Macro lens

Clairh74 · Sep 22, 2015

Hi Everyone,

I'm a complete Newbie and I just bought a second hand macro lens, but I'm not sure if its working properly. This is probably a stupid question, but how close can I got to a subject (flower, butterfly etc)?

Its very likely me that's at fault not the lens, but it will only focus when I am at least half a metre, it does have zoom though. I really had hoped to take some cool flower pictures, but I'm not sure at the moment what I'm doing wrong.

I bought a Tamron 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro

Thank you, any help/tips greatly appreciated

Clair

soufiej · Sep 22, 2015

Check the technical specs for the lens. You will see the stated minimum focus distance.

Here's what the press release for the lens states; "Revolutionary Minimum Focus Distance of 0.95m (37.4”) for 1:3.5 Macro Capability over the Entire Zoom Range"; Tamron AF55-200mm F/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro

Clairh74 · Sep 22, 2015

thank you, I didn't get any paperwork with it as I got it 2nd hand, thank you for finding that for me

Mr.Photo · Sep 22, 2015

Macro (Micro for Nikon) is a term that is so loosely thrown around it's hard to determine what's what. A true macro lens is one that can focus to produce a 1:1 ratio image on the sensor. This means that at close distances you can make an object appear at life size.

Lenses made today are able to focus at much closer distances than they could 15-20 years ago. The third party companies (Tamron, Sigma, etc...) will stamp these lenses as "Macro" due to their ability to have a shorter MFD (Minimum Focus Distance), but they are not a true macro lens.

There are no zoom macro lenses. True macro lenses are prime (fixed focal length) lenses. These lenses are designed in a manner that allows them to have significantly more range of adjustment to go from infinity focus as well as focus down on objects extremely close up.