Best macro lens

[LewisM]

I want to add a GOOD macro to my lens repertoire. I have the tube adapters where you add your own lens to the front, but really, not the best. I am using a 5DMkII body.

Suggestions?

[rogerg (Roger)]

We use the Canon 100mm f/2.8. I can't fault it, but haven't used an L macro lens.

I still often use my extension tubes with my 70-200 f/4L and 24-70 f/2.8 to good effect, usually because I don't have the macro with me at the time. I still find that convenience of needing to carry only the extension tubes often outweighs the option of carrying another lens.

I haven't done a direct comparison between the options. Anecdotally I wouldn't say there's much difference, but I am using L in front of my extension tubes

[LewisM]

Thanks Roger. My issue is I went cheapie on my tubes, so no electronic control at all. May try one of the wired tubes and see how it goes before plonking down the cash on a true macro.

I currently use the 28-135 on the tubes for my macro work in the research labs.

[gregbradley]

Sigma 90mm I often read is recommended by owners.

Greg.

[dannat (Daniel)]

the tokina 100mm is nearly as good as the canon but cn be found cheaper, imo 150mm sigma gives you the extra distance you need to not disturb insects if that what you're after..if its flowers the 100mm lens' will be fine. i havnt seen many bad examples of macro lens -

[rogerg (Roger)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

Thanks Roger. My issue is I went cheapie on my tubes, so no electronic control at all. May try one of the wired tubes and see how it goes before plonking down the cash on a true macro.

I currently use the 28-135 on the tubes for my macro work in the research labs.

Ahh. The ones we use we've had since film days, they're Kenko. The lenses autofocus etc fine through them. I suppose that is one advantage of the dedicated macro lens though, it's AF is significantly faster and more reliable. But then again, I don't often use AF with macro.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

Thanks Roger. My issue is I went cheapie on my tubes, so no electronic control at all. May try one of the wired tubes and see how it goes before plonking down the cash on a true macro.

I've got Kenko tubes for my Sony cameras. Well machined and they have full electronic support. A quick search says around the $150 mark for Canon.

[Regulus (Trevor)]

Yeah a question I am looking at too for my Canon 600D.
The thing with the tubes is that the auto focus lenses have such a small travel that fine manual focus can be a nuisance.
The reviews on the new Sigma 60 give it an excellent mark and with an aps-c sensor it's almost 100mm.
My thinking is the wider the lens the more DOF you have in close up over longer focal lengths.
I veer toward manual focus and since my subjects (Fungi) don't move I am tempted to use an adaptor and an old classic bought off ebay that lets me use a ring flash and aperture preferred settings.
The auto focus tends to pick the nearest point of the object and the DOF is squandered in the lens-ward direction, so I prefer to focus manually anyway. (I know it can use a single point focus directed to anywhere on the subject but I don't want want to hold down a button to hold focus lock).
Thems my thoughts for what they are worth. Good luck in you deliberations.

Trev

[acropolite (Phil)]

The 100 F2.8 from Canon is both an excellent macro lens and nice portrait and astro lens as well. If you have the money buy the 100mm F2.8 L series IS macro.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I absolutely love my Tamron 90mm F2.8. It's also an excellent astro lens as well.

[Dennis]

Here are some of the questions I would be asking myself to help with the decision:

What is the minimum closest focus distance?
Typically, 50mm to 60mm macro lenses give 1:1 at 15 to 20cms; 100mm fl lenses extend this to 30cms so you are less likely to spook your subject.

Do you require the lens to have a tripod mounting ring?

Are size, weight and compactness important?

AFAIK, most decent macro lenses tend to be F2.8 and for adequate DOF, you will be working at F8 or F11 – beyond that the image can get soft due to the effects of diffraction at the smaller apertures. (F16 to F32).

If you will shoot with flash which can be set to provide the dominant light source, thus overwhelming daylight (3 to 4 stops under exposed), then your shutter speed effectively become the flash duration which usually is a minimum of 1/1000 sec. This usually means that Image Stabilisation is not required.

Will you be taking photos of static subjects or stuff that moves, such as insects?

Cheers

Dennis

[Poita (Peter)]

I recommend at least 120mm, anything shorter and you have to get too close to the subjects. I never use autofocus, it tends to screw me over more times than not.

[naskies (Dave)]

Originally Posted by rogerg

We use the Canon 100mm f/2.8. I can't fault it, but haven't used an L macro lens.

I've owned and used both the standard and L variant of the Canon 100 mm macro. They're both excellent; the L appears to be slightly sharper but not by much - I only noticed the difference when someone else pointed it out and I looked closely at test charts etc.

Originally Posted by LewisM

Thanks Roger. My issue is I went cheapie on my tubes, so no electronic control at all. May try one of the wired tubes and see how it goes before plonking down the cash on a true macro.

I currently use the 28-135 on the tubes for my macro work in the research labs.

You'd probably want aperture control at least - easier for framing. Autofocus isn't very useful at macro distances.

Originally Posted by Dennis

If you will shoot with flash which can be set to provide the dominant light source, thus overwhelming daylight (3 to 4 stops under exposed), then your shutter speed effectively become the flash duration which usually is a minimum of 1/1000 sec.

Even better, electronic flashes have output durations proportional to power output... so a Canon 580EX on 1/128 power has a duration of only 1/35,000 sec. The guys who shoot hummingbirds up close often use a huge number (e.g. up to 16 or more) of flashguns at minimum power to get razor sharp images in flight.

This usually means that Image Stabilisation is not required.

Furthermore, Canon's 100 mm "L" macro the IS is barely effective (1-2 stops, compared to 4-5 for longer subject distances) due to the very close working distances.

[Octane (Humayun)]

If you use DPP, then, the 100mm f/2.8L IS USM macro is unbeatable.

The amount of detail that you can eek out using the DLO module will blow your mind.

H

[troypiggo (Troy)]

http://piggo.com/2010/09/my-answer-to-which-macro-lens/

I wrote that a couple of years ago now, but still holds true today, and echoes some of the recommendations above.

As JJJ points out, the Tamron 90 doubles as an excellent astro lens. It has curved blades which help reduce diffraction spikes which I find distracting on lens (as opposed to telescope) astro images.