What lens would you suggest for shooting small objects up close

[tatyana-sumakov]

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

[lawrence]

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.

[tatyana-sumakov]

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.

[tatyana-sumakov]

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

[tatyana-sumakov]

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. 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

[lawrence]

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.   

[kvbarkley]

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.

[tatyana-sumakov]

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.

[ezpop]

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/

[ezpop]

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

[Waddizzle]

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@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

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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.