New to digital

[Digifrog]

Hi WABees

So, I've just invested in a digital SLR and in need of some guidance. My favourite subjects are landscape/cityscape/nightscape & art but I am well up for taking wildlife pics. Thing is, a macro (2:1, 3:1) is usually required and I don't want to spend a £1000 on a bespoke macro lens.

What is ideal for the budget to get decent macro images? I have heard that extension tubes are good as well as reverse lens kits. What would someone recommend to a digital novice like myself? Which is better of the 2? I have been told that reverse lens kits is more tricky, but the results are better.

Thanks in advance.

Scott

[BillyPilgrim]

I'd go for the Sigma 150mm macro and then lots of practice before buying some extension tubes! Budgetwise you're talking about £400 if you buy brand new. The Sigma is one of the best macro lenses available and I doubt if you'd regret the purchase. I used to own the 180mm version and it was capable of producing excellent images. If I were to buy again I'd get the 150mm as it is shorter, lighter and f/2.8 as opposed to f/3.5.

[HowlinWolf]

Originally Posted by Digifrog

Hi WABees

.. and I don't want to spend a £1000 on a bespoke macro lens.

Scott

Where did you get the impression that a macro lens costs £1000? The previous post mentions Sigma. They produce very good lenses capable of 1:1 reproduction without tubes, and are affordable to anyone who is intent on taking this field of photography seriously.

All macro lenses these days are good performers. It's just a case of deciding on what focal length you need, and how much money you have.

HW

[Digifrog]

Originally Posted by BillyPilgrim

I'd go for the Sigma 150mm macro and then lots of practice before buying some extension tubes! Budgetwise you're talking about £400 if you buy brand new. The Sigma is one of the best macro lenses available and I doubt if you'd regret the purchase. I used to own the 180mm version and it was capable of producing excellent images. If I were to buy again I'd get the 150mm as it is shorter, lighter and f/2.8 as opposed to f/3.5.

Thanks Billy.

I have actually noted that very lens. What I am trying to avoid is spending that amount (if I can) if say a reverse lens kit or tube can give great results also but for a lot less money. If you know what I mean.

I've sent you a private message with an example of RLK photos of ants. I would be interested to know if I can get those results with the lens you recommend.

Thanks HW

Scott

[BillyPilgrim]

Originally Posted by Digifrog

Thanks Billy.

I've sent you a private message with an example of RLK photos of ants. I would be interested to know if I can get those results with the lens you recommend.

Hi, I got the link but it won't let me see the images because I'm not a member of the site.

Even if I could see them I doubt if I could give an qualified answer to your question as I'm not a macro expert. Once you start to go beyond 1:1 I think it starts to get quite specialised but I'm sure that there are people on here who will be able to give you better advice that I could.

I haven't used a lens reverse ring either but it sounds very interesting and cheap too. If I were you I'd buy one and give it a go with your exisiting lens(es) and see what happens.

[Digifrog]

Originally Posted by BillyPilgrim

Hi, I got the link but it won't let me see the images because I'm not a member of the site.

Even if I could see them I doubt if I could give an qualified answer to your question as I'm not a macro expert. Once you start to go beyond 1:1 I think it starts to get quite specialised but I'm sure that there are people on here who will be able to give you better advice that I could.

I haven't used a lens reverse ring either but it sounds very interesting and cheap too. If I were you I'd buy one and give it a go with your exisiting lens(es) and see what happens.

Ah, do apologize.

Yes, I don't think I'm confident enough yet (or rich enough) to get in the realms of speciality. I'd just like macro shots I'd be happy with, but it's a minefield atm.

Yes, £10 as opposed to £400 is a good option.

Take a look at the pics, this is what a rlk can do.

Scott

[ron1863]

A half decent zoom lens that gives a macro of 1:2 at 300mm is the Sigma 75 -300mm macro zoom. You can pick them up cheap on the net second hand.

[richardkm]

The simplest way to go close up is with supplementary lenses. Buy a +1 and a +4 and away you go. Make sure you buy good quality though, should cost you at least £50 for the pair.

[pressld2]

Reverse adapters can give very good results but are not very easy to use. For a start you'll lose all auto functions, focusing and metering, with the lens on backwards so you'll have to use manual for everything. This is not a huge problem as you can use the histogram to assess and correct exposure and most macro photographers (me included) tend to prefer manual focus anyway, but if you're not used to using manual mode it might be a factor in your decision. The biggest problem I find with reverse adapters is that the lens stops down to the aperture you have selected straight away. This makes the image in the viewfinder very dark and manual focusing then becomes very difficult.

Here's a picture I took shortly after converting to digital using a 50mm standard lens reversed...



Ideally I'd have used a smaller aperture for better depth of field but the viewfinder image would have been to dark to focus. Since taking this I've bought a Sigma 150mm macro and have never used the reverse adapter again.

Dave P.

[Digifrog]

Thanks guys. You are helping. haven't really looked into supplementarys yet. I'm looking at photo's, noting what was used and thinking, "that's the kind of image I would like to get if I want to experiment with macro." Mainly because macro can offer seriously interesting images, not just wildlife but also art.

Not sure about posting 'foreign' images on this part of the forum, but this picture was taken with a reverse lens kit. Which as someone has already mentioned is tricky and hands on, but I guess a good way to learn macro.



The problem at this kind of image is motion, but still, you get to learn ways around. This is the sort of magnification I would be interested in.

Scott

[Digifrog]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice.

I'm now lloking to get a decent 2nd hand (if I can) Sigma 150mm f2.8 EX DG Macro. There have been some great web reviews for this lens, and the results of what this ML can do is satisfactory.

That very nice Canon lens on the other thread is very nice, but £720.