topic Re: Lens buying advice - 50mm or macro (w/ 6D MII) in EF & RF Lenses

Lens buying advice - 50mm or macro (w/ 6D MII)

Skip70 — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 19:12:01 GMT

Among other lenses I have a Nifty Fifty in 1.8 and just bought a Canon EF25 extender thinking I could do macro. Still learning but now realized that (duh) the extender only takes me to half of the ideal 1:1.
Two decisions, closely linked:
I was thinking of getting the 1.4 with a little better build quality and a bit of extra f-stop. Until I saw the Canon 50mm 2.8 macro. I assume that would get me to 1:1 macro?
So...
!. Is the 50mm 2.5 macro still good for a lot of 50mm work and just switch to my old 1.8 if I need an extra stop or so?
2. Cut and run to the 1.4 and just use the extender (and maybe a second one to get me closer to 1:1?)

Budgetwise, can't do both the 1.4 and the 2.5 macro.

Re: Lens buying advice - 50mm or macro (w/ 6D MII)

kvbarkley — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 19:59:12 GMT

"Until I saw the Canon 50mm 2.8 macro. I assume that would get me to 1:1 macro?"

No, by itself it only goes to 1:2. There is a custom extender tube which takes it to 1:1.

Re: Lens buying advice - 50mm or macro (w/ 6D MII)

p4pictures — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 07:19:30 GMT

The only Canon lenses that give you 1:1 magnification for a full frame DSLR such as your 6D Mark II are the EF 100mm macro lenses. Over the years there have been several

EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
EF 100 f/2.8L Macro IS USM

I suggest you take a look at one of these for your 1:1 magnification solution as an extension tube on other lenses won’t get you to 1:1. You are likely to only fine the last of those lenses still actively sold, but the others may be available from dealers who sell used lenses. I would spend the money on the 100mm macro rather than the 50mm f/1.4 given you already have the 50mm f/1.8

Re: Lens buying advice - 50mm or macro (w/ 6D MII)

shadowsports — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:11:39 GMT

+1 on Brian's list. Best 1:1 macros for bugs, flowers, etc. It doesn't get better than this.

Re: Lens buying advice - 50mm or macro (w/ 6D MII)

kvbarkley — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:15:49 GMT

And the newer one has the fancy-dancy IS which corrects in another axis (argh - it corrected axis to access!) for better handholding.