Now I want the truth here (Macro question)

[400dabuser]

When taking photos in macro mode, using a dedicated macro lens, does the subject appear to magnified without cropping or after cropping

[silvrr]

The lens produces a magnified image on to your sensor. Up to 1:1 or life size with most macro lenses or up to 5X with the MPE-65.

Canon 60mm Macro: Up to 1:1
Canon 100mm Macro: Up to 1:1
Canon 50mm Macro: 1:1 with optional life size convertor
MPE-65: Up to 5:1

[Mike]

Both! :)

[400dabuser]

The thing is, that my Tamron lens says macro, yet it is a telephoto lens in reality, I took a photo of a Bumble Bee today, yet when I cropped it, it seemed larger???

[John_B]

400dabuser,
First putting your camera on a macro mode does nothing to the magnification of the subject!!

Second using a true macro lens ex. a Canon 100mm f/2.8 set at 1:1 a 10mm subject will show up on the sensor as 10mm! However this will be much larger on any size prints, ex. the sensor width on my 40D is 22.2mm so a 10mm subject will take up just about 1/2 of the sensor. So in a 4 x 6" print the same subject will take up 3" on the print.

Hope that helped :)

edit pertaining to your update:

Your zoom is not a true macro lens, true macro is 1:1 life size (no zooms are true macro to my knowledge) but many lenses say macro and offer as much as 1:2 which is half the magnification of life size. Cropping a photo does make the subject appear larger and can mimic a true macro but with degradation to the print quality/size

[400dabuser]

OK, I get you

[silvrr]

Your Tamaron will only provide 1:3.5

[number six]

Your zoom is not a true macro lens, true macro is 1:1 life size (no zooms are true macro to my knowledge) but many lenses say macro and offer as much as 1:2 which is half the magnification of life size.

Yeah. Macro is a poorly defined word, really. Canon's 50mm macro lens is only 1:2:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12145-USA/Canon_2537A003_50mm_f_2_5_Compact_Macro.html#speci fications

-js

[20droger]

To be classed as a true macro lens, a lens must meet several criteria:

Be able to focus relatively close to the subject;

Be able to achieve high magnification (say, 1:2 or better); and

Have an exceptionally flat field of focus.

Many lenses are marked "macro" (Sigma is especially fond of this). That does not make them macro lenses. Marking a non-macro lens "macro" is an advertising gimmick having little or nothing to do with a lens' macro capabilities.

A macro switch on a lens or (especially) on a p&s camera is merely a switch to shift the range of focus. Real macro lenses often have a focusing range switch, but I've never seen a real macro lens that had a switch labeled "macro"; that would be kind of redundant. The very fact that such a switch is labeled "macro" would be a red flag that the lens is NOT a macro lens.

Many lenses can focus close to the subject. That does not make them macro lenses. They are just close-focusing lenses, which do have their uses.

A few lenses have relatively high magnification. That does not make them macro lenses. They are just hhigh-magnification lenses, which also have their uses (good for bugs).

The deal breaker for most lenses is the exceptionally flat field of focus. This is because, besides taking pictures of bugs, true macro lenses are used to copy things like documents. Normal, non-macro lenses fail miserably at this.

Because a real (ture) macro lens needs an exceptionally flat field of focus, it typically has exceptionally clean and crisp optics. This makes a macro lens a very good lens for general photography as well. The penalty is that it usually is not as fast as comparable non-macro lenses, and often cost considerably more.

Nothing is for free.

[400dabuser]

Thanks for that 20droger

[birdfromboat]

I thought the 50 f2.5 was the only lens with a truly flat feild, I don't think it is even called a macro unless it carries the life size converter. I have never seen it in print that ANY other canon has a flat field- probably close, but not advertised.

[number six]

My 60 f/2.8 macro has a very flat field.

-js

[birdfromboat]

very flat, yes, but recommended for capturing flat subject matter because it has a the ability to focus on a flat field? I havent read everything out there, but I have read that the 50 2.5 was the only canon lens with a true flat focus. True or not, I think the 100 is the one to have based on price and quality. I have never seen a bad review of one, but again, there is more out there I haven't read than read.

[400dabuser]

But I got a macro lens tomorrow, would I need to put it on the macro option or take a photo on the creative modes? I know the question maybe silly

[20droger]

But I got a macro lens tomorrow, would I need to put it on the macro option or take a photo on the creative modes? I know the question maybe silly
Put what on the macro option?

The lens? It is macro. It has no macro option. It may have a focusing range switch (many do), but that is useful only for the speed of focusing. Not for shifting to a macro mode.

The camera? If you are using the creative modes—P, Av, Tv, or M—there is no macro setting. There are what they are. Period.

If you are using the basic modes—Full Auto (Green Box), Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up (Macro), Sports, and Night Portraits—then what you are setting is the cameras characteristics, such as white balance and the preference of shutter speed versus aperture. These settings have nothing to do with the lens or its ability to focus. Use the "Macro" setting all you want, but it will never turn a 400mm lens into a macro lens. Just as using the "Landscape" setting will not make it a wide angle lens.

At the risk of sounding rude (not trying to be), you apparently have some serious manual reading to do to better understand what the creative and basic modes are all about. That is the best advice I can give at this stage of the game.

[400dabuser]

Put what on the macro option?

The lens? It is macro. It has no macro option. It may have a focusing range switch (many do), but that is useful only for the speed of focusing. Not for shifting to a macro mode.

The camera? If you are using the creative modes—P, Av, Tv, or M—there is no macro setting. There are what they are. Period.

If you are using the basic modes—Full Auto (Green Box), Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up (Macro), Sports, and Night Portraits—then what you are setting is the cameras characteristics, such as white balance and the preference of shutter speed versus aperture. These settings have nothing to do with the lens or its ability to focus. Use the "Macro" setting all you want, but it will never turn a 400mm lens into a macro lens. Just as using the "Landscape" setting will not make it a wide angle lens.

At the risk of sounding rude (not trying to be), you apparently have some serious manual reading to do to better understand what the creative and basic modes are all about. That is the best advice I can give at this stage of the game.


The camera.

I was meaning that if I got a macro lens, would I have to put the camera in macro mode or does it magnify regardless?

[birdfromboat]

the lens does what it does regardless of the camera mode. It will put the 'magnified' image on your sensor. I have a 5D, it has no Macro mode on the dial, my macro shots are taken using the manual mode. Speaking of manuals..........you should read yours. There is alot there, and it will help you understand what you can do with that thing.

[400dabuser]

the lens does what it does regardless of the camera mode. It will put the 'magnified' image on your sensor. I have a 5D, it has no Macro mode on the dial, my macro shots are taken using the manual mode. Speaking of manuals..........you should read yours. There is alot there, and it will help you understand what you can do with that thing.


Alright, thanks for clearing that up:D

[JeffreyG]

The camera.

I was meaning that if I got a macro lens, would I have to put the camera in macro mode or does it magnify regardless?

All that the 'icon' modes of the camera do is bias the camera settings towards what Canon engineers assume will be best for those types of shots. You can do the same (or much better) in the creative modes.

'sports' mode uses servo focus and goes to ISO400 and wide open aperture to try for a fast shutter speed. You can do better in Av wide open because you can pick higher ISO.

'portrait' mode uses large aperture to try and minimize DOF.

'macro' mode uses a smaller aperture to try and maximize DOF.

'landcape' mode uses smaller apertures.

etc. etc.

With just a little learning most people abandon the icon modes very quickly as they simply take the decisions out of your hands.