Macro lenses

Hello, I may be as close as ever to getting my dream camera the Canon 350D for my 18th on the 30th of may and I am looking at macro lenses to take insect pictures as well as of corse photos of herptiles in particular small amphibians and portraits, in general photos up close, but I found a lense and another one both macro, and they need at least a 20 cm gap to focus, what use is that?!

On my current camera (Canon powershot A95) I can shoot at about 10 cm on macro, and my mums camera at around 1 to 2 cm, so are the SLR's not really designed to do macro? In which case this verifies my theory of the equipment by a herp photographer of 3 cameras, one SLR to take many quick succesion photos (action photos, like snake bitting, frog jumping, croaking); one like my current camera (for body photos, although this is also can be done with the slr); and one like my mum (macro monster!) and goes underwater!

So does anyone know of any better macro lenses to go on a 350d please?

Thank you for your answers


Edited by djp_phillips

The usefulness of a macro is determined by the relationship between subject size and final image size, which in turn depends on the focal length and the distance from between camera and subject. If you have a longer focal length lens, then you can achieve the same degree of magnification from a longer distance as you would with a shorter focal length lens from a shorter distance.

Most serious 100 mm macro lenses are 1:1, that is to say, used with a 35 mm film SLR, the image on the film will be the same size as the actual subject. In digi-SLRs, it will be larger.

As an example, here is a photo of a fly taken with a Canon 300D and a Canon 100 mm macro lens:


The image was not cropped, the distance between the front of the lens and the fly would have been ~ 20 cm. You are a lot better off with an SLR and a 100 mm macro, that allow you to keep some distance between your animal and yourself - few animals will tolerate an approach to within a few cm, and photos like this.

might be a little uncomfortable for you as well without some distance between yourself and the animal.

Cheers,

WW

Edited by Wolfgang Wuster

Daniel,

Just to add my tuppence....with a 350D and a macro lens of the order of 90mm-105mm, you won't go wrong. Make sure its a macro lens, it should have '1:1' as part of the model name, or specification.

To be fair you'll get good results from a macro from 60mm upto 180mm, I just feel the 100mm focal length is about right for reptiles.

Obvious makes would be: Canon, Tamron, Sigma, probably in that order for quality. (I can't vouch for other manufacturers, as I've not tried them).

ok thanks, so how far away from the snake were you when you took this photo? have you cropped it to get this view or is this the raw image no work done?

Gorgeous pics Brett and wolfgang