Macro Lens Question

[Kawi_T]

I'm really looking forward to buying a macro lens. It seems to me like I could get by quite easily with a manual lens shooting macro. How important is AF when shooting macro? Situational?
Tom

 

[lifeafter2am]

Situational. I would say about 50% of the time I use AF and 50% of the time I use MF.

I would say that is most situations though you could get away with a manual focus lens.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

a few things to consider...

Many people use macro lenses for more than just macro. Being fast and sharp, they tend to be used a lot in headshots and things like that. That may influence your stance on AF, because for macro AF may not be necessary, but for other work you may want the AF.

If you are doing macro only, and have a budget, the MF lens WILL be cheaper, and for most macro work you dont need AF anyways.

 

[Antithesis]

Just keep in mind that if you have a longer focal length (105mm+) your depth of field is really shallow when your getting really close to something. It is sometimes difficult to focus at that range, and next to impossible to hand-hold and keep something in focus.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

Just keep in mind that if you have a longer focal length (105mm+) your depth of field is really shallow when your getting really close to something. It is sometimes difficult to focus at that range, and next to impossible to hand-hold and keep something in focus.

Yes, but some critters wont let you use a 50mm lens without running away (bugs and stuff)

 

[Macroman]

hi ya you dont say what camera you have ,so Sigma make great lenses the 70MM 2.8 macro is this years top lens ,for shooting at 1:1 you will be 5 or 6 inches from the subject,I use the Sigma 150mm 2.8 macro and i have 12 inches to work with ,so the bug dont run off so much,i allways shoot handheld and manual focus,AF will not focus at 1:1 on a bug but it will focus on the leaf the bug is sitting on ,all the macroest i know shoot handheld ,at 1:1 you only have 4 to 6 mm of DOF to work with ,all macro lenses are so so so sharp

here is a sigma 150 2.8 of a ant

and a house spider with its dinner with the sigma 150 2.8

hope this helps