digital rebel xt and macro lens

[salmo636]

Hi guys - just need some good advice! I have just bought the digital rebel xt
and i need to get a lens that will take really REALLY hi quality close up shots. (i am a relative amatuer as regards knowing lense types etc - do any lenses actually do magnification or is that a filter?) For instance i want to take close up shots of fishing flies which will be blown up on to the front
cover of a magaine and i want to be able to make out the various fibres etc. on the fLY. How do i achieve this as i have seen many shots like this as well as nature shots where you might see the reflection of the sun in a spiders eye!! thats the kind of lens i'm after -if any of you guys can help i would very much appreciate it! Is the Sigma 70-300mm APO F4-5.6 Super Macro II an example of the type of lens i need as i have a friend who is currently selling one! thanks

[Rhys]

Hi guys - just need some good advice! I have just bought the digital rebel xt
and i need to get a lens that will take really REALLY hi quality close up shots. (i am a relative amatuer as regards knowing lense types etc - do any lenses actually do magnification or is that a filter?) For instance i want to take close up shots of fishing flies which will be blown up on to the front
cover of a magaine and i want to be able to make out the various fibres etc. on the fLY. How do i achieve this as i have seen many shots like this as well as nature shots where you might see the reflection of the sun in a spiders eye!! thats the kind of lens i'm after -if any of you guys can help i would very much appreciate it! Is the Sigma 70-300mm APO F4-5.6 Super Macro II an example of the type of lens i need as i have a friend who is currently selling one! thanks

There are 3 ways of getting macro photos:
1. Use a designated macro lens.
2. Use an ordinary lens plus a macro extension tube. (fitted between the lens and camera).
3. Use an inverter (allows you to put the lens on backwards).

There are also some filters that claim to give a macro effect but I have migivings about the image quality.

I'd say the Sigma super macro sounds good although if you want true macro you need to check whether it will do a 1:1 ratio. The thing you really need to do is to put the lens on your camera and try it. Will it give the results you need. If it's not macro enough then buy a macro converter for your XT and do it that way. Personally, I always think macro converter tubes are much better value than macro lenses.

[coldrain]

There a a number of good macro lenses on the market that won't break the bank. The 70-300 macro is a bit awkward to use because you need a fair distance from the subject with that lens (i think it is at least 90 cm) and it is a so called 1:2 macro. The macro is a tele macro, making the perspective of some photo's a bit strange (tele lenses pull distances closer).

1:1 macro's can get something as big as 35 mm (o about 1.5 inch) in size to fill a 35 mm film photo. With a 1.6 crop factor DSLR like the canon EOS 350D (rebel XT) that means you can get something as small as 22 mm (or a bit less than an inch wide) filling the picture. A 1:2 macro will double that size, so it can fill the photo with something as small as 44 mm (2" = 50.8 mm).

The german magazine ColorFoto tested some fized focus lenses and found quite a few macro lenses to be very sharp and rich in contrast.

3 to consider for a really good macro are the Sigma EX 2.8 50 mm DG makro (1:1) which according to www.fredmiranda.com goes for under $230,
the Sigma EX 2.8 105mm DG Makro (1:1) which according to the same site would be around $350,
the Tamron AF 2.8 90mm SP Di Macro (1:1), which produces photos with good colour, contrast and sharpness (but the autofocus can hunt, i have this lens) which here in europe is about the same price as the Sigma 105 mm.

The canon 2.5 50mm 1:2 macro is a bit less sharp and contrasty, especially compared to the Tamron 90mm, but still is a good lens, although only a 1:2 macro.

The Canon EF-S 2.8 60mm macro lens is good but it has quite a lot of vignetting at 2.8, and it is not a bargain. It does have a nice silent motor.
If you want more distance from your subject you can consider longer macro's like the 150 mm sigma or 180 mm tamron, but these get to be more expensive.

50 mm 1:1 macro's will give the most natural perspective, macro's like the 90 mm tamron and the 105 mm sigma also make for very good portrait lenses (the slight tele effect gives a very pleasing effect in portraits).

I think it is worth while to get a good macro lens (obviously, i have the Tamron 2.8 90mm), and you will have a very nice macro lens in both sigma's and the tamron I mentioned.

Ps: i do have a 70-300 mm sigma with 1:2 macro mode, I know what I talking about when I say it is a bit cumbersome as macro lens (and not very light sensitive at that (5.6).