Question about Sigma Lenses

[Live_free]

I am looking into some sigma 70-300mm lenses. I found a few that were macro, does this mean they can only take marco shots? Or is there just a macro mode.

The one I was looking at was this one.
Sigma - Lenses

Thanks

 

[Craig G]

From their site......

This telephoto zoom lens provides high image quality. It includes a switch for macro photography between 200mm and 300mm and is capable of a maximum magnification of 1:2. Three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction of chromatic aberrations. High image quality is assured throughout the entire zoom range.:study:

 

[Live_free]

Reading isn't one of my strong points... actually it is.. I just hate it.. :lmao:

 

[Overread21]

To expand a little the use of macro in most telephoto lenses is not the correct use of the word to describe what the lens is capable of. It really denots that the telephoto lens is capable of achiving a magnification which is greater than that of most others - hence the macro lable.

If you read the quoted description above it stats that it achives a magnification factor of 1:2. This is half of what true macro is - which is 1:1 and means that the size of the object being photographed in real life appears, reflected by the lens, on the camera sensor at life size. 1:2 means that it appears at half life size.

To put this into a real world context (and to make it understandable ) 1:2 would get something like a flower head or a large butterfly filling a significant portion of the camera frame - whilst 1:1 would be getting you far closer. (sorry its a rather haphazard description you might find some better descriptions with example shots searching around with google)

Basically the 70-300mm you link to can do decent closeup work and the APO edition also gives you improved sharpness over its older version. Its still a cheap telephoto lens, but for what you pay and its budget position it does give you a lot of versatility.