looking to get another prime lens.

[Mr Felix]

A while ago I bought a 50mm 2.8 canon lens.

I am using it to take pictures of my Lego.

But it is being problematic with focus length and angle.

I was pointed in the 100mm macro lens, and then heard of the Tamron 90mm macro.

I am interested in a bit of feedback on it and maybe some alternatives?

Thanks.

[ricktas]

I have had the tamron 90mm, it is a good lens, BUT it is also an old lens as far as design etc. There have been a lot of newer released macro lenses that have surpassed the Tammy.

Certainly go back 10 years and the Tamron 90mm was winning macro lens of the year..over and over. But fast forward to now and there are a huge range of macro lenses around the 100mm range that include 'new' technology, that makes them superior. But I suppose it also comes down to how much $$ you want to spend. If $$ is a factor, the Tammy still offers a great macro at a cheap price.

[Mr Felix]

Thanks Ric.

Yes, there are two canon lenses, the normal one, which is kind of supassed my the tamron, and the more expensive canon one which is a whole new ball park of cost.

The other "good thing" with the tamron, is that it also includes a lens hood.

It isn't urgent I get it, just something I am thinking about because of me doing a lot of macro work lately and how much better the pictures are with the prime lens.

[arthurking83]

Let us know of a maximum price you would be prepared to outlay.

You can get good closeup/macro lenses from anywhere between about $150 - $1000.
And as usual, you usually get what you pay for!

[Mr Felix]

Without wanting to sound pathetic, how about $500 to $600.

[arthurking83]

Without wanting to sound pathetic, how about $500 to $600.

LOL! ... that's not pathetic at all!

Pathetic is keeping it under $30.
Embarrassingly pathetic is keeping it under $9!! .. for two of them

You can do it all on the cheap, depending on what it is you want to do, and how.

I have these two old banger lenses purchased for $9. They're enlarger lennses, and use an old screw type mount system.
So the trick is to understand firstly what adapters are needed to work with those lenses(easy) .. and then the trick of operating the camera with a lens that's barely connected to it.
It's sounds complicated, but in reality it's not .. it's the way cameras used to work 50 or so years ago.
The only bonus is that it can be a very cheap way to do it .. keeping the lens purchase price down into the $20-30 range. Once you have the necessary adapters which can cost roughly up to about $100 .. you're set.

Bit at about $500 .. I reckon the two most likely candidate lenses you should be considering are:

Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro ... can be had for about $500
Sigma AF 105mm f2.8 Macro EX DG HSM OS ... costs a bit more than $600, but has optical stabilisation which can be handy when chasing insects around the yard. more like $700, but apparently sharper than the Tamron if you look really hard for it!

[Shav Bird Photography]

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[Mary Anne]

I have the Canon 100mm L IS macro lens and it comes with a lens hood, I also have the Tamron 90mm macro without VC and there is nothing wrong with that lens its light and very easy to hand hold and not expensive.

Some macro Lenses to look at http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

All up I have 4 Macro lenses and have not come across a bad one yet.

If you are having problems with your nifty fifty lens stand back further get the entire object in focus then crop, remembering its not a macro lens so you cannot get up close.

Taken with the Canon 40D: Tamron 90mm macro Lens the cheaper older one with no VR 1/250 - f/16 - 90mm - ISO250 Flash ON


Tamron 90mm Macro IMG_8054 by firey sunset, on Flickr

Taken with the Canon 40D: Canon 100mm L IS USM macro lens 1/250 - f/16 - 100mm - ISO 100 Flash ON JPEG out of camera


Canon 100mm L Macro IMG_8059 by firey sunset, on Flickr


Taken with the Canon 40D: Canon 100mm L IS USM macro lens 1/250 - f/16 - 100mm - ISO 100 Flash ON no crops on any of these all JPEG's out of camera
This image is to give you an idea of size this was the smallest object I could find in the house Stink Bug eggs stuck to my tee shirt that was on the line each would be 1.5mm in size


Canon 100L Macro IMG_8060 by firey sunset, on Flickr

Not much difference in the first two images #1 Tamron lens cost me less that 1/2 of the price of the Canon #2 at the time.

[Mr Felix]

Thanks.

Shall look at the links soon.