Macro and fish eye suggestion please for canon?

[Annaminnnie2010]

I just bought a Canon 550D 18-55mm kit.

I find this lens is good but very limited to what I want to do.

I'm interested in finding an affordable Canon macro lens? Could somebody please recommend one? Also a wide angle lens for landscapes? also a fish eye for some fun.

Also what does it mean when the camera lens has a 1.4 , 1.8 , 2.8? is the lower the number the better or the higher? I know this sounds silly bu I have no idea!

I also just found this is interesting , Re: crop factor.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/crop-factor-explained

 

[Dao]

What type of macro photos are you planning to take? Flowers, insects or stationary object such as coins?

If you are planning to take a detail macro photo of something that is very small such as close up photo of a fly, then I will suggest to get a macro lens that can do 1:1 ratio.

1:1 means the size of the object image projected on the film/sensor is the same as the object.

There are quite a few of those true macro lenses to choose from. The focal length of those lenses varies in general from 50mm to 180mm
i.e.

EF 50mm f/2.5 macro
EF-S 60mm f2.8 macro USM
EF 100mm f/2.8 macro USM
EF 100mm f/2.8L macro USM
EF 180mm f.2.8 macro USM


Other popular third party macro lenses are
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 macro
Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro
Sigma 180mm f/3.5 macro


The longer the focal length of the macro lens, the farther away from the subject from the camera. If you like to take a photo of a bee or wasp, a longer focal length lens make you feel more comfortable.

As for the 1.4, 1.8 or 2.8. That is the maximum aperture size of the lens for a given focal length.

i.e. EF 100mm f/2.8 USM lens. Max aperture you can use with this lens is f/2.8 (wide open) But of course, you can choose f/14 if you like such as when you taking a photo of an insect and like to increase the Depth of Field. (wider aperture, lower f number give you shadower Depth of Field.)

 

[Dao]

As for wide angle, does the 18mm focal length wide enough for you?

 

[Annaminnnie2010]

What type of macro photos are you planning to take? Flowers, insects or stationary object such as coins?

If you are planning to take a detail macro photo of something that is very small such as close up photo of a fly, then I will suggest to get a macro lens that can do 1:1 ratio.

1:1 means the size of the object image projected on the film/sensor is the same as the object.

There are quite a few of those true macro lenses to choose from. The focal length of those lenses varies in general from 50mm to 180mm
i.e.

EF 50mm f/2.5 macro
EF-S 60mm f2.8 macro USM
EF 100mm f/2.8 macro USM
EF 100mm f/2.8L macro USM
EF 180mm f.2.8 macro USM


Other popular third party macro lenses are
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 macro
Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro
Sigma 180mm f/3.5 macro


QUOTE]


Thanks heaps for that! I would like to take photos upclose of flowers....eye make up to show up detail and vibrant colours... possibly insects...

what about images such as these...
What kind of a lens do you think would get this close?

Google Image Result for http://www.28creative.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Macro-Photography-20.jpg

I just came across this online.... thought I would share..

Macro Photography on a Budget: Shoot Close-Up Cheaply | MCP Actions Blog - Photography Techniques, Photoshop Actions, Tutorials

 

[Overread]

the shots you like would all pretty much be possible with a regular 1:1 magnification macro lens - so pretty much any lens that Dao lists above will achieve those results - provided of course that you control the lighting, setup and find the bug for the shot