Macro gear suggestions for 5DIII?

[scottburgess]

I'll answer this question the other way 'round, which is what *not* to buy.  And the top of my list there is the Canon 50mm f/2.5 Macro.  From my perspective it is wrong every way around.  For working with critters, there is no working distance.  It only focuses to half life size (1:2).  You have to buy a converter to focus to life size, but this changes the focal length to ~75mm.  This lens uses the old AFD focus system, which is ridiculously slow today.  At f/2.5, you can't produce a truly shallow depth of field for landscapes or portraits.  Plusses are the sharpness and 52mm filter size.

This lens should have been replaced fifteen years ago, IMHO.  To make something which sells, I think Canon should make a "value added" replacement, something that would sell even though 50mm macros are not all that popular.  I can see a couple ways to do this.  One would be to make a 1:1 macro lens with f/1.4 maximum aperture (very difficult to engineer, but then that would keep competitors from creating a competitive product and it would have a high price and profit margin).  Another would be to create an f/2 macro which focuses to 2:1 or twice life size.  I personally would be thrilled with either, especially if the lens had USM rear focusing and a 58mm filter thread.  A third possibility is creating a tilt-shift macro that focuses 1:1.

Because of the popular 65mm MP-E, and folks using the 90mm tilt-shift with extension for closer focus, I suspect the first idea is the most marketable.  This is just my opinion, and I would be interested in hearing what others think.  Would you buy one of these lens ideas if it came on the market?  Is there another "value added" design that would entice you to buy a 50mm macro lens?  What do you think would be successful on the market?

[xps]

Flashholder: (I use it for more then 10 years now, originally with the  old Novoflex flash system)
http://www.novoflex.com/de/produkte/makrofotografie--blitztechnik/blitzhaltesysteme/uniset/

microadjustment-focusing-slider for MPE-65 (great lens! but difficult to use without tripod and slider
http://www.novoflex.com/de/produkte/makrofotografie--blitztechnik/einstellschlitten/

Lens for macro: Canon 2.8 100L IS is very good. Cheaper (without IS) and still very good IQ: Sigma EX 70mm DG 2.8 (500€)
My wife has the Tamron 90mm SP DI VC Macro 2.8 that is a little bit more expensive and in my opinion the AF is not as fast as the Canon 100L IS

[BrettS]

I use the 180L f/3.5 + MT-24EX and Sto-Fens for flowers and bugs. I'm strictly amateur, however it does everything I seek to do with it.

Neuro's the man when it comes to this stuff hardcore.

[neuroanatomist]

My 'frankenstein's monster' handheld macro rig is the MT-24EX in the hotshoe, with the heads attached to the pair of Wimberley F-2 brackets on the lens collar plate (the MP-E65 comes with a collar, I have the collar for the 100L).  I also attach the RRS B91-QR bracket to the lens plate, with an FA-QREX2 extension arm and cold shoe and a 600EX-RT mounted to that, as an optical slave controlled by the MT-24EX.  The small twin flash heads are used to light the subject from top/front/side, and the 600EX-RT on the extension is used to light the background.

Could your share a picture of that setup?

Here you go.    

The first two show the setup mounted on the RRS B150-B macro rail for collared lenses, on an RRS BH-55 LR ballhead, the third is handheld use.  Set up for the 100L in this case, although I use it more frequently with the MP-E 65mm (only difference is that the twin heads are closer to the lens and the extension holding the 600EX-RT is shortened, both due to the much shorter working distance of the lens).

[ahab1372]

Thanks Neuro. Fascinating how much gear can be attached to a camera in a useful way

[Jay Khaos]

That setup is a beast... Would be hilarious to carry that around at the botanical gardens here.. I bet people move out of hte way when you come strolling through

[danski0224]

Since you mentioned that you miss OS with the 180mm macro, try out the Sigma 180mm f/2.8 OS.... I have only read that Sigma 150mm is very good, however I have not read that much about this 180 f/2.8 OS macro from sigma. I could not find either of them at my local lens rental place. If you have the chance try it to see if it performs as well as the Canon 180mm but with OS.....

I rented the Sigma 150mm Macro and I like it. The focal length is a nice fit between the 180 which is sometimes a bit much and the 100 which sometimes seems to be not enough.

It sure seems to lock focus a lot faster than the Canon 180mm macro.



It seems to be quite a bit heavier, too.

[RAKAMRAK]

I rented the Sigma 150mm Macro and I like it. ....

@danski0224 thank you for your update. I am looking forward to get this lens when my pocket permits.

By the way I got inspired by Neuro's macro rig and some other rigs' photo on the net and built my own macro rig. Could not resist my urge to share it here. So here it is.

[danski0224]

This was taken with the Sigma 150mm macro lens, jpeg straight out of the camera, just resized for posting. 1/400s / f5.0 / iso 4000 handheld.

Edited to add: This is not a crop out of an image.

[Etienne]

This was taken with the Sigma 150mm macro lens, jpeg straight out of the camera, just resized for posting. 1/400s / f5.0 / iso 4000 handheld

Is there an esoteric trick to insert an image in a CR comment?

[RAKAMRAK]

Is there an esoteric trick to insert an image in a CR comment?

I am not sure about any esoteric trick, but I have been following a simple system like others. Write (or start writing the comment) and then click on "Attachments and other option" below the message box where i am writing the comment and attach the small sized photograph/image from my computer.

[Etienne]

Is there an esoteric trick to insert an image in a CR comment?

I am not sure about any esoteric trick, but I have been following a simple system like others. Write (or start writing the comment) and then click on "Attachments and other option" below the message box where i am writing the comment and attach the small sized photograph/image from my computer.

LOL ... that's easy ... I was looking at all the buttons on the top of the comment box and couldn't find something that would work for a pic

[Etienne]

Thanks Neuro. Fascinating how much gear can be attached to a camera in a useful way

You should check out some of the cinema rigs.... like these  (there's actually a 5DII hiding in these rigs)

[TexPhoto]

I use the 100 f2.8 IS, but just one flash with a diffuser.  I borrowed the technique from this guy: An Introduction to High-Magnification Macro Photography

[Northstar]

I use the 100 f2.8 IS, but just one flash with a diffuser.  I borrowed the technique from this guy: An Introduction to High-Magnification Macro Photography

Tex...thanks for posting that link....nice you tube video (his macro images of jumping spiders was pretty cool)