Need good small sensor camera for Macro

[Bennymiata]

I like taking macro shots, and I currently have a 5d3 and a 70d with 100L and Sigma 150 and Canon 60mm macro, but I want to get a small sensor (under 1") camera that takes great macro shots, takes RAW and has reasonable manual controls.
I want a small sensor to get the best possible DOF and I'm happy to get something with a fixed lens and it doesn't have to be a Canon.
Most of my macro shots are handheld, but I'm happy to focus manually.

I'd love some input from you learned gentlemen and women.

 

[Loswr]

I suspect there is some misunderstanding going on here, although that will depend on what you mean by "macro". You have three very capable macro lenses that all achieve 1:1 magnification. If you actually use those lenses at 1:1 magnification, a smaller sensor gives you two things: a smaller FoV and shallower DoF. The only thing you gain with the smaller sensor in that situation, assuming the smaller sensor has a sufficient FoV for your subject, is likely more pixels on your target (assuming the smaller sensor has a higher pixel density).

OTOH, if you match framing, such that you're further away from the subject with the smaller sensor (lower magnification), then you do get deeper DoF with the smaller sensor. You may or may not get more pixels on target (if you're filling the frame at equivalent framing, the sensor MP count will determine pixels on target). In that situation, you can usually achieve the same DoF by stopping down the lens more with the larger sensor, and generally your IQ will be better with the larger sensor and the stopped down lens (but if you are at the minimum aperture for the lens, you'll buy a little more DoF with the smaller sensor...at the cost of more diffraction and thus lower sharpness). The only significant advantage of the smaller sensor in that scenario is the increased working distance, which is certainly useful if you are shooting live, skittish subjects.

In other words, for 1:1 macro work there's little to no benefit with a smaller sensor (more likely a disadvantage), and for close-up work it's pretty much a wash unless you really need more working distance (which may be the case given that you purchased a 150mm macro lens).

Some food for thought...

 

[Bennymiata]

Thanks for your response Neuro.
My needs are generally between 1:1 to 1:3 for insects and flowers.
I wanted something more or less pocketable and use this instead of my phone, which isn't too hot for macro.

Still interested in hearing which small camera has great macro without filters etc.

 

[danski0224]

I don't see how you will find something "pocketable" that meets the requirements in post 3 given the gear mentioned in post 1.

One advantage of a dSLR over a point and shoot is the ability to choose the focus point. Admittedly, it has been quite a while since I have looked at a new touchscreen point and shoot. My last truly pocketable point and shoot gave no option to choose a focus point, touchscreens did not yet exist on cameras at all, nor did it offer any RAW options.

 

[Marsu42]

I want a small sensor to get the best possible DOF and I'm happy to get something with a fixed lens and it doesn't have to be a Canon.

It's not really about the sensor size alone, but about the pixel density and diffraction. For example you can just get a "large sensor" 5ds and shoot macro with it like with the "small sensor" 7d2.

Personally, I'm in a believer in macro shooting with a crop sensor (I can compare 60d vs 6d), but if you want really deep dof and max sharpness imho it doesn't pay to get any sensors smaller than this, rather learn how to do focus stacking as this is the solution to both problems.

Of course focus stacking won't work handheld, but getting a deep dof at 1:1 is only possible on tripod anyway, you cannot really solve this with smaller sensor. For non-1:1 shots and a crop sensor at f11-f16, I find the dof reasonably deep for just about everything I ever encountered as you usually want to retain some background blur for subject separation.

 

[Loswr]

I'm not aware of any pocketable cameras that go to 1:1, and even those capable of 1:5 or better do so through close focusing at short working distances, which is problematic for insects.

 

[randym77]

There are always sacrifices with a pocket camera, so don't expect the image quality you get with a DSLR and macro lens...but I have a lot of fun with the Olympus TG-3 in macro mode.

Definitely get the macro ring, sold separately:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/16/olympus-led-light-guide/

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The issue with near macro shots on a small camera is that you have to be close, sometimes 1/2 in away. Its easy to squish a tall bug at that distance, and almost impossible to get good lighting.

You are not going to get a good depth of field at 1cm distance.

About the best you can expect is 1:4.
Most of the point and shoot cameras do not give magnification in the specifications, but rather give minimum focusing distance, and that is normally at a wide angle.

Take a high quality camera like the G16 with very close focusing and these specs.

Type 12.1 Megapixel, 1/1.7-inch CMOS

Focal Length
6.1 (W) - 30.5 (T) mm (35mm film equivalent: 28-140mm)

Focusing Range
Normal: 2.0 in. (5cm) - infinity (W), 1.3 ft. (40cm) - infinity (T)
Auto/Manual: 0.4 in. (1cm) - infinity (W), 1.3 ft. (40cm) - infinity (T)
Macro/Underwater Macro AF: 0.4 in. - 1.6 ft. (1-50cm) (W)
Quick: 4.9 - 66 ft. (1.5 - 20m) (W,T)


The solution: A add-on lens that gives 1:2 magnification and a reasonable but fixed working distance. There is still no 1:1 capability, and now, its the size of a SL1.

http://www.photomed.net/g16.htm

 

[Aglet]

Olympus EM10 MFT body is pretty small and wickedly capable.
Panasonic makes even smaller MFT bodies but you'll pay more.
If you don't need an EVF then Oly's Pen series can meet the ask, plus you can adapt and stabilize most makes of lenses.
Edit: and Fuji's XA1 or XA2 are also small and wickedly good with APSC sized sensors.
if you really want some small package and small sensor, find a Pentax Q7 on blowout sale or its newer replacement.