Macro and telephoto recommendations please

[Rofly Lollers]

Hi all,

I'd like to buy a macro lens and a zoom telephoto lens (400mm min).

Macro contenders...

Canon EF 100mm f2.8 USM Macro Lens at £419
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-100mm...

Same as above with IS...
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens at £799
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-100mm...


Canon EF 180mm f3.5 L USM Macro Lens at £1229
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-180mm...


Looking at the 100mm macro, do I need IS? I haven't done any macro photography before, but people say "always use a tripod".
Do they only say this because they don't have IS?

Will the 180mm offer any benefits over the 100mm, considering I'd be mostly taking photos of insects?

On the telephoto zoom side, I'm considering the following...
Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens at £1228
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-100-4...

Are there any others worth thinking about?
Thanks.

[Kermit power]

The benefit of the 180mm is effectively that you can get the same shot from a further distance.

With regards to only taking macro shots using a tripod, ask yourself this. How many insects do you think will conveniently pose for you, right in front of your tripod, long enough for you to take the shot?

Every single one of my Macro shots (there's a few on the macro thread on here) were taken with a handheld f2.8 without IS. I'm pretty sure that all of 4Hero's far superior shots are also handheld.

The technique I've found to be most effective is to set the focus manually - usually to 1:1 unless I'm shooting a butterfly or something else that is too large for 1:1 - and then move the camera in and out until it is in focus.

I also have a Canon EX-14 ring-flash. This lets me set the camera manually - usually something around f16 and 1/160th of a second - which is sufficient to get good depth of field and correct exposure without having to worry about lens shake. This being the case, personally, I'd go for the non-IS lens and a ring flash for similar money to the IS lens alone.

[bonsai]

I've seen some amazing macro photography here and elsewhere so I decided to get a macro lens. I'm really tight though so got this one off eBay RAYNOX DCR-250 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am... - I really hope it's not a load of crap.

[RobDickinson]

Flash somewhat negates the need for IS for macro.

IS will be handy for hand held shooting without flash though, and its the newest version of IS.

As said all macro lenses (most) give 1:1 magnification, the focal length affects how far or close you need to be to achieve that.

Also consider the mpe-65 , gives 1-5* magnification but at the expense of not being able to use it as a normal lens, and the tamron 90mmf2.8 which is opticaly great and cheaper than the cheap canon. Theres also the 60mm EFS macro but IMO thats too close for bugs.

100-400L is an excelent lens with very little competition of quality. The sigma superzooms are all much poorer apart from a good 120-300f2.8 (with TC) but thats heavy.

[RobDickinson]

You can also use extension tubes and teleconvertors with the non IS canon 100mm, the L wont take a TC. They both get you 'closer'.

Plenty of other macro options too (bellows, reversed lenses etc).

[4hero]

Hi,

I honestly can't ever see a need for IS on the 100mm, just use a fast shutter speed with decent lighting! I've got the 100mm and the MT-24 flash, and would recommend you go for the MR-14 ring flash and 100mm, comes in about the same price for both as the 100mm IS lens on it's own (which you would still need a decent flash for). You could also get a set on kenko extension tubes for the 100mm, gets you very close to the subject! An example of hand-held with the 100mm and MT-24 flash.



A stacked shot taken with the 100mm and kenko tubes.



Alternatively, got the whole hog and get the MP-E65mm and MT-24EX flash, "slightly" limited use with a maximum shooting distance of 4 inches, but seeing little critters at 5:1 is crazy. Again, a couple of examples with the MP-E65 and MT-24 flash (also shot hand-held, & manually focused ).





This was around 1mm in length.



The downside to the MP-E is the time it takes to learn, it really isn't a pick-up-and-shoot lens. It probably took me 8-12 months to fully get to grips with it, but worth the wait when you start getting decent shots.

Tripods? Pah, never, more trouble than they are worth, by the time you get the thing set up either the wind has changed, or the insect has flown off

As for the 100-400, got this too, it's an amazing lens. I've been through a few zooms before getting the 100-400, you will not regret getting one

Give me a shout if you have any other questions.

Cheers,

Neil.

[jon-]

I really want the 100mm f2.8 L IS. While the IS is only meant to be worth 1-2 stops in macro mode, that's still a lot of shutter speed and could make the different between getting the shot and not.

The original 100mm 2.8 is really sharp, but the L version is meant to be one of the sharpest lenses ever produced (then again it should be for a £800 prime)

If you can afford it, I'd get the L! I'm going to if I stick with Canon...

[Rofly Lollers]

^^^^ Awesome, inspirational pics, thanks for those!

[4hero]

Jon, you'll still need a ring flash of sorts.

Rofly Lollers said:

^^^^ Awesome, inspirational pics, thanks for those!

Thanks, glad you like them! Edited to add, you could also buy from Kerso (not tried him personally, but he gets excellent reviews!)

Edited by 4hero on Monday 23 November 22:02

[jon-]

4hero said:

Jon, you'll still need a ring flash of sorts.

I'll be using it for portraits more than serious macro, but I do have a rayflash ringflash to help.

[Yellabelly]

Neil, I bl--dy hate you! as if it wasn't bad enough showing No1 with the 100mm you then post No3 with that damned MP65E whatsits face and trick flash system.

Ah well the Tammy can still do decent portraits at 90mm, the models are somewhat bigger and I might be able to get them in focus

Cracking photos as always, but No 3 !!!!

[Simpo Two]

Yellabelly said:

Neil, I bl--dy hate you! as if it wasn't bad enough showing No1 with the 100mm you then post No3 with that damned MP65E whatsits face and trick flash system.

It's actually a large fibreglass model suspended from a ceiling, with the wires painted out.

[4hero]

Thanks YB

Simpo Two said:

Yellabelly said:

Neil, I bl--dy hate you! as if it wasn't bad enough showing No1 with the 100mm you then post No3 with that damned MP65E whatsits face and trick flash system.

It's actually a large fibreglass model suspended from a ceiling, with the wires painted out.

No tom-foolery used in any of my shots, just nature at it's best!