Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear All,

I currently have a 70 300 tele macro that i use for my macro work and i am looking to get a "true" macro lens.

I was after something between a 150 to 200 mm lens as I want the working distance. Can any one make any reccommendations on a particular lens.

Regards,

Scott Eipper.

>I was after something between a 150 to 200 mm lens as I want the >working distance. Can any one make any reccommendations on a >particular lens.

Scott,

It depends to some degree on what camera you have. If you have a film camera or DSLR and what brand/model. If you have a DSLR, the crop factor (assuming it isn't full frame) will give your lens a little more working distance by default.

Also, I have a 50, 90, and 180 mm macro. I rarely, if ever, use the 180 because it provides too much working distance (39" @ 1:2). At that distance, I have trouble manipulating/controlling specimens. Of course, it does allow you the distance needed for frame filling shots of rattlesnake heads, but frankly, I found it is often simply too long for the job at hand and so I leave it home. My 90mm macros have been my standard herp macro lenses for years. Now that I have a DSLR with a 1.5x mag factor, the 135mm field of view I get from the same distance is even better!

For example, the Konica Minolta 200mm macro G lens (a lens I will own one day!) has a minimum focus distance of 1.7 feet at 1:1 magnification (1.33:1 on my DSLR). So the front of the lens will be 20 inches from the subject. However, the lens itself is 8" long and the camera is another 2" thick. So now the viewfinder is 30" inches from the subject. Your arms are a few inches behind that, and now you are a yard from you subject at its closest focal distance which will fill the frame with something the size of a nickel. This may sound cool, but generally, you want more in your picture than an area the size of a nickel and so you have to back up. Now you are 5-6 or more feet away from a flighty critter, trying to both control it, focus, compose and take a photo. For the same photo with a 90mm macro, I can be around 2 feet from the subject. A little close to an angry prairie rattler maybe, but much better to deal with a non-stop salamander.

Here's a pic with a 90mm macro from about 2 feet back (a little close maybe, but there was some glass between us!) -

There are lots of choices available, depending on your camera system (I only know these as I was shopping within the last few weeks) -
Nikon offer a 60 and 105 mm macro.
Canon offer 50mm, 60mm, 100mm, and a 180mm macro lenses.
Konica Minolta offer 50mm, 100mm, and 200mm macros.
Pentax offer a 50 and 100mm macro as well.

So if you have a Canon or a Minolta SLR, you can stick in system and get a 180-200mm macro. The "problem" is that these two lenses are from the respective companies' best series of lenses (the L series for Canon and the G series for Konica Minolta). Both therefore are extraordinary quality lenses which will set you back about $900 for the KM and $1200 for the Canon.

If you have the cash, you won't be disappointed with either of these lenses (assuming they will fit your camera ).

So assuming you don't want to shell out $1000 for the lens, you are going to have to investigate other brands.

Sigma make a 105 ($399), 150 ($629), and 180 ($689) mm lens. Optically these lenses are very good and if you get the newer EX series lenses from Sigma they are very well built and really are outstanding quality lenses. I used an older Sigma 90 Macro as my main macro lens for years and it was a great, well built, very sharp macro lens and the new EX are supposed to be even better.

Tamron make a 90 ($439) and 180 ($679) mm macro lens currently. I recently bought the 90 mm (SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di) and I really love the thing. With my 7D it gives me an effective field of view of a 135 mm lens and plenty of working distance. It is tack sharp, focuses quickly and is a pleasure to use.

Here's an uncropped pick with mine. This is a TX Brownsnake whose head is less was probably 5-8 millimeters long -

Vivitar, Phoenix etc, make generally inferior lenses. The only exception is the old Vivitar Series 1 100mm Macro. This lens was a real bargain for around $100 new and it frequently produced better test results than the Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax lenses of the same focal length. Unfortunately, they don't make this lens anymore and photographers who knew snatched these gems up!

-----
Chris Harrison

Scott,

I have the Sigma EX 105mm and 180mm macros. Both work like a dream on my D70. With the onset of spring I've been chasing small bugs with the camera lately and have therefore been using the 180 more due to its extra reach. All of the reviews I've seen have been very favorable on this lens. The photo below is of a jumping spider that is about 4 mm across. I took it hand held with the the D70/180mm combo and an SB800 speedlight mounted on the hot shoe. The spider is about 3 feet away from the front element and the cropped image below represents about 30% of the area in the orginal image. There is a fellow who posts on Nikonians that uses the D70/180mm plus a 1.4x teleconverter and still manages to get outstanding macro shots hand held.

Another plus for the Sigma is its build. I looked closely at Tamron's offerings (the 90 mm is probably the sharpest lens in the 90-105 class), but being a herper who is out banging the camera around (although not so much as Matt H I think LOL), I felt the Sigmas were up for a more vigorous beating.

I picked up the Sigma 180mm EX on Ebay new for $414 including ship. Compare this to a 200mm micro Nikkor AF at over a $1000 U.S. for no significant gain in ability.

Regards,
WK

...thanks though, cause' i'll be looking for a macro soon as well as telephoto.

Another lens that hasn't been mentioned that is one to consider is the 70-180mm zoom AF micro Nikkor. This one goes almost 1:1 (does 1:1.3 if I remember correctly). It has the advantage of zoom. I haven't tried it, but top-level macro photographers who have this lens seem to swear by it. The photos I've seen taken with it are great. I think you can find one in new condition for around $700 U.S. Only the gray market version is available in the U.S. and is about $1000.

I think CE is currently enjoying this lens and may be willing to give some input on it. CE, are you out there?

Cheers,
WK

Only the gray market version is available NEW in the U.S. and is about $1000.

Chris and Wk,

First off thanks for the speedy informative replies.

I own a Nikon D70. I previously has a an f 60 and went Nikon again because I had a Tamron 70 300 telemacro that had a max 1:2 ratio.

What I wanted was something that I could use to get down to a 1:1 ratio but allowed some work ablity...I was hoping not to shell out further for a sb 29 type flash (Twin macro flash) and stay with the sb 800 I am currently using (I have the remote cord that plugs onto the hot shoe to move the flash).

I do want to improve on my macro capabilities and was thinking about 180mm Sigma if this would get me down to the 1:1 (incidently Wasil do you have a product number/code?).

I will let you know what end up doing...and seems more expensive here than on your side of the globe!

Regards and Thanks,

Scott Eipper.

>>I do want to improve on my macro capabilities and was thinking >>about 180mm Sigma if this would get me down to the 1:1 >>(incidently Wasil do you have a product number/code?).

Sigma Telephoto 180mm f/3.5 EX APO Macro IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF-D (Mfr# 103306)
- B&H Photo has one used for $550 and they run $689 new. KEH.com has a used one for $499, and they are also very reputable (they tend to underate the quality of the lens - if they say it is excellent, it will look brand new!).
Be careful if you are buying used to get the EX series lens. There are older Sigma 180 macros (the one that I have) that aren't as good a lens.

They also make a Sigma Telephoto 150mm f/2.8 EX APO Macro EX DG HSM Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF (Mfr# 104306) - this lens weighs half a pound less, costs less, but it may not focus correctly on the D70. You probably should stick with the 180.
-----
Chris Harrison

Scott, yes this lens goes 1:1 with no additional equipment. Chris gave the correct ID numbers for the lens I own. If it is EX series and has the hypersonic motor (HSM) you are looking at the right one.

The SB800 is a great flash to use for macro work with the D70 and dedicated macro lenses, even more so than ring flashes in my opinion.

Regards,
Wasil

I also have the D70 and for closeups I use NIkon/Nikkor 105MM Macro..... The 105 is great, but the auto focus is not internal and can grind away trying to find the sweet spot, especially in low light situations. But I am very happy w/the quality output and have learned to live with the grinding or use maunal focus. I use both the SB29 ring flash and the SB800 flash..... to be honest I like the SB800 better because it support TTL and other advanced features including TTL BL. The SB29 ring flash requires manual adjustment (which is ok, but is a bit klunky.

-----
www.thegardensofeden.org