Looking for a specific macro lense.

Kittyy · Nov 20, 2008

Right well, I'm looking for a really good macro lense that can take shots like this:

http://dark-raptor.deviantart.com/art/Smoking-kills-104010778

I've been looking at the Nifty Fifty. Anyone know what the focus distance is?

Thanks in advance.

im_trying11 · Nov 20, 2008

what camera do you have. most 50s arent macro. i think the best macro lense is either the sigma or nikkon 105mm 2.8. you want one with 1:1 magnification

Kittyy · Nov 20, 2008

Oh, that might be important eh?

Nikon D40.

im_trying11 · Nov 20, 2008

you can get good macro lenses for it. what is your price range. thats important too

Kittyy · Nov 20, 2008

I'm set for anything under 1000$ CAD.

Ebay rocks. Bought a 400$ lense for 100$.

JerryPH · Nov 21, 2008

First, it's spelled "lens". Second, there are a few choice lenses that will work on the D40, but you have to be careful to choose ones that have integrated focus motors else you will be stuck focusing manually:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all.asp

Look in the macro lenses section, you have ranges from 50mm to 180mm.

THIS is the one that I use and I am very satisfied with it's performance. Tack sharp, fast focus and for me, the perfect focal range to do not just macro shots, but portrait shots as well. I like the range because at the smaller focal points, you are forced to place the lens too close physically to your object and if it is something living, it would get scared away. The 105mm is about the minimum I would suggest. You can get a true 1:1 macro from just over 12 inches away. The 150mm would make that about 15 inches, the 180mm about 18 inches and for a point of reference, the with the 50mm, your lens has to be 7.4 inches away from the object to get a 1:1 macro shot.

In the Sigma world, any lens that has the HSM designation will autofocus on your D40.

You have pretty much more than enough to budget for any of these lenses. For example the 180mm (the most expensive), is available on Amazon.com for just under $700US and the other lenses are lower in price. Thanks to our Canadian dollar's weakness, that would be just under the $1,000.00Cdn range.

Good luck!

Overread · Nov 21, 2008

Also to add to what Jerry said - the sigma 150mm is the longest lens which is handhold able - although you can handhold the 180mm its weight means that most consider it too heavy for prolonged handholding and that it is better used from a tripod.
Personally I would recomend the 150mm from the list - you can use it hand held and it is also compatable with sigma teleconverters - a 1.4* teleconverter is a great asset as it can let you get that little bit more magnification into a shot - which with small creatures like flies is great.
As a general bit of advice I would avoid any 50mm macro lenses since they tend to be very much budget line models and thus not as sharp or well built - the sigma 70mm though is reportedly their sharpest lens, though its short focal length means its not nessessarily the best to start with.
Also don't forget that Nikon make their own macro lens - the nikon 105mm macro is the only macro lens with VR technology in it - though I have heard that it works less well at macro but you would have to find someone with direct experience to get a better answer.

edit - looking at the profil of the photographer you linked to it appears that he uses a Nikon 105mm macro - he also lists extension tubes in his kit list and these can be used with a lens to boost magnification by reducing the minimum focusing distance and he might have used them as well - might be worth contacting him though to get definate answers

Kittyy · Nov 27, 2008

JerryPH said:
First, it's spelled "lens". Second, there are a few choice lenses that will work on the D40, but you have to be careful to choose ones that have integrated focus motors else you will be stuck focusing manually:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all.asp

Look in the macro lenses section, you have ranges from 50mm to 180mm.

THIS is the one that I use and I am very satisfied with it's performance. Tack sharp, fast focus and for me, the perfect focal range to do not just macro shots, but portrait shots as well. I like the range because at the smaller focal points, you are forced to place the lens too close physically to your object and if it is something living, it would get scared away. The 105mm is about the minimum I would suggest. You can get a true 1:1 macro from just over 12 inches away. The 150mm would make that about 15 inches, the 180mm about 18 inches and for a point of reference, the with the 50mm, your lens has to be 7.4 inches away from the object to get a 1:1 macro shot.

In the Sigma world, any lens that has the HSM designation will autofocus on your D40.

You have pretty much more than enough to budget for any of these lenses. For example the 180mm (the most expensive), is available on Amazon.com for just under $700US and the other lenses are lower in price. Thanks to our Canadian dollar's weakness, that would be just under the $1,000.00Cdn range.

Good luck!

I'm French Canadian. My spelling isn't that great.

Thanks though. Great advice. I'll look into them.

lextalionis · Nov 28, 2008

In order of preference:

1. Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro

2. Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO Macro

3. Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro

4. Tokina 100mm f2.8 AF Pro D Macro

All will perform pretty close with regard to IQ...The siggy 105 prolly the sharpest, the tonina has a bit more CA than I'd care for, tamron color is nice...just a bit less sharper than the siggy 105. Only one to stand out differently is the siggy 150...imho not as sharp as the 105, but I like it because I can get better bg bokeh at the same given f-stop and magnification from the 100mm versions...gets you a bit further from jumping spiders too :greenpbl:

-Roy