few enviroment shots

Sigma 150 - 430EX as hard to hold this heavy lens steady:

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I agree, but when you do hold it steady, it makes some excellent shots. The drawback to this lens is that it's heavy, and only 1:1 - I really do like the 50mm/tubes combo as it's around 1.4:1, which is about just right. To get 1.4:1 with the Sigma means either tubes, or a 1.4x TC, and since the Sigma isn't compatible with the Canon 1.4x TC, it means more money on a Sigma TC. Truth be told, I knew this before purchasing it. In hindsight, I'd have most probably gone the Canon 100mm for the lighter/easier to use line of thought, at the loss of around 4cm working distance or so. And I could just whack my Canon 1.4x TC on!

Nice shots btw!

Dave

I think I know what you meant....and that's the major reason I got rid of the 180L. It's certainly a great sharp lens, but it's extremely to hand hold at this focal length. Those are very nice shots, btw

Great shots Toby. I like the colour contrast in all of them
Keep them coming

Regards

Excellent series RM- love the butterfly.
Brian V.

Excellent series.

Weight is a killer with handheld macro, particularly with flash in use too. That's why although I hanker for a 180 3.5L I use the 100 Macro.

lovely shots RM

350D with sigma 105...............won'​t get much lighter than that (unless you go canon 60mm and lose working distance)

I'm currently saving for a 5D and will be keeping the 350D solely as a macro body

chemicalbro wrote:
lovely shots RM

350D with sigma 105...............won'​t get much lighter than that (unless you go canon 60mm and lose working distance)

I'm currently saving for a 5D and will be keeping the 350D solely as a macro body

well I do have the 350D and the 60 EFS combination- feels like a compact after the 150 or MP E65.It also works well with the pop up flash. Definitely my favorite walk about macro set up. I cant imagine how you would take hand held macros with a 1 series.
Had a look at someone's 5D last week - the lcd screen is enormous after my 350/20D, handy for checking focus. If you can fill the 5D sensor you should be able to get great detail on macros shots.

With great difficulty. I don't have the steadiest of hands at the best of times it seems, at least not for macros, but I had developed a technique with the 50/tubes that started to give me good results most of the times. I've applied that same technique to the Sigma 150mm and it is working. I don't quite as many keepers, but I'm still getting some good shots. I haven't had much luck with being able to support/steady myself with a lot of shots since I got the Sigma, most of my shots have been handhelds with no support at all, so I think I'm doing OK. It is do-able, it's just a lot harder than the 50/tubes combo. The image quality of the Sigma is better than the 50mm/tubes, mainly in resolution and contrast I feel. What is really killing me is walking around with the Sigma + 1D + flash bracket + flash combo on my neck via the neckstrap. It is really quite heavy now and I can feel it - after half an hour I have a very sore neck. I've taken to taking it off my neck and handholding the camera via grip whilst walking around now (been doing that for years with my 1n, I'm confident in holding it this way).

Dave

Fantastic shots and very sharp, the Butterfly is my favorite as well. I have the 5D and Sigma 150 combo with flash bracket and 580 flash that I do my walk abouts with. The weight does take a little getting used to, but to me, its worth the effort.

I find the main problem with handholding is the sub-optimal position one is often forced to use shooting bugs in field conditions, like kneelling and leaning over to the side. Its often effectively like holding the equipment at arms length and keeping it still! I can normally only manage these sort of positions for a few seconds until the old bod' starts to give out.

Nice shots