Lens Suggestion for Full Frame

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited March 13, 2011 in Holy Macro
So I'm really considering selling my wide angle DX lens to fund the purchase of a macro lens. I own a Nikon D300 and a D700. I have a few questions that I would love some help answering:
  • First, what focal length am I best off getting for macro work? Do I get a 50mm, 90mm or 105mm?
  • Am I better off using my D300 body, which is a crop sensor, or using my D700 full frame?
  • Is VR that helpful in relation to the price?
  • Do I need extension tubes, if so, which ones?
  • I assume flash is helpful. Do you shoot with the flash mounted on the hotshoe or is a flash bracket better?
  • If the latter, can you give me suggestions?

Thanks for the help.
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Comments

  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    My views;
    #1 Macro lens around 100mm focal length so 90 or 105 would be fine
    #2 With a 1:1 macro lens you are probably better off with the crop camera - it does give more "print magnification"
    #3 From the comments I've heard VR is not that useful when shooting near 1:1 ie minimum focus.
    #4 You don't need ext tubes unless you want to shoot at higher magnification than 1:1, if you do then get Kenko or similar auto ext tubes.
    #5 Flash is useful in macro although not essential. Best with an off camera flash bracket
    #6 The Hakuba LH-1 ballhead (Ebay) works pretty well

    Brian v.
    Brian V.
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    Hey Brian. Thanks for your help. I know Sigma, Tamron and Nikon all make macro lenses in the 90-105 range. I believe Nikon has two, the VR and the older non VR. What's the jury on these different brands for these lenses? I'm not a Nikon snob so I open to whatever lens is going to give me the best quality vs. value.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    anonymouscuban wrote: »
    Hey Brian. Thanks for your help. I know Sigma, Tamron and Nikon all make macro lenses in the 90-105 range. I believe Nikon has two, the VR and the older non VR. What's the jury on these different brands for these lenses? I'm not a Nikon snob so I open to whatever lens is going to give me the best quality vs. value.
    Well I have used the sigma 105 and the Tamron90 both are very sharp with perhaps the Tamron shading the the sigma. Both lenses do extend on focusing which I never found to be a problem. The Nikons of course are also very sharp (and a bit expensive).
    Brian v.
    Brian V.
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    Great. I'm thinking the Tamron then. Has great reviews from what I've seen.

    So are these the extension tubes I'd want to get for great magnification? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/375238-REG/Kenko_AEXTUBEDGN_Auto_Extension_Tube_Set.html
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  • GOLDENORFEGOLDENORFE Super Moderators Posts: 4,747 moderator
    edited March 1, 2011
    yes thats the set , you will find flash is needed more often when you start shooting above x1 with ex tubes.
    Phil

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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    GOLDENORFE wrote: »
    yes thats the set , you will find flash is needed more often when you start shooting above x1 with ex tubes.

    Flash is not a problem for me. Fortunately, I understand how to use flash very well.
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  • paddler4paddler4 Registered Users Posts: 976 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2011
    Flash is not the same animal in the case of macro. Both Lord V and Goldenorfe have great postings on this site showing how to set up flash rigs for macro. Basically, as I understand it, the keys are (1) close, (2) diffused, and (3) diffused a lot more. I'm about to construct my second macro flash rig, partly following Goldenorfe's recent posting about his new diffuser.
    http://dkoretz.smugmug.com/
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2011
    paddler4 wrote: »
    Flash is not the same animal in the case of macro. Both Lord V and Goldenorfe have great postings on this site showing how to set up flash rigs for macro. Basically, as I understand it, the keys are (1) close, (2) diffused, and (3) diffused a lot more. I'm about to construct my second macro flash rig, partly following Goldenorfe's recent posting about his new diffuser.

    Hmm... that is really no different than any other flash application. Diffused light up close to get a nice, soft light with minimal to no specular highlights. The smaller the light source, the closer you need to get. Makes sense.

    I also understand how shutter and aperture affect the use of flash. The former controls ambient light, the latter regulate light from flash.

    Not trying to sound like a know-it-all... just making sure there is nothing different hugely different about lighting bugs as opposed to people.

    BTW, soon as I sell my wide angle lens, I'm pulling the trigger on a macro lens and extension tubes. Can't wait.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • paddler4paddler4 Registered Users Posts: 976 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2011
    Sorry, I did not mean to imply that at all. Just that I have found flash with macro much harder. The settings are pretty simple, in most cases. It's the physical stuff--placement and diffusion--that is tough. One key is figuring out a bracket that allows you a lot of flexibility in position. (I'm now going to try Goldenorfe's current approach: a flat bracket, with two mini-ballheads.) I have a lot of shots that are mediocre because the lighting is bad.
    http://dkoretz.smugmug.com/
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2011
    paddler4 wrote: »
    Sorry, I did not mean to imply that at all. Just that I have found flash with macro much harder. The settings are pretty simple, in most cases. It's the physical stuff--placement and diffusion--that is tough. One key is figuring out a bracket that allows you a lot of flexibility in position. (I'm now going to try Goldenorfe's current approach: a flat bracket, with two mini-ballheads.) I have a lot of shots that are mediocre because the lighting is bad.

    Oh yeah. Although I've never shot macro, I can imagine the difficulties and that it's going to take some trial and error to understand how to work with flash in such close range to the subject.

    I've been cruzing the various posts on this forum regarding flash technique and also the different hardware used. I'm thinking also using Goldenorfe's simple bracket setup. I like to keep things as simple as possible since it usually ends up working better than going really complex out the gate. I also have some ideas for light modifiers that I will share if they work.

    I'm really excited about this whole thing. I'll be able to use the lens I get for portrait work but I will also be able to get interesting shots of stuff in my backyard when I don't have human subjects to photograph. wings.gif
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  • travischancetravischance Registered Users Posts: 642 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2011
    paddler4 wrote: »
    Flash is not the same animal in the case of macro. Both Lord V and Goldenorfe have great postings on this site showing how to set up flash rigs for macro. Basically, as I understand it, the keys are (1) close, (2) diffused, and (3) diffused a lot more. I'm about to construct my second macro flash rig, partly following Goldenorfe's recent posting about his new diffuser.

    Do you have a link to Goldenorfe's posting about constructing a macro flash rig?
    Travis M. Chance
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