Can Anybody Recommend a Macro/Telephoto Lens?

Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical DG DF for Minolta

10/20/2005 09:01:35 PM · #1

I'm looking for a decent telephoto lens with macro capabilities somewhere in or near the $300-$400 price range. I would like it to be longer than the 70mm that I already have. Any suggestions?

MrEd

Sony DSLR-A100

10/20/2005 09:06:17 PM · #2

Someone suggested the Sigma Telephoto 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro to me. I've seen mostly good reviews. $399 from B&H. Careful, their on Jewish holiday schedule till next Friday.

Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical DG DF for Minolta

10/20/2005 09:11:15 PM · #3

Originally posted by MrEd:

Someone suggested the Sigma Telephoto 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro to me. I've seen mostly good reviews. $399 from B&H. Careful, their on Jewish holiday schedule till next Friday.

Thanks for the tip, but I think I'll be using the lens as a telephoto more than a macro, so I would like to go even longer than 105mm. Maybe somewhere in the 200mm ballpark.

MrEd

Sony DSLR-A100

10/20/2005 09:15:09 PM · #4

Sigma 70-300 APO for about $220 is very nice, and macro too.

They suggested this too. That should be what your looking for.

Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical DG DF for Minolta

10/20/2005 09:16:42 PM · #5

Originally posted by MrEd:

Sigma 70-300 APO for about $220 is very nice, and macro too.

They suggested this too. That should be what your looking for.

Yes, that sounds more like it. Do you own this one?

MrEd

Sony DSLR-A100

10/20/2005 09:19:20 PM · #6

Nah, but Here's my post

Canon EF-M 22mm f/2.0 STM Lens

10/20/2005 09:25:14 PM · #7

Thanks. $220 just seems too cheap for a lens, but I'm gonna look into it.

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

10/20/2005 09:32:09 PM · #8

Originally posted by MrEd:

Sigma 70-300 APO for about $220 is very nice, and macro too.

They suggested this too. That should be what your looking for.

A lot of lenses, like this one, say macro when they are really just close focusing. a true macro lens will give you a 1:1 reproduction ratio. What that means is that the image on the sensor is life size.

Travis99

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/20/2005 09:34:46 PM · #9

Originally posted by MrEd:

Someone suggested the Sigma Telephoto 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro to me. I've seen mostly good reviews. $399 from B&H. Careful, their on Jewish holiday schedule till next Friday.

I second this on, perfect for your price range, i have one and it is one of the best lenses I have ever bought, check out the pictures through my profile, just look under the lenses.

Travis

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/20/2005 09:40:07 PM · #10

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

I can handle it not being a true macro as long as I can get close enough for more pictures like these:

I don't plan on taking an photos of a fly's eyes for the time being, but maybe some water droplets.

Message edited by author 2005-10-20 21:48:12.

Zap228

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

10/20/2005 10:17:01 PM · #11

maybe think about getting something like a plain 70-300 in the 300 dollar range and then buy yourself a set of kenko extension tubes.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/20/2005 10:19:14 PM · #12

Originally posted by Zap228:

maybe think about getting something like a plain 70-300 in the 300 dollar range and then buy yourself a set of kenko extension tubes.

Do extension tubes work pretty well? I don't know much about them.

Zap228

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

10/20/2005 10:23:39 PM · #13

Check them out here.
The main point of the tubes is to allow you to focus closer to the object than the lens would normally allow. So what it practically does is shorten your minimum focussing distance. The difference depends on the length of the tube, thats why the sets are good, cause they give you options. I personally haven't used them, but I know people who have and I've seen some results.

wavelength

Nikon D300

10/20/2005 10:26:46 PM · #14

...

Message edited by author 2005-10-26 21:51:17.

Prof_Fate

10/20/2005 10:41:57 PM · #15

I have the Sigma 70-300 and the macro feature is quite nice (1:2 magnification, works in teh 200-300mm range).

I have (cheap) extension tubes and an old M42 mount Vivitar 135mm 2.8 lens - focusing and such is manual, but it works and the total for the tubes and lens was $50 or so.

Prof_Fate

10/20/2005 10:45:12 PM · #16

Originally posted by wavelength:

That sigma lens can only focus down to 12 inches, so I'm now sorry that I recommended it for macro.

That is the nature of the longer tele macro lenses - can be handy for some things, like snakes, or insects - things you don't or can't get too close to. However, it sucks for a coin or anything on a desk! You almost have to stand and put teh item on teh floor to get far enough back to get things to focus.

But you get a 300mm (APS = of 450mm on a nikon) lens too, and a pretty good one.

10/20/2005 10:50:32 PM · #17

So what would you say is best? just buying a plain telephoto with some extension tubes, or going for the telephoto w/ "macro" capabilities?

wavelength

Nikon D300

10/20/2005 10:55:17 PM · #18

wow, for $129 I think i I could deal with a 1:2 ratio and pretend it's macro too :o)

joezl

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

10/20/2005 10:55:17 PM · #19

Originally posted by wavelength:

That sigma lens can only focus down to 12 inches, so I'm now sorry that I recommended it for macro.

The Nikon Telephoto AF Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D Can focus down to 1 inch, much better.

edit - for those who linked to the sigma macro lens for minolta, I changed my suggestion to MrEd to this instead.

I'm not sure your 1 inch focusing distance is right. Unless I'm mistaken the specs say focusing distance up to 12.4 inches (12.4") ie 1 foot (1.0'). Same as the Sigma.

I've never seen focusing distances approximating 1 inch except with reverse mounted lenses

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

10/20/2005 10:57:56 PM · #20

Originally posted by joezl:

Originally posted by wavelength:
That sigma lens can only focus down to 12 inches, so I'm now sorry that I recommended it for macro.

The Nikon Telephoto AF Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D Can focus down to 1 inch, much better.

edit - for those who linked to the sigma macro lens for minolta, I changed my suggestion to MrEd to this instead.

I'm not sure your 1 inch focusing distance is right. Unless I'm mistaken the specs say focusing distance up to 12.4 inches (12.4") ie 1 foot (1.0'). Same as the Sigma.

I've never seen focusing distances approximating 1 inch except with reverse mounted lenses

Yeah, okay. let the public flogging begin. DOH!

Baxter

Nikon D500

10/20/2005 11:02:27 PM · #21

If you are going to use extention tubes, you may loose some metering funtions. Another option would be a set of close up filters. B&h has a set of three for about $20.00. Not the best quality but you can still get good results.

longlivenyhc

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Canon

10/20/2005 11:20:25 PM · #22

sigma 105mm macro. able to get 1:1 ratio. not sure what the closest focus on it is, but when i use it, it seems to be about an inch from the lens.

some pictures i took with the 105mm

Prof_Fate

10/20/2005 11:34:23 PM · #23

Originally posted by jpeters:

So what would you say is best? just buying a plain telephoto with some extension tubes, or going for the telephoto w/ "macro" capabilities?

Hmmm...hard to say. Kenko is the brand of tubes i hear most often recomended as the best buy (there are no optics in any of them). If you want to use your auto lenses as auto lenses, then you need tubes that pass the electrical signals thru. You can use ANY lens you have then. There are 3 tubes in a set, you can use any one or all three or any combo - the more tubes, the more magnification you get. I think the kenko tubes are $170...I could be wrong as it has been months since i looked.

I got some chinese tubes - they are canon EF mount on both ends, but do not have any electrical contacts. I can focus manually, so no biggie, BUT the aperture is not adjustable...so any lens is wide open. OK for some things, but DOF is very very small...so I got a EF-M42 (praktika and old pentax lenses are M42 mount) for $10. I then looked for a full manual M42 lens and got a Vivitar 135mm 2.8 for $20. This combo does indeed work, and i can use the Vivi lens by itself as a 135mm lens.

is a shot done this way.

The macro feature on the Sigma is simply a switch...it can't get any easier that that! So that is what I'd recomend you do. I bought my lens new off ebay for $180 or there abouts. The newest version is designated DG and costs the same. Make sure you get teh APO version (there is a similar non-apo version for about $150 that is not as good).

So it depends on what you want...versatility (get the 70-300 macro), true macro capability (get the 105 2.8 lens) or something neat to play with (the extension tubes).

I may have to try the tubes and macro lens together and see what kind of mess i can make of that!