What should i start off with

im newish to photography and would like to have a go at macro..
i dont have a big budget
ive got a 400d what should i get to start off with

either a standed lens with a macro feature and then extension tubes, or a macro lens

The Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di 1:1 Macro..Its been around for yonks and reasonably priced these days..Great image quality too..

Once you get one:
1st: Learn to use M so you can control what the cam is doing.

2nd: Forget AFocus, too! M focus on your subject at the distance you wish to shoot at. Then refine focus by moving the cam in & out. You'll go nuts if you try to do it with AF, or the focus ring.

you should probably try closeup filters or extension tubes first (i prefer the latter). then when you find that you like it and shoot that frequently, you can consider a true macro lens. i got the 100 F/2.8 Macro last year but found that i rarely shoot, or have the opportunity, to shoot macros and sold it off. its a great lens, no doubt, but pointless if its left in the dry cabinet 95% of the time.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #5723279
Once you get one:
1st: Learn to use M so you can control what the cam is doing.

2nd: Forget AFocus, too! M focus on your subject at the distance you wish to shoot at. Then refine focus by moving the cam in & out. You'll go nuts if you try to do it with AF, or the focus ring.

Indeed. I went crazy trying to AF my Sigma macro lens.

That being said, you could start very inexpensively by trying out close up filters, extension tubes (although they take a bit of work), or perhaps a nice lens like the tamron suggested above. Take into account the kind of macro work you're planning on doing too - a 50 mm macro lens might be too short for working with critters, as they'll be skittish as you get too close. 100mm seems to be about right, I've seen a few 150mm and 180mm macros, but they're expensive.

Good point!

Filters were handy to keep in a pocket, cheap, & I used them a lot with film. You need to stop down more that you'd think unless you like selective focus, which I do. This is with a +10, probably on a 50mm or 105mm lens:

Frank, I used close-up filters a lot in my film daze. Like you say they were handy and really didn't degrade the image as much as one would expect. Naturally for more critical work a bellows or extension tubes were better. Dedicated macros are the best option but for a start filters might be worth a try.

If you have the kit lens on your 400D, then the 58mm closeup filters are very cheap. That's because 58mm is a common size for the Sx-IS series and Sony H-series P&S cameras and that's the only way to do macro with them. Lots on ebay.