New S3 Owner Considering Lenses: Canon, Hoya, or Raynox

I just stepped into the S3 world; new to the "not just point and shoot" digital world. I also picked up the following with the S3:

58mm Lensmate adaptor
58mm Hoya Ultra UV-PL Circular filter
58mm Hoya FLD HMC filter
Lowepro Slingshot 200 bag

My original thinking was to go with all Canon 58mm lenses, but now I'm not so sure. Here's what I'm looking at:

Telephoto

• Canon DC58B
  
• Raynox DCR 1540Pro (Leaning toward this due to range, comparable to Canon, cheaper)

• Canon DC58A
  
• Raynox DCR 6600Pro (Leaning toward this due, comparable to Canon, cheaper)

• Canon 500D
  
• Hoya Close-up Macro Set (Leaning toward this due to flexibility)
  
• Raynox MSN 202

Search the canon forum over at www.dcresource.com. Lots of S3 owners there. There are a few threads comparing Raynox to Canon. See my sig for my gear.

Stick with Lensmate's recomendations on which are compatible with the S3. There are ALOT which are good lenses, but do not give great image quality with the S3. Raynox is a great brand, but look for sample images taken with the S3.

I recently got 58mm filters, adapters and other goodies for my S3. Quite satisfied with the order.

For macro, the Canon 500D is a very good lens and is usable at decent distances from the subject, around 12-20". You use the zoom to magnify the subject and at 12" away with full zoom you can fill the screen with about a 35mm long subject, or in 35mm equivalent terms, 1:1 macro. This is good enough to resolve the compound lenses on a dragonfly's eyes. I use this lens a lot in the field, usually without flash and get very nice results.
I wouldn't bother with the Hoya lenses. They are single element and give poor edge results. In any case the 500D will do what they do only better.
The Raynox MSN202 is a toughie. Optically it is good, but it is such a powerful lens that the DOF is wafer thin, making useful shots very difficult indeed, and you are so close that you can't use the camera flash either. The Raynox DCR-250 is, for me, a better match for the S3, and though it is a difficult lens to master, you can still *just* get away with the onboard flash.
If you go out shooting live subjects, I guarantee the 500D will be most used.

chicagoastronomer wrote in post #2686316
I recently got 58mm filters, adapters and other goodies for my S3. Quite satisfied with the order.

How do you find the Bower Adapters Joe? I got one with my wide angle, and it fits very loosly on the S3. How do yours fit?