Well I have recently shifted to doing macro photography and have discovered an unknown and unexpected interest in it. So along with the other big update of this year (that being a 70-200f2.8 L) I am now seeing if I might be able to budget for a really good macro lens (if not this year then next).
So far I have narrowed the hunt to the following 3 lenses
Canon EF 100mm f2.8 USM Macro Lens
Sigma AF 150mm f/2.8 EX APO DG macro
with both of the above I can also either get a lighting arrangment or a sigma 1.4 teleconverter as well
Sigma EX DG HSM 180mm Macro
each as pros and cons, but I can't really find a big con for any lens over the others.
As I see it:
Cannon 100mm - definatly the most popular lens with good reviews and the fastest auto focusing element of the three. Down side is that it also has the smallest working distance of the three lenses - it also ships without lens hood and tripod collar - the former being an important extra order. However it also, along with shorter working distance, does not blurr the background as well as a longer lens.
Sigma 150mm - good working range combined with good optics and ships with both coller and hood. Some have stated that it has better quaility of shots than the sigma 180mm
Sigma 180 - most expensive lens on its own, ships with coller and hood. Often well reviewed with the 2*teleconverter. Has the longest working distance of the three lenses.
I have read quite a few reviews for all the lenses, but so far none of them have had any major drawbacks past focusing speeds - which is not really a primary concern for macro where a lot of work ends up being manual anyway.
Current kit:
Canon 400D
Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG macro
Manfrotto MN-055 XPROB Tripod
Manfrotto 322RC2 head
Manfrotto right angle bracket
Manfrotto MA 454 Micro Positioning Plate
It's hard to go wrong with any of the macro primes. I love my Sigma 150 - good working distance, and that little bit allows me to use my shoe mounted flash (with diffuser) as a macro flash....my old Sigma 105 was a bit too short to still use the shoe flash and get full coverage. Plus, the build and AF are excellent (the AF isn't the fastest in the world, but it's pretty darn fast for a macro lens.)
Has anyone tried the sigma 150 with teleconverters? I have read that the 180 works very well with them - even the 2*teleconverter and was wondering if the 150 can keeps its quality with them
I have both the Sigma 150 and 180 macro lenses. Sold my Canon 100 since I just didn't use it anymore. If I only kept one it would boil down to what do I mostly want to shoot. The 150 has very fast AF (at "normal" distances) for a macro lens. The AF of the 180 is not so good. The added reach of the 180 I often need for insects. Both are great. Both take TCs very well. One "quirk" I noticed - the 150 has so much "focus past infinity" that it still can manually focus to infinity with a 12mm tube attached. Very handy.
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