what is a good (Affordable) macro lens

KoenM · Post by **KoenM** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:28 am

I want to buy a lens for macro photography
at this moment i use the Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5,6 Di LD Macro 1:2
What i want is a lens that can give me close up macro's so you can take pictures like the eye of a fly and stuff like that.
(hope you guys understand what i am looking for, because i have no idea how to explain it otherwise in English :p )

Thanks in advance

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:39 pm

With the equipment you have now, I can recommend adding a Raynox DCR-150 and/or DCR-250 closeup lens to use in front of your 70-300.

The DCR-250 is 125mm focal length, so it would provide 2.4X magnification onto sensor when the 70-300 is set at 300 mm focal length and infinity focus. Zooming the 70-300 to a shorter focal length will reduce the magnification, while giving you the same working distance.

The DCR-150 is about 210 mm focal length, so it would provide about 1.4 magnification under the same conditions.

Working distance with the Raynox lenses is about the same as their focal lengths, 12 cm for the DCR-250 and 24 cm for the DCR-150.

The Raynox lenses are surprisingly high quality closeup lenses, much better than we might expect from their low prices.

--Rik

KoenM · Post by **KoenM** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:51 pm

Thank you for the info.

I see they both are in the same price range witch of the two would you reccomend?

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 2:48 am

The DCR-250 would give you a more dramatic change from your closest now (1:2). Rik's "2.4" means 2.4:1, so if you have a frame width 44mm at 1:2, at 2.4:1 it would be about 22/2.4 = 9mm.
It would be a little closer when you focus the lens close but you'd have to try it - usually, long lenses become "shorter" when you focus close.
If you find it's too small you can zoom out BUT you will probably find that you get vignetting somewhere along the line.
You will probably also be surprised/horrified about how little the Depth of Focus becomes, how the lighting gets difficult, etc

.

KoenM · Post by **KoenM** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 4:41 am

thank you for the advice

Cyclops · Post by **Cyclops** » Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:55 am

Cosina's 100/3.5 is a very capable macro lens and very cheap, say about $150 or less. It uses a screw in lens at the front to reach 1:1 but its the lens I use to great effect.