Advice needed

[mattcavens]

Hi I’m looking for some advice if anybody can help.
I've just taken up photography and would like to concentrate my time on macro.


My kit consists of a Canon Eos 400d camera with kit lens and EF 50mm f/1.8 II and Canon EF-S 17-85mm f-4.0-5.6 USM IS AF Zoom Lens.

I’m thinking of purchasing one of the following lenses
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
My question which one of the above lenses would be more beneficial.
Any advice would be kindly appreciated.

 

[Bifurcator]

I would want the 100mm over the 60mm as it will give you a much more comfortable working distance (from the subject).

But why not just get a $25 aspherical achromatic kenko closeup lens for your 17-85? The quality is just about identical. Many or most macro shots are around F16 and above so the 2.8 aspect of those lenses is only useful for non-macro shots.

 

[Overread]

Although an f2.8lens by construction will let in more light than an f5.6 even at different apertures hence a larger aperture lens is always brighter than a smaller aperture lens (remember large aperture is a small f number)(I think/hope this bit is right)

Aside from that a dedicated macro lens is a great lens - though also consider the sigma line of macro prime lenses (that is lenses of a fixed focal length) - the 105mm, 150mm and 180mm - they all come with lens hoods and tripod collars (150 and 180mm for certain, don't know about the 105mm) - - which is something that the canon 100mm comes without.

Any of the suggested macro lenses will be sharp and very good at macro work - though the longer the focal length the longer your working distace (distance to bug!) and thus the less chance you have to scare the bug away - above 100mm is a good range to start with.