Canon 60mm f2.8 macro worth it?

Im new here but I have a 50d and 60d camera with the 24-105l and 70-200l. I want a good macro lens for some portrait work but mainly for detail shots of flowers and bugs. I looked at the 100 L f2.8 but its 850-900 bucks. Id like to keep budget around 250-350. I had a 50mm prime but its not really a macro lens and I hardly used that.

any thoughts on the detail of the 60mm macro?

thanks in advance

It's probably the sharpest lens you can buy for crop and great for macro. For portrait, it's equivalent to a 96mm f/4.5 lens on full frame which isn't the greatest for background blur. If you want a portrait lens, look at the 50/1.4 options or the 85/1.8 instead.

However for macro the 60/2.8 rocks and will benefit greater from using extension tubes than a 100mm lens will. You can get around 2.5 times life size with tubes on the 60mm. Without crunching numbers, I think max on the 100mm lenses is 1.8x.

On the other hand the extra working distance on the 100mm options helps with not scaring the bugs away.

You really can't go wrong with any of the macro lenses for macro use.

Since it is for portrait as well as macro you might consider the Tamron 60mm f2.0 as well. Larger aperture lets you get a little more subject isolation for portraits.

I think it is the sharpest crop lens I have used and it is still a big part of my underwater kit. For the bucks it is a no brainer.

thanks everyone! Ive been off the boards for awhile and had to rejoin. I will end up doing far more outdoors macro work with this lens if I get it. Really like getting the fine details on flowers. The others lens I have do great, but I just cant get that crisp sharp detail like I want but then again Im very picky.

It's a terrific lens - a lot of fun, and incredibly sharp. It's also tailor-made for a crop sensor. It just feels "right" on the camera. I love mine. I've had a bit of a lens reshuffle this last year, and this was the only lens in my bag that I knew was going to stay. For what you want to do, it'll be perfect. Don't even hesitate - this is one lens you won't regret buying.

sell me yours ceegee HAHAHA

crazyfarmerhd wrote in post #16734838
Im new here but I have a 50d and 60d camera with the 24-105l and 70-200l. I want a good macro lens for some portrait work but mainly for detail shots of flowers and bugs. I looked at the 100 L f2.8 but its 850-900 bucks. Id like to keep budget around 250-350. I had a 50mm prime but its not really a macro lens and I hardly used that.

any thoughts on the detail of the 60mm macro?

thanks in advance

Fantastic lens. Can't really go wrong with it. This is an almost 100% crop from a quick shot I took of my sister while we were walking on the beach one day.

60D with 60mm f2.8
1/3200 sec @ f5.6
ISO 200

I bought this lens about 7 years ago and it has never failed to impress. Great focal length, super sharp and overall great performer.

thanks for the pic also.. seems its a cant go wrong lens!

crazyfarmerhd wrote in post #16735084
sell me yours ceegee HAHAHA

Sorry - this one's not for sale!!

I'm not really a fan, not that the lens is bad but I prefer a longer macro lens. I guess an advantage of shorter macro lenses is that for extreme macro it will take extension tubes better.

Another 60mm macro is the Tamron 60mm F/2. Bigger aperture but not as good AF. For longer there are a heap starting at about 90mm and going out to 180mm at a variety of price points, and many (all?) of the longer ones are FF compatible too.

It is a lovely lens. I bought one for the girlfriend last year for her birthday & it never leaves her camera!! She loved 50mm but was always hitting the MFD with it so was an obvious choice. Paid £220 used in mint condition from a dealer with warranty....