Macro lens suggestions

Looking for a macro lens. My signature shows what I own right now.

What do plan on shooting, bugs, jewelry.... ?

You'll get a myriad of opinions on this. For bugs I prefer something in the 90-105 range. I'm also an IS junkie. I happen to think the EF 100 f/2.8L IS is one of the best.

There are lots of threads on this subject. If you go to Advanced Search and type in "which macro lens," several will pop up.

I happen to think like LV Moose.

What is your budget? Shooting bugs which you would want a longer working distance? Or other subjects where you can get nice and close? Going to be macro specific or more general purpose?

Frodge wrote in post #17280191
Looking for a macro lens. My signature shows what I own right now.

Wow, does your ISP charge by the word?

I have the Canon 60/2.8 on crop but I am planning on upgrading to the 100L although the Tamron 90 VC hasn't been ruled out yet. I am only planning on upgrading because I am prepping a FF move otherwise I wouldn't bother.

One thing I dislike about the 60/2.8 is I wish it had a focus limiter switch. On the other hand if you want to get larger than 1:1, a shorter lens will get more benefit from extension tubes. You can get some where around 2.4 times life size with a 60/2.8 and a full set of Kenko tubes but you can't get over 2x with a 100L using the same tubes.

FEChariot wrote in post #17280795
You can get some where around 2.4 times life size with a 60/2.8 and a full set of Kenko tubes but you can't get over 2x with a 100L using the same tubes.

But you can add a 1.4x teleconverter to the 100L with tubes and get 2.8x. I also believe you will end up with more working distance with the 100mm focal length and the teleconverter.

iroctd wrote in post #17280952
But you can add a 1.4x teleconverter to the 100L with tubes and get 2.8x. I also believe you will end up with more working distance with the 100mm focal length and the teleconverter.

Interesting. Third party TC though right? It won't take the Canon ones will it?

I've also coupled my 100L with a set of Kenko tubes and a 1.4X TC (Kenko) to get close to 3:1. Works fine, but you get a really thin DoF and it takes a lot of light. Better have a flash set-up.

LV Moose wrote in post #17281097
I've also coupled my 100L with a set of Kenko tubes and a 1.4X TC (Kenko) to get close to 3:1. Works fine, but you get a really thin DoF and it takes a lot of light. Better have a flash set-up.

Do you need to place the TC right to the lens or can you stack the tubes inbetween? I was thinking this might be a way to get around the short back focus plastic peice on the 60/2.8 that prevents any TC from being mounted to EF-S lenses. If so then the 60.2,8 witha Kenko would give greater than 3X right? or would that just not work?

I'm planning on buying a set of tubes and the 100L for Christmas. I was going to buy a 1.4 TC too, but now that the 100-400 has been announced, I was thinking about skipping the TC and saving for that instead otherwise I coud test this for myselft in a month or so.

^ I put the TC between the tubes and camera body. I rarely use this combination, except for extremely small critters such as spider mites or something like that. I usually find tubes + the 100mm sufficient, even on a full frame. On a crop it looks even closer, of course. I think you could skip the TC for now.

If you plan on doing a lot of shooting at extreme magnification, consider the MP-E65.... 5:1

LV Moose wrote in post #17281398
^ I put the TC between the tubes and camera body. I rarely use this combination, except for extremely small critters such as spider mites or something like that. I usually find tubes + the 100mm sufficient, even on a full frame. On a crop it looks even closer, of course. I think you could skip the TC for now.

Does it have to be that way? Will everything work if you put: body>TC>tubes>lens ? Assuming you have tubes that have electrical connections of course.

FEChariot wrote in post #17281402
Does it have to be that way? Will everything work if you put: body>TC>tubes>lens ?

We're saying the same thing. TC between the tubes and camera body, body>TC>tubes>lens.

Curious - why can't you use just the 1.4X (without extension tubes) with the 100mm?

^ you can. But given a choice of using tubes without glass, or a TC with glass, I'll take tubes.

Granted, you can use TC's for things other than macro. Not so much with tubes