WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS 50mm 1.4 with close up filters vs dedicated macro???

[Chris Geiger]

To start with I don't like the 50mm 1.4 at all. When you are wide open it is very soft. No sharpness anywhere in the images. I had one for a time but sold it. I get much sharper results from my Sigma 85 1.4.

As to macro lens or spacers I see opinions posted here with nothing to back it up. If your going to say that a macro is better, you need to say why it is better. Frankly I don't think it is better. Are your you going to get better depth of field with a macro lens? No, are you going to get a sharper image with a macro lens? No.

Are you really going to carry a macro lens around all day just to get a few ring shots? It takes me 30 seconds to set up a ring shot with an extension tube. I install the tube, crank up the ISO to 6400, turn the lens to F11, set manual focus and zoom my 24-70 to 70mm. Now I am ready to shoot macro and I did not have to go get a different lens.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Something you need to consider about closeup filters is the lack of ability to focus. you need to hold the camera at a exact distance from the subject with little tolerance for error. This can be difficult, unless you use a tripod and macro head. With a 100L, you can handhold the camera and do reasonably well.

Lighting is another issue when you get too close with that 50mm plus closeup lens, you will block most of the light.

I'd go for a extension tube if I couldn't justify a macro lens.

thats the thing i wont be doing a lot of macro work only during pre wedding.. That isnt a justification to get 100mm. Are close up filters that bad to not use??

I was assuming that you wanted to photograph something like the ring on the brides hand, which implies a hand held close shot. Holding a 50mm with close up lens still and at the exact distance needed for sharp focus might be difficult. With tubes, you can use autofocus.

For hand held shots, the 100L is really good, but its also expensive. The older 100mm USM is excellent optically, but focuses slowly and is not as easy to use handheld, but it does the job. I had the USM, and was skeptical about the "L" until I bought one. Its amazing for handheld closeup photos. The longer working distance of a 100mm lens means it does not block natural light, and a flash is easier to use.

Here is a handheld image of a bug on my front door. I saw it, grabbed my camera and snapped it handheld with on camera 580 EX II flash. I could not do that with the old USM version.

 

[Kernuak]

To start with I don't like the 50mm 1.4 at all. When you are wide open it is very soft. No sharpness anywhere in the images. I had one for a time but sold it. I get much sharper results from my Sigma 85 1.4.

I think for closeup shots, the need to use it wide open would be very minimal, unless going for a really arty shot, where ultimate sharpness probably isn't important anyway.

As to macro lens or spacers I see opinions posted here with nothing to back it up. If your going to say that a macro is better, you need to say why it is better. Frankly I don't think it is better. Are your you going to get better depth of field with a macro lens? No, are you going to get a sharper image with a macro lens? No.

Actually, although I was suggesting extension tubes, logically, a macro lens should be sharper for closeups, as it the design is optimised for that short of work, while other primes have different compromises in thir designs. However, at teh size of images generally reproduced for weddings, the differences wouldn't really be noticeable, particularly as your average bride and groom won't be doing much pixel peeping. The question is more, "is the lens sharp enough?", not "which one is sharper?". I do have examples with my extension tubes, but not with the 50 f/1.4, so they wouldn't be of much use and for the small cost of a set of extensions tubes that could have other uses...

Are you really going to carry a macro lens around all day just to get a few ring shots? It takes me 30 seconds to set up a ring shot with an extension tube. I install the tube, crank up the ISO to 6400, turn the lens to F11, set manual focus and zoom my 24-70 to 70mm. Now I am ready to shoot macro and I did not have to go get a different lens.

I make use of my macro lens, but for occasional use, I would agree.