Canon or Sigma macro lens?

Hi,

I didn't shoot macro long time ago, and i am trying to do it nowadays and return for shooting macro with my new body 1DX, but i a not sure about the lens i want or plan to use, i lost my EF 100mm f2.8 macro and hope to find it, but even if i find it i am thinking to upgrade this lens, and i have 2 options:

1. Canon EF 100mm f2.8L IS

2. Sigma 180mm f/2.8 APO Macro EX DG OS HSM

Both are great, but is that new 100 macro a noticeable improvement over the first one if i didn't use IS?

Also i like the reach of the Sigma one even Canon they have same lens, but f2.8 and OS[IS equivalent] is a big pros, will you go for that over the Canon 100 IS?

The 2 lenses cant really be compared directly. The first is way lighter and good for flowers/nonanimated objects in general while the second is a massive beast for long range macro. Choose what you want to do and then get the lens. Sigma makes fantastic macro lenses so brand should not be a real factor.

Finally someone replied to my thread, it was going to be dead and i think it will die again, if i posted this on Canon lenses section then it will go long.

Thank you very much for your reply.

get the 180mm in case you find the 100! A 180mm macro has the advantage of more working distance and is especially useful for natural light tripod work as I find you can easily disturb the subject when setting up too close.
The disadvantage is getting sharp hand held images requires good light although your 1DX no doubt has excellent high ISO so this may not be so much of a problem.
Tamron 180mm also worth a look at, this guy mainly uses it:

http://www.pbase.com/a​llonkira/robber_flies

racketman wrote in post #15421061
get the 180mm in case you find the 100! A 180mm macro has the advantage of more working distance and is especially useful for natural light tripod work as I find you can easily disturb the subject when setting up too close.
The disadvantage is getting sharp hand held images requires good light although your 1DX no doubt has excellent high ISO so this may not be so much of a problem.
Tamron 180mm also worth a look at, this guy mainly uses it:

http://www.pbase.com/a​llonkira/robber_flies

Well, the only 180mm macro lens i look at is that sigma 180mm 2.8 OS, it is a new lens and design maybe, so i feel it is better quality and sharper, but i don't have many reviews or impressions about this lens yet.

Tareq wrote in post #15422734
Well, the only 180mm macro lens i look at is that sigma 180mm 2.8 OS, it is a new lens and design maybe, so i feel it is better quality and sharper, but i don't have many reviews or impressions about this lens yet.

Here is one of several:

http://slrgear.com …t.php/product/1​482/cat/30

GIYF

dryadsdad wrote in post #15443044
Here is one of several:

http://slrgear.com …t.php/product/1​482/cat/30

GIYF

Thanks, but i can see 0 reviews and "No ratings" words there, so how can that help me?

Well, there is someone on another site is very happy with his Sigma 180mm 3.5 old version non OS, so i think this 180mm 2.8OS will be a big improvement over the older one, and macro lenses in general are sharp regardless of focal length.

Tareq wrote in post #15444398
Thanks, but i can see 0 reviews and "No ratings" words there, so how can that help me?

Well, there is someone on another site is very happy with his Sigma 180mm 3.5 old version non OS, so i think this 180mm 2.8OS will be a big improvement over the older one, and macro lenses in general are sharp regardless of focal length.

The review is right there under the tabs. Here is the start of it (fair use)

"The Sigma 180mm ƒ/2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro is an update of a macro lens produced by Sigma for several years, the 180mm ƒ/3.5. The new lens is a complete overhaul of the design: a new layout of elements and optical stabilization making up the list of changes.

The Sigma 180mm EX was designed as a full-frame lens, and on ''sub-frame'' APS-C sensor-based camera bodies the lens provides an equivalent field of view of either 288mm (Canon) or 270mm (Nikon and others). The lens is available in Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Sony mounts.

The lens takes very large 86mm filters, ships with a round lens hood, and is available now for around $1,700.

Sharpness
The Sigma 180mm ƒ/2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro provides a very sharp image even wide open at ƒ/2.8, but for maximum sharpness you need to stop down to ƒ/5.6. There are very light traces of corner softness at ƒ/2.8, which settle down nicely at ƒ/4, and all but disappear at ƒ/5.6."

Ok thanks

so according to that, will you buy that Sigma lens?

I'd buy the lens not just due to that, but due to images I've seen on other boards and a desire to have a macro lens which would work at longer distances. I'm new to macro and have only an MPE which, so far, has overwhelmed me. I've yet to get a good image because I stink at macro (so far).

I'd have been much better off starting with that Sigma. I got a good deal on the MPE and had no idea how much of a challenge it'd be.

dryadsdad wrote in post #15445018
I'd buy the lens not just due to that, but due to images I've seen on other boards and a desire to have a macro lens which would work at longer distances. I'm new to macro and have only an MPE which, so far, has overwhelmed me. I've yet to get a good image because I stink at macro (so far).

I'd have been much better off starting with that Sigma. I got a good deal on the MPE and had no idea how much of a challenge it'd be.

Well, let's say if you want to choose another Macro lens if you have only one, which one you will get if budget is not a problem at all? I have only Canon EF 100mm 2.8 non IS mk1, so which another one you will get? many said go with 180mm Canon or Sigma 150 or Tamron or or...... many options?!!!

I would guess if I had the 100 mm Canon, I'd get the MPE - assuming I was getting good results with the 100. My problem is that I can't take any snaps less than 1:1 which works fine for excellent snappers but not me who is just starting out in macro.

My GUESS (remember, I'm new) is that I'd get better results snapping insects at a far distance using the 180 than the 100 which is why I'd get the 180 over the 100 at this point if it weren't a matter of cost. As to IS, I"m unclear how beneficial it'd be at macro snaps. My issue tends to be with subject movement rather than camera.

dryadsdad wrote in post #15445088
I would guess if I had the 100 mm Canon, I'd get the MPE - assuming I was getting good results with the 100. My problem is that I can't take any snaps less than 1:1 which works fine for excellent snappers but not me who is just starting out in macro.

My GUESS (remember, I'm new) is that I'd get better results snapping insects at a far distance using the 180 than the 100 which is why I'd get the 180 over the 100 at this point if it weren't a matter of cost. As to IS, I"m unclear how beneficial it'd be at macro snaps. My issue tends to be with subject movement rather than camera.

In fact, i want a lens for insects except some of them i hate to shoot, not about macro of still like flowers or still life of product, i have my Hasselblad digital macro lens which kills all 35mm DSLRs in sharpness but it is the slowest lens in the world and very heavy, so i don't use my DMF much, and i was thinking i want another macro lens with working distance longer, but i think so badly about that MPE too, don't know, i will not be a macro fan boy or addicted to it.

My theory is that if I am to snap insects, the further I am from them the better. I'm not talking about danger, but of disturbing them. Where I am, we also do have dangerous insects best kept at a distance but this isn't my main concern. If we were talking flowers only or other subjects which can't get scared off or attack the snapper, I'd stick with the Canon 100 mm.

dryadsdad wrote in post #15445154
My theory is that if I am to snap insects, the further I am from them the better. I'm not talking about danger, but of disturbing them. Where I am, we also do have dangerous insects best kept at a distance but this isn't my main concern. If we were talking flowers only or other subjects which can't get scared off or attack the snapper, I'd stick with the Canon 100 mm.

And that is why i asked about that Sigma 180mm, i have my Canon happy with it, but i want to shoot some insects that fly quickly, butterfly, bees, wasps,..etc, so i think i should get a lens with some working distance long to keep away from those small flying insects, but there is Canon 180mm and Sigma older model of 180mm and Sigma 150mm too, maybe another brand with 150/180mm FL, which one to get?