Looking for a nice cheap macro lens

Do you know what the pros used in the "old" days? One would put a magnifying glass between the lens and ring. Move the glass up and down to focus and bam-your photo! You don't have time to change lens, etc. Why spend $400 on a lens when a $10 part will do? Remember, if you're doing weddings the object is to make money-not buy more equipment.

Honestly, if you're looking to start in macro photography, don't waste money on a lens or expensive extension tubes. You can get tubes for $10-15 on amazon. Play with those, get the hang of it, and if you want to delve deeper into macro shots, then consider dropping the money on Kenko tubes (all these do that the cheap ones don't is AF confirm and allow aperture control for lenses that don't have an aperture ring) or a macro lens.

I bought the fotodiox tubes for like $14 shipped and well, they do the job. I just keep a notes file on my iPhone to record apertures of each shot (I'm using an SMC Takumar for macro shots so I can set aperture with the ring). For purposes like these, there's no point in spending 10x on kenko or other name brand stuff.

The Canon 2.5 is $239.99 in the refurbished area at Canon USA and currently in stock.

i had tried the tubes for a while and they just annoyed me to no end... way too much work to get a macro shot imo.

I ended finding a local guy selling 100mm 2.8 macro lens and got it for 400, imo it was an awesome deal and I'm extremely happy that I got it.

Tubes work but unless you are getting a set that will still allow the camera to autofocus then you may get rather frustrated with the tubes fast. Also a very good and steady tripod should be had when working with tubes or even a macro rail.

rsmallenberg wrote in post #12697512
The Canon 2.5 is $239.99 in the refurbished area at Canon USA and currently in stock.

According to Canon, it requires an "optional accessory Life Size Converter EF" to do 1:1 size.

macroimage wrote in post #12694930
Used Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro lenses go quite cheaply sometimes and they are optically excellent. Half life sized would let you fill the frame with an area 2.83 x 1.89" with your 5D and even less with the 40D.

I agree with the consensus on the Canon EF 50mm being the perfect "cheap" macro lens for jewelry. I wrote about this on a recent blog post, actually.

I personally wouldn't buy this lens, as I am more into live nature macros, but for product or jewelry macro photography (and if you do not buy the "Life-Size Converter"), the Canon 50mm Macro is the cheapest good macro there is.

Jack


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Thanks everyone. My main reason for getting a macro is to do the ring shot. These are my currently ring shots I have on my website http://downsphotograph​y.com/detail-shots/rings/ . They were taking with my old 24-70 or 70-200 2.8 IS. They are not really macro ring shots, but I would look the nice close up ring shots like this http://www.flickr.com/​photos/zuiun/547266401​5/ whatever is the cheapest. I will do it. Seems like its tubes with auto af?

Agree with nightcat.....Canon 50mm 2.5