearly two feet away and one foot away.

The FOV is narrower with the 180mm. That's crucial, too. It makes it much easier to isolate a macro subject from a distracting background.

The 100mm is better than using extension tubes with a zoom, but it is mediocre compared with the 180mm macro.

Of course, the 180mm "L" macro lens has an "L" price tag! It costs aboiut 4x what you can buy a 100mm macro for.

But, what a lens! Definitely my favorite lens! All I shoot is "L" glass. The Canon 180mm is in a class by itself. ;)

Cheers,

Mitch

BTW, the comment about the 100mm being a zoom by moving back and forth is wrong! All lenses focus by adjusting the focal length slightly. That does not make them a zoom lens. The 100mm lens is a fixed focal length lens. At 100mm it is well-suited for portraits. Of course, you can use it for landscapes, etc. A macro lens is just a normal lens with sharper optics (especially from center to edge of the FOV -- i.e., flatter FOV) that has extension built into it so you can get to something like a 1:1 reproduction ratio.

[MrKickalot]

Can you explain "not so easy to work with"? I have had a lot of success with extension tubes.

http://www.fotop.net/allmanphoto/Macro

Most of the flowers are with a 50 f1.8 and the insects are with a 75-300 f4.0-5.6. Before you spend a bunch of money on a macro lens you may want to make sure you aren't just doing something slightly wrong??

Just a thought!!

[DaveG]

I have the Canon 28-135 is
and I have the extension tube it's not so easy to work with this combination
i was thinking about buying a macro lens
I can't decide between the canon 100 macro or the Sigma 105 macro
the different between the 2 is around 100$
which one will you recomand for the Macro shooting?

I've got the older non USM 100MM Canon macro and it's been a delight. It's autofocus is very slow by USM standards. If you need a 100 that focuses fast then the USM would be a better lens. But I have that focal length covered and what I was REALLY looking for was the macro implications, not the AF speed. As far as that goes I wouldn't use AF when I was doing macro work since the specific point of focus is so much a part of the creative process.

I'm also not sad that I saved a fair bit of money by buying that lens. As for the Canon in comparison with the Sigma, I wouldn't think twice about buying the Canon. It'll retain its value better, should be more durable, and if this forum indicates anything will be immune to any future Canon ERROR messages that seems to be revealed whenever a new Canon body comes out.

On the extension tube front, I too find them not "... easy to work with" as losing infinity focus is not my idea of a good time, especially when I'm in a hurry. That point is a major reason to ignore the 50mm macro, a lens that requires an extension tube to get you to 1:1.

[gmitchel]

Can you explain "not so easy to work with"? I have had a lot of success with extension tubes.


You have almost no working distance when you use tubes. You also need a longer exposure because of the lost light.

I started with Canon's close-up dikopters and tubes. I quickly progressed to a 100mm macro lens. I sold it to buy the 180mm macro lens.

I have never used the close-up diopters or the tubes since.

You cannot even approach the flat field, contrast, and resolution of a macro lens with something like the Canon 28-135mm and tubes.

Most important is working distance. If you do any serious macro photography, you quickly come to appreciate working distance. With my 180mm macro, I can shoot a 1:1 close-up of an anole at 19 inches. With a 100mm macro, you are down to a foot. With a 50mm macro, you are about 8 inches away. I get the shot, it's unlikely the 100mm macro will, and almost certain the 50mm will not.

Some one else here is talking about AF. AF gets in your way when you do macro photography. DOF is very narrow combined with typically low light and contrast issues and AF is likely to thrash around or focus anywhere but where you'd like. Most pros shut off AF for macro shots.

Cheers,

Mitch

[Savagelogic]

How come no one has mentioned that Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Manual Focus lens? Is it because it is such a specialized lens? I know you can only do macro with this and its only manual focus, but this seems like such a unique lens that for someone doing really serious macro work this would be a consideration. What does everyone think of this lens? Bad reviews?

[taskerc]

Has anyone tried using a reversing ring for Macro? I have read about it many times, but have not yet given it a go - comments?

[MediaMagic]

How come no one has mentioned that Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Manual Focus lens? Is it because it is such a specialized lens? I know you can only do macro with this and its only manual focus, but this seems like such a unique lens that for someone doing really serious macro work this would be a consideration. What does everyone think of this lens? Bad reviews?

I don't own this lens, but I did have a chance to play around with one for a few days. The working distance is very short. You are pretty much right on top of the subject. It's a tool for a specific job and if you do alot of extreme close-up stuff, it could be a good investment as the picture quality is absolutely superb. I mean, *really* spectacular. Better than any of the macro lenses mentioned in this thread, but, it isn't versatile in the least. It is strictly a closeup lens.

[Olegis]

Some one else here is talking about AF. AF gets in your way when you do macro photography. DOF is very narrow combined with typically low light and contrast issues and AF is likely to thrash around or focus anywhere but where you'd like. Most pros shut off AF for macro shots.

From what I've experienced with my 10D, precise manual focussing is extremely difficult because of (relatively) poor viewfinder. Is it any different in macro shots ?

[gmitchel]

Some one else here is talking about AF. AF gets in your way when you do macro photography. DOF is very narrow combined with typically low light and contrast issues and AF is likely to thrash around or focus anywhere but where you'd like. Most pros shut off AF for macro shots.

From what I've experienced with my 10D, precise manual focussing is extremely difficult because of (relatively) poor viewfinder. Is it any different in macro shots ?

No. Macro shots tend to be lower in light and contrast. DOF is very narrow. If anything, focusing with macro shots tends to be more difficult. That's why it is best to use focusing rails.

Cheers,

Mitch

[Olegis]

But how do you know that you're 100% focused ?

[rraman]

How do the close-up filters like canon 500D perform as compared to macro lenses? I have used these filters and I thought that the quality was decent :? , but I would like to hear the opinions of people who have used both, or are aware of advantages/disadvantages of using close-up filters.

[gmitchel]

How do the close-up filters like canon 500D perform as compared to macro lenses? I have used these filters and I thought that the quality was decent :? , but I would like to hear the opinions of people who have used both, or are aware of advantages/disadvantages of using close-up filters.

I started with the Canon 500D and 250D diopters. Added Canon tubes.

Quality is OK, not decent IMHO. They are not sharp edge to edge. The Canon close-up diopters are as good as close-up diopters get. But the image does suffer compared with even a low-end macro lens.

Tubes cost you light. Like the diopters, they are a nuisance to carry. Easier to use than close-up diopters. You do get vignetting with them, especially off-brands like Kenko.

Both tubes and close-up diopters leave you almost no working distance.

Macro lenses are much sharper. They are designed to be sharp from the center to the edges, not to vignette, etc. Where you need precise magnification, like 1:1, you get it with macro lenses. Etc.

Canon's close-up diopters and extension tubes are a great way to get started with macro photography. But don't fool yourself. If you get a decent shot with close-up diopters or tubs, you'd be able to get a much better shot with a macro lens.

Cheers,

Mitch

[Adam Hicks]

Well as far as sharpness on the Canon 100mm goes, I took this by accident and just happened to notice how sharp the lower eyelashes are (click the image to make it larger so you can see what I'm talking about.)

In addition to being a fantastic macro, I love the bokeh and quality of the Canon for 100mm shots.

Adam

My 3 yr old staring into the camera...
http://golilm.com/DSLR/eyelashes.jpg

[samdring]

Adam
That is nothing short of superb