I would like to try my hand (or is that eye?) at some macro photography. But I am unsure and confused regarding the best lens set up to adopt. I've done quite a bit of searching on these forums and read about lens reversal, dedicated macro lens, Teleconvertors and extention rings. Some of these things I understand, some I don't.
My current gear is;
Canon 40D.
EF-s 10-22mm. (0.17/0.24m)
EF 24-85mm f3.5-4.5. (0.16/0.5m)
EF-S 17-85mm f4.0-5.6 IS. (0.2/0.35m)
EF 50mm f1.8. (0.15/0.45m)
EF 70-200mm F4L. (0.21/1.2m)
Sigma 135-400 f4.5-5.6 APO DG. (1:5.3/2.2m)
Manfrotto 190b tripod.
Each lens best magnification spec is in brackets along with the min focus distance which I think are the spec you may need to help advise myself. Sorry about the metric, I'm an aussie!
My thoughts
Future upgrades. I'm currently considering selling the 17-85, 24-85 & 135-400mm lens, pooling the funds and buying a 1.4x teleconvertor and a decent mid zoom, 24-105, 24-70mm. Not sure which lens to pick. Perhaps macro performance may sway my decision?
Another idea I have is replacing my fifty with the EF-S 60 f2.8 macro. Both are around the same length, roughly. The EF-S 60 gives me a dedicated macro lens capacity but looses over a stop of light for portrait/gp use. F2.8 -> F1.8 = 1.33 stops? Not sure on steps over f2.8 because it's my only lens that goes that large!
Or, do I buy the kenko extention tubes set and combine these with a 1.4x TC on one of my lens? I don't quite understand how extentions tubes work exactly so I'm not sure which of my current/future lens will work best with them, if at all?
I know about the light loss that Teleconvertors have, is there any light loss with extention tubes?
I am a bit reluctant to splash out on a dedicated macro lens untill I "cut my teeth" with some sort of macro set up and even then, I don't fully understand the benefits a dedicated macro lens will give myself over ext tubes/TC's/etc.
So, feel free to suggest and post. All replies will be most appreciated.
Extension tubes or a reversing ring (to reverse mount a lens) are probably the best bet, you could buy macro filters but they can degrade quality.
The 60mm is a fantastic lens or macro and portrait, I have it and its my favourite out of 17-85, 60 and 70-200. The only real downsides are its EF-S (only matters if your planning of going full frame anytime soon) and its really slow to focus - sometimes it never acheives focus. Macro is mainly manual focus anyway though.
You already have 17-85 covered so I would sell the 24-85 and either buy toobz or the 60 macro
Think if you are not sure re macro I would go with a set of Kenko ext tubes and use them mainly with the 50mm lens- this will give a max of 1.36:1 with a full set. You can of course use them with just about any lens to get a bit closer but you do lose infinity focus when using them.
"with the full set". So you can stack the three extenders in any combination I take it. Is there a light loss when using the tubes? Is this why macro photography is mostly manual focus, similar to teleconvertors effect on AF?
I don't quite understand why your suggesting I use the 50mm with the extentions. is it because it's a prime? I would have thought that my 70-200mm lens would be a better lens to combine with the extentions tubes as the starting magnication is better than the 50mm, 0.15 compared to 0.21.
Asmodeous wrote:
"with the full set". So you can stack the three extenders in any combination I take it. Is there a light loss when using the tubes? Is this why macro photography is mostly manual focus, similar to teleconvertors effect on AF?
I don't quite understand why your suggesting I use the 50mm with the extentions. is it because it's a prime? I would have thought that my 70-200mm lens would be a better lens to combine with the extentions tubes as the starting magnication is better than the 50mm, 0.15 compared to 0.21.
Yes you can use an extension tube set in combination, I think with all the tubes you lose 2 stops of light. When shooting at 1:1 or higher most people use MF rather than AF not just because the AF might not work because of the light but also as the DOF is rather thin AF might not focus on the correct thing.
Extension tubes give the most magnification on shorter lenses (mag = Existing mag + length of tubes mm / focal length of lens) and will give the best IQ with primes.
Great. Thanks for the info. Very helpful and cleared up a few things for me. I think I can work the rest out for myself, Once I buy some Extentions tubes and experiment with them!
Asmodeous wrote:
Great. Thanks for the info. Very helpful and cleared up a few things for me. I think I can work the rest out for myself, Once I buy some Extentions tubes and experiment with them!
