new camera

Hi,

I guess I count as a more experienced photographer, though not necessarily a better one!

Macro lenses are designed to focus more closely than an ordinary lens, but should give good results from close-up to infinity.  In reality, their performance will vary throughout the range.  Unless you're one of the wierdos who spend their time photographing test charts and agonising over the results you're unlikey to be bothered by that.

I generally use a 200mm macro lens for herps.  I also have a 105mm, which I rarely use, as the extra reach of the 200mm is useful.  With the 200mm I can fill the frame with something 2 inches long and be 18 inches away.  I think the Sigma focusses closer than that.  Or I can focus on something a foot long at about 4 yards - similar to Tim H.  Etc etc up to infinity.

Bear in mind that focal lengths can be confusing, as the magnification a lens gives will depend on the camera's sensor size.  Most DSLRs (except the horribly horribly expensive, as opposed to just horribly) have a sensor size of 16 x 24 mm.  Film SLRs (35mm) have an image size of 24 x 36mm.  So a lens on a DSLR will give a more magnified image than on a film SLR, by a factor of 1.5.  So, in old 35mm terms, a 200mm lens will act like a 300mm lens.  The focal lengths of lenses on compact digitals are tiny, which is because the sensors are also tiny.

Zoom lenses are great for photographing things which are a fixed distance away, but for things like herps I think "manual zoom" (i.e. using your legs) is generally more useful.

I hope that helps, and sorry if I'm telling you things you already know.

Tim.

one from today looking like it's really enjoying the sun