topic Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close in EF & RF Lenses

What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

tatyana-sumakov — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 17:39:11 GMT

I have been thinking about getting a lens that would take close up pictures what would you suggest

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

kvbarkley — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 18:27:07 GMT

As usual it depends.

If you have a rebel or other APS-C sized camera, the EFS-60 is a good deal.

If you want the lens farther away from what you are shooting, the EF 100 macro or the 180 macro are excellent.

What do you want to shoot and what camera do you have?

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

TCampbell — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 18:35:32 GMT

There are lots of ways to do this.

A "true" macro lens is probably the most ideal way. Can makes an EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM that works with any Canon body that has an APS-C size sensor (except the 10D but you probably don't own an EOS 10D) and they also make a 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens (two of them) as well as a 180mm macro lens.

The 60mm macro is the most budget-friendly (probably around $400-450) and delivers extremely crisp clean results.

But there are lower cost solutions that don't involve buying a new lens.

You can put "close-up diopters" (some people call these "close up filters" even though they're technically not "filters" but they do thread on to the front of your existing lens) and it's basically like reading glasses for your lens in that it allows the lens to focus at closer distances than would otherwise be possible. This solution isn't as ideal. Usually there's a small amount of image quality degradation around the edges and corners of the frame -- though the center usually looks very good. Canon's own close-up diopters are significantly higher quality then the 3rd party diopters. Every 3rd party diopter on the market that I'm aware of uses a single lens element which causes some chromatic aberration near the edges of the frame. Canon diopters use a two element design in a achromatic doublet configuration that significantly reduces the chromatic aberration problem.

The other option is to use something called an "extension tube". It's a hollow tube that fits between lens and camera body. It has no glass in it whatsoever. It's only purpose is to hold the lens farther from the camera body and this has the natural side-effect of allowing for closer focusing distances as well as enlarging the image size projected into the camera body. These are very low cost but if you choose to use this method then you need the tubes that include the electronic contacts so that the tube can allow communication between the camera lens and camera body (otherwise you lose the ability to control the aperture as well as a few other problems.)

There are even more ways to do this (bellows, lens reversing rings, etc.) but those are the most popular methods.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

kvbarkley — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 19:08:31 GMT

Here is one I took with the EFS-60 (hand held!)

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

lawrence — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 00:52:29 GMT

CANON MPE-65 is a unique lens that you should try. It magnify 5 times larger than live size. So it is not 1:1 but 1:5. But be warned this lens is a little difficult to handle. Totally manual.

Otherwise you may try the new CANON 100mm IS macro that has IS.

If you plan to shoot insects you should use CANON 180mm which allows you to take magnified pictures of insects from a farther distance that you will not frightened the little creature. But this one has no IS capability.

just my thoughts. There are other options.

There is another Chinese made LAOWA Wide angle Macro. I have seen Youtube video, seems interesting, not expenseive, great price performance. I don;t have one, but I shall buy one later this year.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

ScottyP — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:37:23 GMT

Lawrence is right that the MPE-65 is an incredible and unique lens. I fear I disagree when he says you must try it. It is not an easy lens to master and you would need some skill at shooting macro. To use it at full mag, you want a focus rail and a tripod and head to really give it a go. You may also need to learn focus stacking software as the depth of field in focus is miniscule.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

ScottyP — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:43:37 GMT

I agree with the above that the EF-s 60mm Macro would be a great pick. Extension tubes would work.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

ScottyP — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:50:52 GMT

I see from your posts you are new and very enthusiastic. What resources (in addition to the sages on this website) are you using to learn the basic fundamentals?

I suggest 2 quite easy things:

1.) Google for free tutorial videos. There are oodles of them, many by amateurs, and they are usually only a few minutes long. Start by watching 2 or 3 on "the exposure triangle". That really chrystalizes the central idea of photography and you can build on to that from there.

2.) The book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Petersen. Easy to read. Half is pictures. He really conveys the idea of how to use that exposure triangle to make the images you want.

Good luck and have fun!

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

lawrence — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:05:37 GMT

I concur, MPE 65 is indeed a very interesting macro lens but hard to control. It is kind of like a Farari not meant for new driver. But once you have deep dived into macro photography, you should at least borrow one and try it out. No way you can shoot it hand held. Even on tripod you need a very sturdy and rigid one.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

lawrence — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:16:06 GMT

Scotty, can you suggest a book that is good enough for more advanced macro photographers? I am kind of finding the current few books I can get hold of are not meant for advanced macro photographers. Not necessarily published in US but anywhere in the world......in English of course.....

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

lawrence — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:18:43 GMT

kvbarkley ::: Very Sharp picture, well done!!!

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

tatyana-sumakov — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:22:17 GMT

To answer kvbarkley, the camera I'm currently using is a Canon t5.

I started out with a small canon powershot point and shoot my next camera after that was a Canon sx30 is point and shoot with a 35x optical zoom. Iv never really had a chance to take a photography class or didn't have money but iv taken some amazing shots, with what I had but through the years that little hobby turned into a complete "expensive" obsession iv used that for a long but realized that I could learn more about photography and how it works. So I found a Canon t70 slr camera from 1984. I wanted to challenge my self and really place my shots, because shooting with film is expensive, but thought that would be an interesting way to learn. Than I got a Canon t5 and that is the one I'm trying to really learn about. I know that I have a long way to go to learn everything that camera is capable of. Between my two jobs I haven't really had time to sit down and actually go through the manual and listen to videos.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

tatyana-sumakov — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:25:05 GMT

I have two lenses 15mm-55mm and 75mm-300mm long zoom I guess that what it's called I also want to try to take close up pictures of bugs plants. I actually sell cameras so I love reading what you guys are all reading it's very interesting. I only know the basics

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

tatyana-sumakov — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:27:43 GMT

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

lawrence — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:46:10 GMT

tayana, before you buy a macro lens, you can reverse mount your 15-55 lens to take some pictures and see how it goes. You need to buy some special adapter rings beforehand. It is also fun.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

tatyana-sumakov — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 14:06:03 GMT

O wow I didn't know it was possible to put the lens on back words, what are the adapters called. That sounds really interesting.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

ezpop — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 16:06:15 GMT

http://digital-photography-school.com/macro-photography-for-beginners-part-1/ and then part 2 and so on. also this one http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2015/05/21/close-up-photography-macro-lens-alternatives/

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

ezpop — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 16:10:23 GMT

1. macro lenses

2. Close up filters

3. extension tubes (AF or cheap non AF)

4. reverse rings (buy one with same filter thread spec of your lens, can be have for $2-3 online)

5. or combination of some of the above

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

kvbarkley — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 16:16:03 GMT

One nice thing about the EFS-60 Macro is that it will function very well as a short telephoto, about the focal length that is desired for portraits. And, at f/2.8, it is faster than your other lenses for those times when you want to get shallower depth of field.

Re: What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

Waddizzle — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 16:46:17 GMT

@ezpop wrote:
1. macro lenses
2. Close up filters
3. extension tubes (AF or cheap non AF)
4. reverse rings (buy one with same filter thread spec of your lens, can be have for $2-3 online)
5. or combination of some of the above

Out of those choices....

1. A macro lens will be your best choice.

2. Close up filters decrease MFD, minimum focusing distance, by taking away focus to infinity.

3. Like close up filters, you will no longer be able to focus to infinity, or even 10-20 feet away!

4. Forget about reverse rings, unless you have a lens dedicated to use with it. [buy a macro lens, instead]

Close up filters can only add distortion into the light path, but they're a cheap way to test the water. Extension tubes are more costly than close up filters. AF in an extension tube is of limited value to me, because you will be manually focusing 99.9999% of the time for macro shots.

The problem with a reverse ring is that it exposes the back of the lens to the elements, the part that you want to keep as clean as possible. The last thing you'll want to do is to know mount that "dirty lens" on your camera, getting the inside of your camera all dirty in the process. So, have a lens on hand, which is dedicated to being reversed. But, if you have to buy a lens to do this, then you might was well buy a macro lens like the EF-S 60mm.