Best route for me to get into macro?gear wise...

Tubes or a new lens? which lens would you recommend ?

currently have

canon 70 200mm L 2.8 IS
canon 50mm 1.8
tamron 70 300mmm macro (not up to job can't focus close enough)
canon 18 55kit lens..


was looking at a tamron 105 f2.8 macro will that get me close for really good macros like I see here... not bothere about 1 ;1 may even want to magnify....

I'm quite the photography newb but all info is welcome thanks!

Tobiah,
I recommend the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.
If money is tight then I recommend the Kenko extension tubes. If money isn't tight then best is both, Canon 100mm f/2.8 and a set of Kenko extension tubes and a flash & tripod.

If you are serious about getting into macro then a macro lens around 100mm is a great place to start (Tamron 90, sigma 105, canon 100) are all optically excellent. If you are not certain yet then a set of extension tubes (Kenko) on your 50mm or 70-200mm lens will do the trick. You'll get just over 1:1 magnification with the 50mm lens although the focus point will be fairly close to the lens (about 2" in front).
Brian V.

if your seroius and have the money u need mpe-65..be warned tho the lens only does 1:1 and behond.or set of kenko tubes with 100mm macro lens do u good..

junkie what lens are you referring to when you say it does only 1:1?? the mp-e65mm?

MacroJunkeh wrote in post #3907444
junkie what lens are you referring to when you say it does only 1:1?? the mp-e65mm?

he means it doesnt do LESS than 1:1 ie it does from 1:1 TO 5:1

thanks racketman forgot about looking at it from that perspective. but makes sense

I recently got tubes for a nickle and a dime.

Yes, I lost electronic contact between camera and lens.
Yes, the extreme tube length is worthless due to an ultrathin DOF

Yes, I have fun for less than 10 euros
I can always purchase real gear at a later moment.

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I am going to get a Canon 100mm, and a 430ex flash to get started. I have read that this lens is great for portraiture along with macro, so I am hoping that I will get lots of use out of it. If I really enjoy the macro stuff I will get a set of Kenko tubes in a few months, but I think this is a good start.

Every review that I have read about the 100mm has been very very good, so I hope that my experience with it is good.

Wekkel's got a point - try before you buy. I took lots of semi-macro pictures with a Canon compact and a 500D c/u lens and have had several of them published in local nature magazines. Most of them were also well received here. I have recently got a Sigma 105 macro and it's more difficult to get decent pictures from it compared to the compact + c/u lens. But you're right, 100mm macros are useful for general photos as well as close ups.

My take on this - grab a set of Kenko tubes and have some fun. Use the 50mm f1.8, and you'll get 1.4:1 (ie. 1.4x life size). The problem with this combo will be working distance, and it almost certainly necessitates the usage of flash and a flash bracket, along with an offshoe adaptor, adding to the cost. Bonus? You'd really need the flash bracket and offshoe adaptor anyways even if you buy a dedicated macro lens.

If you like macro shooting, you can then keep the tubes and invest in a dedicated macro lens and even combine the tubes and macro lens for higher magnification shots. I would strongly suggest that you NOT consider the MPE-65, at least until you've dipped your feet in the pond and have gotten used to macro shooting, etc.

Just my honest advice.

Dave