Macro decisions

[ShokTHX]

I am guessing using the flash is what makes hand held possible? Last time I really did macro work was with an AV-1 and a third party bellows. 

James

Personally, I am sorry to be a bit rude but if you are comparing the 100 macro with the MP-E 65, wondering which to buy, then you do not really understand macro and you should therefore stick to the 100mm.  These are completely different lenses.  I own and heavily use both of them and they have completely different uses.  I use my 100L for small things in general - flowers, leaves, knick knacks, etc.  My MP-E 65 is used for small bugs.  I almost never use my MP-E 65 without an MT-24EX and CP-E4 (for longer battery life + quicker firing).

Here is a rather typical shot taken with the 100L (handheld)

http://500px.com/photo/7019881

Here is a rather typical shot taken with the MP-E 65 (handheld)

http://500px.com/photo/7389001

While I shoot most of my macro hand held, I do take some tripod based shots.  I do this most often with flowers - which means the 100L or TS-E 90.  I also use a tripod for my drop photography, but that is more for repeatability than for stabilization.

Keep in mind that if you are interested in tripod based macro, besides the obvious macro rail you'll need a very flexible tripod + head.  I use a Gitzo 2541EX - which is the Explorer arm type - and an Acratech GP ball head.  This allows a good deal of flexibility.

For the macro rails themselves I started with the Kirk rail - which is very similar to the Adorama one (I believe they are made by the same company).  I later moved to the RRS two rails system so that I can move in both the X and Y directions.  This rail is more precise and stable than the Kirk rail and I like it much better.  I have heard that the Novoflex is also very good, but have not used it.

The ultimate rail in terms of precision and flexibility is the Cognisys Stackshot.  I own a copy and really like it.  I used it to take this stacked shot.  Note that I still use my RRS rails with it for X and coarse Y adjustments.


Crocus by CalevPhoto, on Flickr

Note that a bellows is significantly different from a macro rail.  You can use a bellows + certain lenses to achieve similar magnification (and greater) than the MP-E 65 but you lose the flexibility because a bellows is significantly larger and general is confined to a tripod.  I have seen some people use a Nikon bellows with Canon.  There are other options if you really want to go that route, but personally I find the MP-E 65 so much more useful and if I wanted higher magnification I would just attach a microscope objective to the front.

[Vossie]

I am using a Sigma 180 f/3.5 EX. To be honest, I use it very unfrequently, but I do like the build quality and the IQ. One of the advantages of a longer macro lens is a slightly longer working distance.

Below a shot I took today of a flower in my living room.
EOS 30D; f/3.5; 1/125; ISO 100; natural light; -1/3 EV; Gitzo tripod; no post-processing, just slight crop.

[Marsu42]

I am guessing using the flash is what makes hand held possible?

The 100L has IS, but as you might know when going to macro range, the internal optics of a real macro lens drag the effective aperture down - Canon bodies conceal this while Nikon shows it, IS cannot compensate this completely. So when shooting at 1:1 for 100% crop sharpness, handheld with a reasonable depth of field needs many exposures and if you're lucky one is sharp. The advantage of the 100L is dual-use portrait capability and weather sealing. At very close range, the flash might even cast a shadow on the object due to the lens being in the way (set your flash manually to wide angle or use 1-2 remote flashes next to the object).

[kirispupis]

I am guessing using the flash is what makes hand held possible? Last time I really did macro work was with an AV-1 and a third party bellows. 

James

The flash does make it possible to hand hold the MP-E 65.  With the 100L, I rarely use flash.  There, the high ISO capabilities of the 5D3 are enough to usually get a good shot without flash + flash tends to hurt the image IMHO.

[drjlo]

I didn't realize the 65 was 5x.  I thought it was the same as e 100, so that's a very good reason to prefer it over the 100.

Or a very good reason to choose 100!  MP-E 65 is not a lens to just attach to camera and take some macro shots.  At 5X or near, any tiny disturbance in wind, ground, hand, etc act like tornado's resulting in blurred shots.  It does not even have a manual focus ring, nevermind AF.  Sturdy tripod with good macro focusing rail, combined with remote shutter release and ring flash become mandatory, not optional. 

[Razor2012]

I didn't realize the 65 was 5x.  I thought it was the same as e 100, so that's a very good reason to prefer it over the 100.

Or a very good reason to choose 100!  MP-E 65 is not a lens to just attach to camera and take some macro shots.  At 5X or near, any tiny disturbance in wind, ground, hand, etc act like tornado's resulting in blurred shots.  It does not even have a manual focus ring, nevermind AF.  Sturdy tripod with good macro focusing rail, combined with remote shutter release and ring flash become mandatory, not optional.

For sure there's a lot more work and patience involved, including expense, but the images you get in the end are worth it.  Might  just get the 100 though.

[Razor2012]

I just picked up the 100 2.8L, can hardly wait to use it.

[wickidwombat]

I just picked up the 100 2.8L, can hardly wait to use it.

let me know if you get any funny noises from the IS on the 5Dmk3

[Razor2012]

I just picked up the 100 2.8L, can hardly wait to use it.

let me know if you get any funny noises from the IS on the 5Dmk3

None that I have noticed, did you get some?