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[sam.r]

Hi all - looking at a few additions to my photography hobby

Currently have a 350d with a 18-55 and 55-200 lense. Had a good play with both of these over the last couple of years, now looking for something else..

Apart from a new tripod and suction mount (broken both of mine) what would you reccomend is good to have a play with??

I was thinking about a macro lense.... and possibly a fisheye / wide angle lense??

Any advice?

[hawkaye]

Hi Sam,

I have a 350D also, and the macro was pretty high on my list of things to get. There's a few options, but I found the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro the best there is (for the price). Warehouseexpress have this listed at £349 compared to jessops £475.

Here's a few of my shots using the 350D and 100mm (there's plenty more on my flickr account if you fancy a peek):









It's a cracking lens for the price

[jagdpanther]

sam.r said:

Hi all - looking at a few additions to my photography hobby

Currently have a 350d with a 18-55 and 55-200 lense. Had a good play with both of these over the last couple of years, now looking for something else..

Apart from a new tripod and suction mount (broken both of mine) what would you reccomend is good to have a play with??

I was thinking about a macro lense.... and possibly a fisheye / wide angle lense??

Any advice?

Go for a Sigma 10-20mm ex lens for razor sharp wide angle shots

For a Macro lens, try the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX prime


At the moment Im looking at something along the lines of a Canon 50mm prime F1.8, a Sigma EX 10-20mm and Sigma 105mm EX prime too...be a while though

[RobDickinson]

The Tamron 90 f2.8 macro seems to be the lens of choice but the sigma and the canon are quality too.

The MP-E 65 is IMO the best bug lens but very very limited in its use and hard to use properly.

Prehaps look at a fast zoom with pseudo macro, the sigma wide angle is ace too. Also thing about a 430ex flash.

And get a decent tripod.

[tank slapper]

hawkaye said:

Warehouseexpress have this listed at £349 compared to jessops £475.

Here's a few of my shots using the 350D and 100mm (there's plenty more on my flickr account if you fancy a peek):

Some nice shots there. I find this website is good for finding good prices. It seems to have most of the major suppliers on it.

[sam.r]

AARRrrgggghhhh...

So many choices!!!

I'll have a hunt around

[Rednut05]

Hawkaye - Pictures amazing. Please tell me your technique? Email if it's too off topic.

I have the same lens and some tubes but I've never been able to get results that good

David

[JD]

jagdpanther said:

sam.r said:

Hi all - looking at a few additions to my photography hobby

Currently have a 350d with a 18-55 and 55-200 lense. Had a good play with both of these over the last couple of years, now looking for something else..

Apart from a new tripod and suction mount (broken both of mine) what would you reccomend is good to have a play with??

I was thinking about a macro lense.... and possibly a fisheye / wide angle lense??

Any advice?

At the moment Im looking at something along the lines of a Canon 50mm prime F1.8,

Great fun that lens

got mine a few weeks ago, very very sharp for something that is only about £50 on ebay

F1.8 REALLY kills background, great for face on portraits

[sam.r]

Rednut05 said:

Hawkaye - Pictures amazing. Please tell me your technique? Email if it's too off topic.

I have the same lens and some tubes but I've never been able to get results that good

David

I can always do with tips!!!

Keep it on here if you like.

[stigmundfreud]

hawkaye said:

Hi Sam,

I have a 350D also, and the macro was pretty high on my list of things to get. There's a few options, but I found the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro the best there is (for the price). Warehouseexpress have this listed at £349 compared to jessops £475.

for playing with macro I'd suggest you save $$$$ and get either a tamron 70-300 macro for about 100 sheets or the very good and virsitile 24-135 Sigma f4 with macro

The sigma tbh is a fantastic lens for the price. The quality output is negligable, seriously - I struggle at times to see the difference between my L glass and the sigma for most stuff. Save money and enjoy what you get. £ does not always = value

[stigmundfreud]

jagdpanther said:

sam.r said:

Hi all - looking at a few additions to my photography hobby

Currently have a 350d with a 18-55 and 55-200 lense. Had a good play with both of these over the last couple of years, now looking for something else..

Apart from a new tripod and suction mount (broken both of mine) what would you reccomend is good to have a play with??

I was thinking about a macro lense.... and possibly a fisheye / wide angle lense??

Any advice?

Go for a Sigma 10-20mm ex lens for razor sharp wide angle shots

For a Macro lens, try the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX prime


At the moment Im looking at something along the lines of a Canon 50mm prime F1.8, a Sigma EX 10-20mm and Sigma 105mm EX prime too...be a while though

the canon 50mm f1.8 prime = superb lens! Cheap again, about 80 quid to get one or less now

[VxDuncan]

Whilst 100mm is a great FL for macro work (decent distance from subject) I saved my money and went for a cheap HK Sigma 50mm F2.8 Macro off ebay for £140ish. Decided that the 105mm Sigma wasn't worth the extra, as 50mm gives tiwce the DOF for a given aperture, and I can use my 2x teleconverter if I need the subject distance of the 100mm focal length macros (with slight loss of quality of course). This combo would cost the same as a 105mm Sigma, yet gives me 1:1 50mm macro with twice the depth of field of a 100mm 1:1 lens, a good 50mm F2.8 prime for portraits and 100mm macro if I need it for the distance - at 2:1 magnification!

Just a thought. Works for me as I had the TC anyhows for my 80-200 F2.8.

Money saved is going toward a ring flash...

[hawkaye]

Rednut05 said:

Hawkaye - Pictures amazing. Please tell me your technique? Email if it's too off topic.

I have the same lens and some tubes but I've never been able to get results that good

David

Thanks David As for technique, I'm still learning, but these settings are the best I find for fairly decent quality shots.

Hotshoe Flash, Manual Focus, ISO100 (200 max), F/11 mostly, 1/100-1/250sec (depending on shot).

All that is required is a steady hand (I tend not to use a monopod/tripod (takes too long to get in position), and move slowly and quietly towards the insect, moving the camera slowly too. This does not always work, but being quiet and Manual Focus is the key!

Hope this helps,

Neil.

[sam.r]

Has anyone had any experience of the Canon EFS 60mm f/2.8

How does that compare to the others?

ETA been reading the reviews, sounds great, will have a play later today and let you know how I get on!

Edited by sam.r on Monday 8th October 11:53