180mm Macro lens

[fotoworx]

The 180mm macro lens seems to be a rarity among the majority of macro shooters.

Is there a specific reason for this?

[Lester Wareham]

I'll move you to macro talk which is the best place for discussions.

I use it, but I also use the 100mm classic and MP-E 65mm.

I guess it is larger, heavier and more expensive.

Between the 100 and 180 the 180 gives finer manual focus control, tighter perspecive and slightly more working distance.

If you are new to macro and working mostly handheld then a 100mm is probably the best place to start.

[adamsheehy]

I'm with Lester - have the same lenses, but I seem to only use it for portrait work at times. A lot of people who rely upon AF probably stay away from it a bit b/c it's deathly slow compared to some other lenses available for macro work. It produces some damn fine images though.

[tonylong]

I'd say that the biggest consideration is that until recent years, if you wanted to get started in Macro shooting, the Canon "classic" 100mm Macro was not only the less expensive Canon macro lens but it has had a fantastic reputation for sharp images, well-deserved, so for many of us it was a natural choice. And, compare the price of the 100 with the 180mm and, well, the 100mm would still be a natural to start with.

In recent years the choices have broadened a bit, including the EF-S 60mm and the 50mm "compact" macro. For the budget-minded these would be good considerations for getting started.

But of course, if funds are not a consideration or if Macro shooting is a serious field worthy of a significant investment, then a "natural" kit would tend to include the newer 100mm f/2.8 IS "L", as well as the 180mm and the MP-E 65...the 180 certainly has its place, for when it's "the right tool for the job"...

[Larry Weinman]

I have the Canon 100 L and the Canon 180L macro lenses. When you put the 180 on a body and a flash and bracket you are talking about a considerable weight. Take this weight and combine it with some of the pretzel like positions that macro shooters find themselves in and you sometimes might have a difficult time controlling this combination and holding it steady but it has allowed me to get some shots that I could not get with the 100. The working distance isn't much over the 100, about six more inches but in allot of situations it is all you need to get a shot where moving in with the 100 would cause the subject to flee. I think it is a wonderful focal length for macro but would not recommend it as your only macro lens

[racketman]

excellent length (Tamron & Sigma also to be considered) for natural light tripod work as you can set up that much further from the subject. This guy's Robberflies are almost all shot with Tamron 180mm, natural light:
http://www.pbase.com/allonkira/robber_flies

[John Koerner]

Originally Posted by fotoworx

The 180mm macro lens seems to be a rarity among the majority of macro shooters.
Is there a specific reason for this?

I would say the #1 reason is money. Most people would rather spend $400-$500 on a 100mm than $1300-$1500 on a 180 mm.

The next reason would be "ease of use." It is simply easier to run around snapping shots with a 100mm (L or predecessor) than it is to lug the 180mm "cinder block" around. (The AF is also faster on the 100mm than on the 180mm.)

That said, if you're really serious about taking nice artistic macro shots (which means you don't use AF, you use Live View and MF), and if you don't mind the extra weight (especially if you're going to use a tripod and really try to compose your shots well and isolate the background to maximize the creamy bokeh), then the 180mm will give you better images every time.

No, the 180mm is not as convenient, it is not as easy to use, and it is not as cheap ... but it is the better lens, as the price tag reflects. (The 3rd party alternatives offer comparable image quality, but the build quality in these cheaper alternatives isn't as nice as the Canon's.)

The only advantage of the 100mm is in "field work" while hand-holding. You can maneuver better with a smaller lens, and you can capture more "on the fly" shots with a 100mm than you can with the 180mm cinder block. However, if you're really serious about the quality of an individual shot, and if you're using your tripod, a remote switch, and you're really taking the time to compose what you're doing, you will get better images using the 180mm lens than you will a 100mm. Every time.

But it is not a "hike around" lens--it is designed for deliberate image composition and the quest for artistic image quality. This is not to say you can't take a great shot with a 100mm lens, you can, but I think most people who actually own both---if they had the perfect moment to capture an image forever---would rather be looking down their 180mm than their 100mm.

I know I would,

Jack

[Lester Wareham]

I would say I do often use the 180 for butterflies and dragonflies handled for a number of reasons although this is not always "easier". It would be wrong to conclude the 180 can not be used handheld.

[botw]

The Tamron 180 is excellent and I found it relatively easy to handhold.

I agree that expense and weight are the biggest detractors for the 180 variants though.

[John Koerner]

Originally Posted by Lester Wareham

It would be wrong to conclude the 180 can not be used handheld.

It would be wrong to conclude that anyone concluded this

Sure, the 180 "can" be handheld. Heck, I have seen people handhold the 600mm lens too, so that "can" be done as well. Yet surely this cannot be considered optimal.

So while longer heavier lenses "can" be handheld, if the situation calls for it, for the most part these longer lenses were designed to be used on a tripod.

This is why they come with a default tripod collar on them

Jack

[fotoworx]

Appreciate the replies everyone.

I've never rented a lens before, but this lens might be candidate to do that and try it out first.

[badams]

I'm renting the Canon 180 and Sigma 150 (both will be here tomorrow). Wanted to rent the Tamron too, but couldn't find it.

Since I regularly hand hold the Canon 500, I don't foresee any problems hand holding any of the macros. I have the 60 macro, but want more than 7" working distance which is why I'm looking at the long macros. Will primarily be using it on butterflies.

[ozbekler]

Originally Posted by badams

I'm renting the Canon 180 and Sigma 150 (both will be here tomorrow). Wanted to rent the Tamron too, but couldn't find it.

Since I regularly hand hold the Canon 500, I don't foresee any problems hand holding any of the macros. I have the 60 macro, but want more than 7" working distance which is why I'm looking at the long macros. Will primarily be using it on butterflies.

I will be very very happy if you compare both of these lenses and write here. Because i am in the way of getting one of them

Maybe i need focal length but i think 180mm and 150mm perspective is not much different. Also Sigma is newer design and has OS.

One of my friend said me that Sigma 150mm behaves like 110mm at 1:1 magnification, so it disturbs me about Sigma

[Lester Wareham]

Originally Posted by ozbekler

I will be very very happy if you compare both of these lenses and write here. Because i am in the way of getting one of them

Maybe i need focal length but i think 180mm and 150mm perspective is not much different. Also Sigma is newer design and has OS.

One of my friend said me that Sigma 150mm behaves like 110mm at 1:1 magnification, so it disturbs me about Sigma

All the lenses that use internal focus work by shortening the focal length, that is true of the 100mm classic, 100L, 180L, efs 60 and many others.

Older style designs use overall linear extension to focus, the focal length does not change but the lens gets much longer.

[ozbekler]

Originally Posted by Lester Wareham

All the lenses that use internal focus work by shortening the focal length, that is true of the 100mm classic, 100L, 180L, efs 60 and many others.

Older style designs use overall linear extension to focus, the focal length does not change but the lens gets much longer.

I used google but i dont know which word to use to learn the focal length of Canon 180mm L at 1:1 magnification.

Do you know about this? Or how can we learn it?

I hope i dont make you busy