I have always had a dedicated macro lens in the tele range (90mm-105mm) but I found it increasingly lack interest in using it for photographing insects. One main reason is I am lack interest in the kind of insect photography that I would call portrait style or studio style where the background is almost totally obliterated. Of course I understand its merits and I appreciate the amazing macro shots with great details of the insect made visible in the photo. However, I am inclined towards other kind of insect photography. I particularly interested in environmental insect photography where the insect is shown in its natural environment. For this reason I have got Laowa 24mm macro lens (Probe in the past and Periprobe as of now). I really like the wide angle perspective this lens provides.
The other hardware I have recently started using is a tele zoom lens together with a quality close-up lens. My tele zoom lens is Sigma 100-400mm lens. I started exploring the Nisi close-up lens attachment though I have now switched to Canon 500D close-up lens. This combination provides almost 1:1 magnification at 300mm though I mostly stay at 200mm which provides about 0.6 magnification ratio.
UI have to explain my other main reason for opting these solutions over a standard macro lens (50mm-110mm range) that is both these solutions are far less intimidating to a live insect than the standard solution at least to my personal experience. My sigma lens + Canon lens provides me about 50mm of working distance at 200mm-300mm range and a magnification ration of 0.6 to1! No macro lens come remotely close and this is crucial for flying insects like butterflies, etc. Many insects barely if at all notice my presence if I approach them cautiously. With a typical macro lens, the end of the lens would about 10-15cm away from the insect. I think there's no contest here and my combo wins big. Of course, I would loose a bit in the sharpness department but I am willing to make the trade for the possibility to capture the shot.
With the Laowa lens, the end of the tube has to be very close tot he subject at about 2-5cm. However, the tube diameter is much small that many insect do not see the tube as a threat particular because the tube is long so the camera and I are still quite far away from the insect so less chance of intimidating the subject. I have to add: I do have a Sigma 105mm macro lens but I am yet to take it out with me.
My main difficulties which still persist as of now are focusing and stabilization.
So I personally no longer worry myself about 1:1 magnification event though my both systems of hardware do provide me with it or even better (Laowa offers 2:1). I may personally suggest you start exploring your current equipment so that gradually, you also discover your style along the way and the limitation of your current setup. There are always compromises whichever means you opt for.
Sep 26, 2025 at 09:21 PM
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