50mm 60mm or 100mm Macro for Weddings ?

Gonna treat myself to a new lens before xmas (if I can get the order in to Warehouse Express today) but i am really undecided on which one would fit best into my current lens line up and which is the ideal one for close up stuff at weddings.

I thought it was a straigt forward choice between the 60mm and 100mm but I see now that there is also a 50mm, is that an older lens or something ?

Read lots of trheads from the lens board and both the 60mm and 100mm seem like they will do good jobs but wondered what people thought was best for weddings.

I seem to recall Tim saying he had the 100mm but if he didnt have that already and was buying for a wedding he said he would get the 60mm, but he didnt really say why, whats everyone else think ?

60mm is cheaper, I also have a vocher still for some money off it so its quite a pull, wheras the 100mm has the advantage of being non EFS (in case I change to FF) and also would work with my tubes if I wanted to get really really close for non wedding stuff.

Any quick feedback before I randomly hit the BUY button would be greatly appreciated.

If you're wanting to use the tubes then the 60mm is out of the question. In the UK the Tamron 90mm compares well to the Canon 100mm, as sharp and cheaper. However you'll miss out on the USM. I have the older Tamron 90mm and it produces excellent images but the focussing can be a pain.

Why don't you trade your 70-200 and use the extra cash to get the 70-200 IS. I haven't heard much talk around here as it relates to the 60 or 100 primes. The most popularly recommended primes are the 30mm and 50mm. Maybe I'm biased b/c I have the 30mm and it is great for low light situations.

100mm macro in my book is the only way too go. I have it and it captures amazing shots such as this ring shot.

Truly a little gem for the price, the 180L macro is nice also and I use it but honestly I find myself using the 100 macro more!

Get the 100 and dont look back, or as the poster above me stated trade up for the 70-200IS cause it simply ROCKS for almost everything I shoot!

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xtravaluemeal1 wrote in post #2429241
Why don't you trade your 70-200 and use the extra cash to get the 70-200 IS. I haven't heard much talk around here as it relates to the 60 or 100 primes. The most popularly recommended primes are the 30mm and 50mm. Maybe I'm biased b/c I have the 30mm and it is great for low light situations.

Because theres a world of difference between spending £300 on a macro lens and spending another £500 to replace my 70-200 with something faster. Yes I want to get a 70-200 F2.8 IS at some point but I cant afford that at the minute but I can afford to spend £300 on a macro lens which will give me the ability to get some different shots.

The friend I shoot with has boght the 50mm F1.4 so we have that covered between us, a macro is the lens that I think will add some more shot vriations for us.

Cheers Mike, thats one of the photos that I have pinned on my wall at home, love it and that has helped push me towards the 100mm.

Aye Phil thats what I was saying about the tubes not working on the 60mm and thats another reason that pushes me towards the 100mm

Hi Mike,

the shot with ring in the book showing a heart as shade is a really wonderful shot. I love this idea. Thanks for showing this.

Banbert wrote in post #2429304
Cheers Mike, thats one of the photos that I have pinned on my wall at home, love it and that has helped push me towards the 100mm.

Right back at cha!

I should be coming back over to London this Summer for another wedding over there right before another wedding in Kenya, you in the area?

Also that image is just about directly out of the camera, I only upped the contrast a tad, no cropping was done, the 100mm gets that close!

I have the 50mm macro, wish that I would have saved a little longer and got the 100mm macro. The 50 is a nice lens, but I think the 100 will give a little more working distance. Mike and another Texas photographer, Holly, have posted some amazing shots with the 100 on another forum.

Hey Mike, what format are you using? 1.6, 1.3 or full frame? I'm sure that would have some bearing on what focal length one would choose for a macro.

And killer avatar... hahaha david hasselhoff LOL... he's awesome.

I borrowed the avatar from a forum which PopWalker speaks of with the users permission, I loved it so much I had to ask By the way, whats up popwalker

The avatar is a screen shot taken from this (uhhhh) amazing, yeah thats right, amazing video

Jump in my car


On this shot it was with the 1D MarkII, but I use the 100mm macro with all three crop frames which I have in my bag (1Ds, 5D for full frame, 1D MarkII for 1:3 crop and 30D for 1:6 crop)

HAHAHAHAHAHA what an awesome video!!!

..talking into watch: "KITT, this mother of the bride is really pissing me off, help me out buddy" "I'll be right there Michael, would the laser suffice?" "Nah, just use the tear gas"

Anyhow, you don't find the 100mm odd on a 1.6? I've been debating between the 60 and the 100, but now might be leaning towards the 100.

OMG, I can't believe that's the second time I've heard that song!

Hey there Mike, I've been hanging around here and at photocamel, reading and learning. Been able to shoot at a few weddings with the pro's permission, so I'm trying to put things into practice. I do have a couple of family weddings early next year, teacher's kids, so they weren't prepared to spend a lot. I still want to shoot with some of the good pro's around Houston as second or third shooter, still want to learn more before I try to break out on my own. You and Cody are artists at it now, I admire your work.
Steve

I have the 100mm but hardly every.. or lets say.. never? use it at wedding.

I use mainly 3 lenses.. my 50mm, my 85mm and my 20mm .. the 50 and 20 being the most used ones and switching to the 80 for closer shots .. I just step a foot or two closer than I would with a 75-200 for example