Macro?

[droidz]

I'm debating between a 50mm f/3.5 Macro with 2x (35mm equivalent) magnification or a 70-300mm telephoto zoom f/4-5.6 with Macro capabilities 1x (35mm equivalent) magnification.

which one would be better? depending on all factors i.e. amount of space to work with/magnification etc.

thanks!

 

[Overread35]

Which lenses are you looking at specifically and on what camera body? I have a feeling you've possibly confused some macro magnification terms and are giving yourself a false expectation - that or explaining things in a manner I don't understand.

 

[KenC]

Telephoto zooms usually focus closest at the long end, so you would be doing "macro" (they usually aren't true 1:1 macro) at a 300 mm focal length from a distance of about five feet. While increased working distance is useful sometimes for shooting bugs or keeping your shadow out of the picture, this is a bit much. For example, shooting down when you can't get closer than five feet is a bit tough. It depends on what you want to photograph.

 

[droidz]

Which lenses are you looking at specifically and on what camera body? I have a feeling you've possibly confused some macro magnification terms and are giving yourself a false expectation - that or explaining things in a manner I don't understand.

I'm sorry, It's on an olympus e-620, and a 1:2 magnification is a 35mm film camera equivalent of 1:1 magnification. i meant a 35mm macro with 1:1 magnification, and a 1:2 magnification on the 300mm

Telephoto zooms usually focus closest at the long end, so you would be doing "macro" (they usually aren't true 1:1 macro) at a 300 mm focal length from a distance of about five feet. While increased working distance is useful sometimes for shooting bugs or keeping your shadow out of the picture, this is a bit much. For example, shooting down when you can't get closer than five feet is a bit tough. It depends on what you want to photograph.

Thanks!
why do the manufacturers keep telling me something (i.e. 50mm lens) is 2x equivalent to a 35mm film camera?

 

[Overread35]

Ahh right now I get you!

The manufacturers confuse people with crop factor against magnification. A 50mm lens is still 50mm no matter what camera body or sensor size you put it onto. However with an olympus setup your sensors are half the size of a 35mm (film or fullframe digital) sensor. This halfs the angle of view that you get with the lens on the camera - thus you get an image that appears to be more magnified because the cropped out middle of what the lens captures is fitted over the same area (MP or print size) as the fullframe does.
At the macro level it shows it best - you won't exactly gain magnification so much as lose outer areas of the frame (as compared to a 35mm snesor size), but because that area gets blown up you gain resolution and detail over the 35mm if you were to crop from one of their shots.

I hope that makes some sense.