Macro lens / kit setup....suggestions please
Discussion
Good morning chaps, I've been enjoying looking through the Macro thread and consequently have been having a thought or two about getting myself a macro lens and work towards a setup. Any thoughts (good or bad) on this lens, or recommendations for around the same price?...
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.as...
As for setup - ring flash etc - what should I have on my list?
ETA, I've got a Canon 450D at present.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.as...
As for setup - ring flash etc - what should I have on my list?
ETA, I've got a Canon 450D at present.
Edited by fathomfive on Friday 17th July 08:36
Specifics aside, the focal length controls the working distance. Some find that 60mm is too short - ie you are too close to the subject - could be a nuisance if you're photographing thigs that fly away and/or you might start getting in your light. I moved from 60mm to 105mm and find it better in both respects.
I've not tried that lens, but I would really strongly recommend the Canon 100mm Macro lens
If you've been reading up on Macro photography, you're probably aware that you'll need some form of flash in most instances. Once you get right down to the 1:1 magnification range, then even with the lens wide open and the ISO boosted, you're still going to get exposure times too long to hand hold, and at f2.8 close up, the depth of field will be tiny too.
If you've already got a flash gun, you can get very nice results mounting that on a bracket so it's off camera (SamHH, I seem to recall, has some very nice results doing this). If you've got enough of a budget though, a ring flash is a very nice toy to have. I got a Canon MR-14EX second hand off Ebay. It doesn't have anything like the reach of my 580EX II, but I probably use it more, both because I like taking macro shots, but also because it's nice and diffused for portraits.
A couple of examples using the lens and flash....
All the settings are manual. This one was 1/100th of a second at f10 and ISO 100. Fast enough to handhold, but still with enough depth of field to get almost the whole fly in focus, which you just couldn't get close to without the flash.
On this one, the settings were even faster and deeper at 1/160th of a second and f16, and I still didn't have enough depth of field to cover the whole thing!
Lastly, it also makes for a very nice prime lens in general. This little chap was taken without flash on a tripod, and is obviously not at 1:1 macro range.
If you've been reading up on Macro photography, you're probably aware that you'll need some form of flash in most instances. Once you get right down to the 1:1 magnification range, then even with the lens wide open and the ISO boosted, you're still going to get exposure times too long to hand hold, and at f2.8 close up, the depth of field will be tiny too.
If you've already got a flash gun, you can get very nice results mounting that on a bracket so it's off camera (SamHH, I seem to recall, has some very nice results doing this). If you've got enough of a budget though, a ring flash is a very nice toy to have. I got a Canon MR-14EX second hand off Ebay. It doesn't have anything like the reach of my 580EX II, but I probably use it more, both because I like taking macro shots, but also because it's nice and diffused for portraits.
A couple of examples using the lens and flash....
All the settings are manual. This one was 1/100th of a second at f10 and ISO 100. Fast enough to handhold, but still with enough depth of field to get almost the whole fly in focus, which you just couldn't get close to without the flash.
On this one, the settings were even faster and deeper at 1/160th of a second and f16, and I still didn't have enough depth of field to cover the whole thing!
Lastly, it also makes for a very nice prime lens in general. This little chap was taken without flash on a tripod, and is obviously not at 1:1 macro range.
Gemm said:
I'd also recommend Canon 100mm.
Ring flash is great for insect shots but I've found it can be a bit flat for flowers. I'd recommend off-camera flash for those.
Have you tried making one side of the ring flash stronger than the other? I believe that is supposed to alleviate the flatness? Personally, I view flowers as nice places for insects to sit whilst I photograph them, so I've not tried it! Ring flash is great for insect shots but I've found it can be a bit flat for flowers. I'd recommend off-camera flash for those.
Kermit power said:
Have you tried making one side of the ring flash stronger than the other? I believe that is supposed to alleviate the flatness? Personally, I view flowers as nice places for insects to sit whilst I photograph them, so I've not tried it!
Yes, but not quite enough for my liking. 
Ring flash is perfect if you are taking botanical images, but just a tad flat for artistic images, if you see what I mean. Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff