Going macro with Canon 50D

[Greeny]

Thanks Allan for the info - all's good ....

[ZedEx]

my problem with the newer IS L version of the 100mm was that although it's sharper, it lens flares like a b**** and the IS isn't really that effective for macro stuff. I have the non-IS version and it is pretty spectacular. I have some macro shots on my flickr stream a few pages in. Spot on sharp www.flickr.com/photos/88ee

[Greeny]

Hi ZedEx - you've got some incredible images there - can't wait to have a crack at shooting macro .... to me the photo opportunities seem endless! Thanks for your input - Greeny ...

[ZedEx]

cheers mate, yes it certainly opens up an entirely different world! It was the same sensation I got from discovering light painting

[redhead65]

Hi Greeny, I'm in the market for a 100mm Macro Lens (probably the L version) for my 50D as well. I'm interested to hear how you go with the purchase from B&H. Did you order an extended warranty from B&H for the lens? And whether you have to pay GST when it hits the shores of OZ?

[Greeny]

Hi redhead - I can't speak highly enough of B&H Photos customer service - they were fantastic! With the Aussie dollar currently buying nearly US$0.95!! you should shop around and compare - couple of examples:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._8L_Macro.html

or an Aussie company here :
http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/...idProduct=2417

DWI actually looks like a great deal but check them out for yourself ....

If you're buying from overseas as long as the goods cost less than AU$1000 you won't have to pay import duty or GST ... BUT don't forget to factor in the higher shipping costs if buying overseas!!

Read here for info from the Australian Customs Service re importing goods:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page5549.asp

Good luck with however you proceed & please let me know how you go ....

Hope this has been some help ....

[redhead65]

Hi redhead - I can't speak highly enough of B&H Photos customer service - they were fantastic! With the Aussie dollar currently buying nearly US$0.95!! you should shop around and compare - couple of examples:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._8L_Macro.html

or an Aussie company here :
http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/...idProduct=2417

DWI actually looks like a great deal but check them out for yourself ....

If you're buying from overseas as long as the goods cost less than AU$1000 you won't have to pay import duty or GST ... BUT don't forget to factor in the higher shipping costs if buying overseas!!

Read here for info from the Australian Customs Service re importing goods:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page5549.asp

Good luck with however you proceed & please let me know how you go ....

Hope this has been some help ....

Hi Greeny... apologies for my tardiness in replying to your answer to my question but between my job and young children I don't have as much time for photography as I'd like.

Thanks for the information... I looked on the B&H site and did the sums on a 100mm 2.8L Macro lens including delivery and the current exchange rate and it came to more than AUD $1000... so with import duty / GST I would be looking at close to AUD $1200 - as GST is levied on purchase price plus delivery charges. So I ended up buying from Scorptec, one of the site sponsors, for $1279. I haven't decided on an extended warranty for the lens yet as apparently Scorptec don't sell them ... at least for lenses ... I guess I'll see how things go.

[Entrapro]

You can take true macro shots even with your kit lenses as long as you can interpose an extender of some sort between the lens and the body. I used to the kit lenses off my old 35mm EOS, married to an old minolta bellows which was, in turn was bodgied onto my 400D. I used some old lens caps to mount the lens on the front of the bellows and a piece of wood to mount the whole thing on and to hold the camera body up against the back of the lens. Not at all professional to look at but the results were fine. I finally lashed out and bought a set of Kenko extension tubes and a 100mm f2.8 macro and it works just as well. Below is a photo (of a spider catching a hover fly using the old set up) and a robber fly using the new set up. The 100mm is a specialist lens for macro so you would expect it to be better but you can see that the kit lens does quite a respectable job anyway. I think the 60mm would be a little harder to use than the 100mm because the higher magnification makes it necessary to use a tripod whereas I just use the 100mm hand-held, often with the aid of a pole of some sort that I just hold the camera against to steady it. I hope this helps.

[Greeny]

Hi Entrapro - great shots & thanks for the info ...

[Kerro]

Greeny, I just bought the 100mm f/2.8 (non IS and non-L version) about 4 weeks ago. I am more than happy with it as I am sure you will be too. (Check out some of my bee shots).
Look forward to seeing some of your work with the new lens.

Kerro

[Greeny]

Hi Kerro - I've got the lens now mate but my shots haven't been worth posting ... ... but it's all good learning from every failure! Really enjoying your posts so keep it up mate ...