Perhaps you’re tossing up on whether to purchase the 50mm macro, be it the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro or the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, or whether to go straight to the big cohuna - the Canon 100mm macro. The 50mm macro has a the advantage of...
For the Canon camera owners out there and I know there are a lot of us, when it comes to a 50mm macro we have a choice. In addition to the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro, which is covered in detail in a specific article on this site called 50mm macro - Canon EF...
If your camera is a Nikon, then this Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras will enable you to enter into the wonderful world of macro photograpy without breaking the bank! Macro photograph is all about shooting your subject in extreme close up. The level of detail in macro photography is...
The Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens offers the opportunity to really open up your eyes to the detail of life and your surroundings. Macro photography enables you to shoot items in extreme close up. Shooting insects, flowers, leaves, water, dew or simply everyday objects will now be so much more interesting and take...
The Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens
The Canon 50mm macro
Canon 50mm macro
The Canon 50mm macro
You can read more about the detailed Canon 50mm macro
Here’s a few of the images I’ve taken with my Canon 50mm macro
So, if you’re after a Canon 50mm macro
Tagged: 50mm macro, canon 50mm macro, featured, macro camera, macro photography
Perhaps you’re tossing up on whether to purchase the 50mm macro, be it the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro or the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, or whether to go straight to the big cohuna - the Canon 100mm macro.
The 50mm macro has a the advantage of being much smaller and lighter to carry around as well as the obvious advantage of the relatively inexpensive cost. The downside for the Canon 50mm macro is that it doesn’t give you 1:1 magnification ratio (though can with the addition of a life size converter EF), though the Sigma 50mm macro lens will give you 1:1. Of course with the 50mm macro you will need to get much closer to your subject, physically. Being closer also means less light available, slower shutter speed and an increased chance of blur. You can compensate with increased ISO, however this does give a greater chance of grainier images.
The 100mm macro is larger and heavier and the price is greater, however, the great benefit of the 100mm macro is that you don’t have to be as close to your subject to get the same effect, which is great when your subject is a living creature! It also means that you aren’t blocking your own light so the quality of your image may be better.
When it comes to a 100mm macro for Canon SLR Cameras then you have quite a few choices, so will probably be able to find something that suits your budget. We’ll run through a few here, though if you just want to skip the reviews and find out my recommendation (which comes later in this article) then take a look at the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens.
So for those of you still with us, on to the reviews:
This is one of the two Canons in this post, this Canon 100mm macro gives you the additional working distance, good sharp images and an Ultrasonic Motor (that’s the USM bit) which means much faster focus time. It’s a pretty good buy when you think about it - if you purchased the Canon 50mm plus a life size converter then you’d be up for almost the same sort of money!
There’s a little less information around about this Tokina 100mm macro lens about in the way of customer reviews,, however this lens does seem to be a bit heavier and slower to focus. On the plus side though it does offer 1:1 magnification (as do the others), easy shifting from auto to manual focus and it has a recessed front mount and a lens hood that means reduced lens flare. Of course a major benefit is the lower price when compared to the Canon EF 100mm macro USM.
Once again, this one isn’t strictly a 100mm macro, but sits well in this comparison. I’m going to suggest that you read through the information provided on the Amazon site, particurlary the customer reviews if you want to consider this one. It is well priced in comparison to the others, but you do lose some focal length as a compromise. There seems to be a few of the usual pros and cons, but nothing that stands out to make this Tamron 90mm macro a must have over the others, or one to stay clear of.
Though not strictly a 100mm macro lens, I’ve included this Sigma 105mm macro in this comparison. It is very well priced and Sigma does have a good name and lots of good customer reviews, not only for this lens, but all of their lenses. The Sigma 105mm macro includes the lens hood (Canon doesn’t) and it has a slightly larger focal length. There is a version for Canon cameras and a version for Nikon Cameras.
On the downside, in low light it does take a while to focus itself, so you may want to lean toward manual focus. Also, moving from manual to autofocus is a little more fiddly than you might like, but certainly not a showstopper! Also the motor is not HSM (which is the equivalent to Canon’s USM - ultrasonic motor.
Now I’ve left the best till last! If you have the money, then do look at the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1. This awesome number gives you 1:1 magnification, 100mm focal length, an Ultrasonic motor AND image stabilization! Image stabilization means the lens can more effectively compensate for camera shake that does occur during very close up shots and provides a significant image improvement. Have a read of the customer reviews - there really are some very satisfied customers of this lens! If you purchase it from Amazon before the end of 2010 then you also get a free Tiffen 67mm UV Protection Filter. So there it is, my recommendation. If you have the budget, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens is the one!
Tagged: 100mm macro, 50mm macro, featured, macro camera
There are so many different types of photography that can be the focus of your interest, portraits, landscapes, wedding photos, aerial, black and white, animals and even astrophotography to name just some. So what makes macro photography so appealing? I’ll do my best to explain the reason I think that macro photography is so appealing.
Shooting with a macro lens, whether you have a 50mm macro lens, a 60 mm macro lens or even a 100mm macro lens, gives you the opportunity to see things in a way that you just can’t with the naked eye. This in itself opens us the range of possibilities for a capturing a great shot far beyond what you may be accustomed to. Objects that seem ordinary can now be extraordinary. The amount of detail in objects, the colours and the texture of various materials and objects can really surprise and amaze. In fact one of the best macro shots I’ve seen was of a fly! Yes, the insect sort! Where before you may have simply looked at your backyard and seen some grass, a tree or two and some flowers as a boring shot, you now have a plethora of potential subjects. Shooting with a macro lens makes you stop and reconsider your surroundings.
Even within the one subject, you can take a variety of images with your macro camera lens and have each image present a very different perspective because of how close up and detailed each image can be.
Macro photography really does open up your eyes to the world around you and will offer a new perspective on the world around and on life. Although a great macro lens can set you back a few dollars, particularly at the high end, you can enter into the world of macro with a 50mm macro lens at a very reasonable price and I believe it really is money well spent! My macro lens is definitely the most used lens in my camera bag!
Tagged: 50mm macro, macro camera, macro lens, macro lenses, macro photography
Here are some accessories that will help you get the most out of your 50mm macro camera lens:
Taking photos are such high levels of magnification means your camera is extremely sensitive to movement. You can a little more about movement sensitivity in this article entitled ‘Tips for taking great shots with you 50mm macro'. A tripod is an essential item for macro photographers. I have a fantastic entry level tripod that is a Manfrotto Modo tripod, which love because of the ease of use, the swivel grip head and the fact that it feels like an expensive tripod but isn’t! Amazon have a good selection if you want to compare and contrast various tripods.
A gorilla pod is a small, flexible tripod that can easily fit into any bag and can be bent and shaped to sit on or around anything! If you like the idea of a gorilla pod and want to purchase one, just make sure you check the specifications to ensure the one you get will hold the weight of your camera (and don’t forget the weight of your lenses also!). There are several sizes of gorilla pod to cater for various cameras.
UV filters are used to reduce the haziness that can been created by ultraviolet light. Although this is the primary purpose of the UV lens filter it also has an extremely important secondary function and that is to protect your precious lens! It’s much easier to replace a ten dollar filter than it is to replace a scratched lens!
A polarizing 
filter is used to filter out light that is polarized perpendicularly to the axis of the filter. The benefits of a polarizing filter are that they reduce reflections, darken the sky and saturate the image more.
This Life-Size Converter EF accessory is designed for use with the Canon 50mm f.2.5 Compact macro lens and is used to achieve 1:1 magnification. You can read more about it at the Amazon site.
Image
Tagged: 50mm macro, macro accessories, macro camera, macro lens, macro photography, macro photography tips, photography accessories
Macro photography is taking pictures of small things, close up. Technically, macro images show the subject at life size or larger (1:1 or greater). Anything below this level of magnification is termed ‘Close up’ photography. Close up photography can be achieved with a zoom lens which can usually capture at up to a 1:4 image ratio.
Macro lenses are of fixed length, without any zoom capability. This means that the lens must be positioned very close to the intended subject of the photo. Thus, to make the subject larger, you need to position the lens closer. The 50mm macro enables you to achieve maximum image ratio for this lens at a distance of 50mm from the subject. Given the fixed focal length of the lens, it is termed a ‘prime lens’.
Positioning a lens so close to the subject of the photo means that the light level is decreased and the depth of field of the image is reduced. This means that the focus of the image may only been on one aspect of the subject, as areas outside of the point of focus are likely to be blurry. Using a small aperture can alleviate the issue of shallow depth of field, however, this will further decrease the light level. Using a flash or some other artificial light source can improve the image.
When looking to purchase your 50mm macro, or any size macro for that matter, you will generally see two numbers in the title of the product you are looking for. So you will see a macro lens advertised as something like ‘Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens’. One will be the lens length (e.g. 50mm) and the other will be the f-stop value. F-stop (also know as f-number, focal ratio, f-ratio) is the focal length divided by the aperture diameter and gives a quantitative measure of lens speed.
Macro photography is quite a technical area and although this article provides a brief introduction, there is much more detailed information available on the topic on the Internet, from books or video tutorials.
You can also checkout macro lenses at Amazon.com.
Tagged: macro camera, macro lens, macro lenses, macro photography, macro photography tips
For the Canon camera owners out there and I know there are a lot of us, when it comes to a 50mm macro we have a choice. In addition to the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro, which is covered in detail in a specific article on this site called 50mm macro - Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens Review, Sigma also have a 50mm macro for the Canon, called the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras.
In regards to features, the biggest and most obvious plus for the Sigma 50mm macro for Canon is that the Sigma macro lens offers 1:1 magnification, whereas the Canon 50mm macro has 1:0.5. The Canon can be enhanced by using a life size converter but this is an additional couple of hundred dollars.
Now I don’t own the Sigma 50mm macro myself, I own the Canon macro, so I searched the web extensively to find reviews and what people were saying with the intention to put together a list of pros and cons. There were comments here and there relating to possible differences in contrast, color rendition and even noise of the lens but most were just single anecdotal experiences, so I decided not to go with the pros and cons list. It seems there are a lot of happy campers on the Sigma side but a probably just as many on the Canon side as well. I guess the great positive thing out of it is that I really didn’t read any negative reviews of either lens!
In terms of price, at Amazon the Canon 50mm macro is about $50 less than the Sigma 50mm macro for Canon. The Sigma lenses have quite a good reputation, so if I had my time over and was starting out, personally, I’d probably opt for the Sigma 50mm macro this time around, given it’s 1:1 magnification ratio.
Tagged: 50mm macro, featured, macro camera, macro lens, sigma 50mm macro, sigma 50mm macro for canon
Macro photography really does open your eyes to your surroundings and give you a perspective and view of things that you have never seen before. Here are a few ideas of things you can shoot with your 50mm macro. I’ve included some examples of shots that I’ve taken. These shots are taken with a Canon 50mm macro and a Canon 60mm macro.
Insects are a macro photographers dream! The level of detail you can achieve with your macro lens is just stunning and provide you with a view of the insect world that astound you! Here are some examples:
Flowers and leaves are really amazing in macro. Flowers offer amazing color as well as very interesting detail. The middle area of various flowers are one of my favorite things to photograph. Here are some examples:
Water is definitely one of my favourite things to photograph as there are so many forms it can take including rain, snow, ice, dew. Dew drops or rain on leaves or trees can give you an amazing effect where you see reflected images in the water droplets. Here are a couple of my favourite ever macro shots:
One of the great things about macro photography is that you can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Everyday mundane objects can demonstrate a perspective or a texture that is quite stunning. Here are some examples:
Another great use for your 50mm macro camera lens is portrait photography. Portraits come up great using a macro lens and can have a really interesting effect by showing your subject in a clear and crisp manner whilst the background appears slightly out of focus. This gives the image a greater depth.
So let’s hope that we’ve got your creative juices flowing and you’re excited and inspired to get into your macro photography. You can view macro lens, including the Canon 50mm macro, Sigma 50mm macro for Canon, Sigma 50mm macro for Nikon and the Canon 60mm macro all at the Amazon website. They offer great pricing and free shipping.
Tagged: 50mm macro, 60mm macro, canon 50mm macro, macro camera, macro photography, macro photography tips
If your camera is a Nikon, then this Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras will enable you to enter into the wonderful world of macro photograpy without breaking the bank! Macro photograph is all about shooting your subject in extreme close up. The level of detail in macro photography is amazing and will really open us your eyes to a whole new world. Shooting all sorts of everyday, seemingly mundane items now becomes a whole lot more interesting. Favourite macro subjects can include flowers, insects and dew drops. I have always found photography interesting, but my interest and skills in photography have really stepped up a level since buying my macro lens. Not only has it taken my photography to a new level but it has also given me a much different perspetive and greater appreciation of my surroundings in life.
The Sigma 50mm macro lens for Nikon SLR is specially coated to cut down on ghosting from reflections off the digital image sensor whilst getting the best color balance. Another feature of the Sigma 50mm macro for Nikon is a floating focusing system, allowing you to precisely photograph objects throughout the entire focusing range. The minimum aperture of this model is f/32 which provides more depth of field than most lenses. Another great benefit is that the Sigma 50mm macro offers 1:1 magnification. It also comes with a 1 year warranty.
The Sigma 50mm macro for Nikon specifications include:
The Sigma 50mm macro provides a great entry point for macro photography, but will last you well beyond beginner status. You can read more about the detailed Sigma 50mm macro lens specifications over at the Amazon website where, in addition to a 1 year warranty, they also offer free shipping on this item. Don’t forget to purchase a UV protection filter, which is a must, not only for image quality but for lens protection.
So, if you’re after a 50mm macro for your Nikon, this Sigma is a great buy, head over to Amazon and be sure to read the customer reviews as they really do give you the impression that this lens is a winner!
Tagged: 50mm macro, featured, macro camera, macro lens, nikon lens, sigma 50mm macro
When you first get a macro lens, it’s so exciting that you race out and position yourself by the nearest flower and snap away, often to find that your images are blurry or dark and wonder what’s going wrong!
Here are a few tips on getting the most out of your 50mm macro lens so that you can shoot those great macro shots that you’ve imagine:
Shooting at such a high level of magnification means that it can be very hard to obtain and maintain focus on your subject. Macro lenses are very sensitive to movement, especially at low focal length. A tripod or gorilla pod will definitely be a useful addition to your kit bag. If the position of your subject means a tripod is out of the question, then use your body/arms where possible to brace yourself and keep yourself as steady as possible.
You will need to be as physically close to your subject as possible to get a good shot, so getting yourself into the right position is imperative. If your subject is on the ground, then get down to the that level, this helps you to get a great perspective as well as position your body in a way where you are stable and steady.
As with all areas of photography lighting is important for macro shots. Given that you need to be physically close to your subject, this often means that the level of light may be low. Using a flash can dramatically improve your shot by providing greater light to your subject. Using a flash ring can provide good lighting whilst allowing you to direct the lighting in such as way so as not to put your subject in direct harsh light. Another great tip is to bounce light off adjacent objects.
So there are some basic tips to help improve your macro photography. You can checkout macro lenses and all of the related accessories here at the Amazon website.
Tagged: 50mm macro, macro camera, macro photography, macro photography tips
