Looking for a budget Macro lens.

Kingofthehill · June 2, 2012

If you have one sitting in a case somewhere never being used and you could part with it, im interesetd.

Im open to all the brands but looking for it to AutoFocus by itself.

Thanks

r3t1awr3yd · June 4, 2012

Have you tried a cheap older 50mm f/1.8 AF-S (like $110 new, cheaper used) with a reverse ring ($14)?

wildviper · June 5, 2012

Hey Wally...what's a reverse ring? You have me intrigued now

r3t1awr3yd · June 5, 2012

http://www.adorama.com/MCRRNK52.html

So they're only $10 now

It's a ring used to attach a lens to your body BACKWARDS. It give you a bit of macro capability.

Seymore · June 6, 2012

What wally is suggesting can work, but it's a hard lesson learned to find that the DOF is very narrow and quite limited. This is more like a super-macro and usually gives better than a 1:1 ratio, but the DOF is far <1/4"!

The other option is longer FL lens and an extension ring. This will give you a long reach with a closer focus distance. Don't get me wrong... there is really no "good" way to get around a good macro lens. We're just telling you of other ways to use a "normal" lens for close(r)-up photography.

IMO, you'd be happier with a true "macro" lens. Keep looking and good luck... <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/thumb.gif" border="0" alt="" >

time2smile · June 7, 2012

FYI, dont get a 77mm one, the angle for the flash gets in the way on Nikon D90 and D7K

jwear · June 9, 2012

I have a 105 f2 non vr if that would interest you

Zerodog · June 11, 2012

If you have a 70-200 you can get a canon d500 closeup lens. Killer macro setup.

EphTwoEight · June 12, 2012

Zerodog wrote: »

If you have a 70-200 you can get a canon d500 closeup lens. Killer macro setup.

Intrigued? How close does it get? And any samples?

Kingofthehill · June 12, 2012

I should of mentioned, i shoot with a Nikon

Zerodog · June 13, 2012

D500 canon closeup on a 80-200 2.8 f5.6 1/500 iso 800 155mm with a Nikon 300s.

200mm f10 1/400 iso 640

Whenever I travel, I have this thing in my camera bag. It was $150 and fits any 77mm filter threads. I have used it with my 24-70 as well and it also works well.

Art Scott · June 13, 2012

Seymore wrote: »

What wally is suggesting can work, but it's a hard lesson learned to find that the DOF is very narrow and quite limited. This is more like a super-macro and usually gives better than a 1:1 ratio, but the DOF is far <1/4"!

The other option is longer FL lens and an extension ring. This will give you a long reach with a closer focus distance. Don't get me wrong... there is really no "good" way to get around a good macro lens. We're just telling you of other ways to use a "normal" lens for close(r)-up photography.

IMO, you'd be happier with a true "macro" lens. Keep looking and good luck... <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/thumb.gif" border="0" alt="" >

Also what Wally recommended will not AUTO FOCUS... ... and that was a prerequisite for the lens... ...

What do you consider a Budget Lens??? You see Budget is a very relative term..... budget lens for one person could be like buying a Lamborghini for another.....yes that is a bit extreme....
If you have a decent prime lens or even short to med Zoom lens (17-55, 17-70, 24-70) a 3 ring macro tube set from KenKo would work well until you are ready to drop a few hundered or more on a true macro lens (90mm, 105mm, 180 or 200mm macro) and even with a true macro lens the extension tube set can be very helpful with really tiny subjects....

Long ago I did the 3 macro filter set and found for me that they just sucked...but then I hated screwing on / off filters... ... ... they are cheap...

Here is a very quick search on ebay for macro lenses then sorted out to used and for Nikon...... http://tinyurl.com/ctg84pg

GoodLuck.

EphTwoEight · June 14, 2012

Zerodog wrote: »

D500 canon closeup on a 80-200 2.8 f5.6 1/500 iso 800 155mm with a Nikon 300s.

200mm f10 1/400 iso 640

Whenever I travel, I have this thing in my camera bag. It was $150 and fits any 77mm filter threads. I have used it with my 24-70 as well and it also works well.

Fantastic images! I'm sold!

puzzledpaul · June 14, 2012

Zerodog wrote: »

If you have a 70-200 you can get a canon d500 closeup lens. Killer macro setup.

Using a 70 -200 with a set of extension tubes also gives good performance - without adding any extra glass into the optical path ... tubes are probably similar price (these days) but will work on any compatible mounted lens ... and because they come in sets of 3, you can mix / match to suit requirements.

Should you eventally get a 'proper' macro lens around 100mm, a full set used with one of these will give you about 2:1 ratio.

pp

Foques · June 14, 2012

heh.. i'm looking to get a macro myself..

on the fence between 105 and 60 mm, though. opinions?

Art Scott · June 14, 2012

Foques wrote: »

heh.. i'm looking to get a macro myself..

on the fence between 105 and 60 mm, though. opinions?

I prefer the longer focal lengths to give more room between glass and subject incase I need to use gear for lighting or I want room for safety reasons....like to shoot things that slither when I can... ....the shorter focal lengths are of course lighter and more compact.... Currently I use a Nikon 105 series E AIS + PN-11 tube (all manual focus) to achieve 1:1 (lifesize) magnification ... ... ... next Macro lens will be a 1:1 lens in the 150 - 200mm range for greater working distance... .... .... ...

Lots of lenses, primes as well as zooms, designated as Macro are actually close up lenses giving a magnification of 1/2lifesize to 1/4 lifesize (1:2 to 1:4 magnification)....

Foques · June 14, 2012

hmm.. I was really hoping that a 60mm would suffice. I'll look into a longer micros, thank you.
What would you say I need to create a higher magnification than 1:1?

Art Scott · June 14, 2012

Foques wrote: »

hmm.. I was really hoping that a 60mm would suffice. I'll look into a longer micros, thank you.
What would you say I need to create a higher magnification than 1:1?

You're welcome. A lot of people love their 50-90mm macros ... ... I just never liked getting that close to my subjects, i started using macro for wedding work to shoot rings and such then the kiss and some other off the wall shots and just never liked getting right in my subjects face....so to speak.

a set of kenko auto extension tubes...

Foques · June 14, 2012

To make sure that I understand, there aren't any lenses that give the higher magnification out of the box, correct? if I want to go higher than 1:1, I do need extension tubes, no way around it?

puzzledpaul · June 15, 2012

Foques wrote: »

there aren't any lenses that give the higher magnification out of the box, correct? if I want to go higher than 1:1,

Only Canon's mpe65 (afaik) > 1x to 5x.

pp

Looking for a budget Macro lens.

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