Macro Lens

[Andrew115]

I have the canon ef 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens, but am now after a lens just fro MACRO photos 1:1

Any advise please the camera is a EOS 350D

thanks

[coldrain]

What is the purpose of the lens? Static subjects, insects, can you get really close or is some distance needed? budget?

Very affordable, but still very good optics:
Sigma 50mm f2.8 macro DG

Worthwhile macro lenses than can double as portrait lens:
Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 USM
Sigma 70mm f2.8 EX DG macro
Both are very good macro lenses... the Sigma maybe has teh edge optically, the Canon in focus speed.

Still usable as portrait lens but longer, with great optics:
Tamron 90mm f2.8 SP Di
Very sharp, great contrast, slow in AF, great in MF.

Still longer:
Canon 100mm f2.8 USM macro. Very good lens, faster in AF than above Tamron.
Sigma 105mm f2.8 EX DG. Also a good lens, but for whatever reason it doesnt attract me as much as the Tamron and Canon.
Tokina 100mm f2.8. Again, good optics... there really are no bad macro lenses for the Canon mount.

If you need even more distance, for instance for insects that fly away quickly, the following lenses may be of interest (the longer the lenses, the more expensive they get).

Sigma 150mm f2.8 EX DG Macro
Tamron 180mm f3.5 SP Di macro
Canon 180mm f3.5 L USM Macro
The Canon will focus fastest, and is most expensive too.

[Quack211]

I love my Canon 100mm f2.8 USM macro

[timmciglobal]

My vote goes for the 60 EF-S. Fantastic little lens with very sharp image quality wide open.

http://pictures.divergentservices.com/60efs.jpg

Tim

[nqjudo]

Another vote for the Canon 100 f/2.8. For my use this lens offers the most. It gives a little more working room than the shorter lenses but it is still pretty compact. I have tried a few of the longer lenses that Coldrain mentioned but they get a little too cumbersome for handheld shots and even more so when you add a flash to the mix. Considering the quality of the optics it is priced quite nicely too.

[AdamW]

Another vote for the Canon 100 f/2.8. For my use this lens offers the most. It gives a little more working room than the shorter lenses but it is still pretty compact. I have tried a few of the longer lenses that Coldrain mentioned but they get a little too cumbersome for handheld shots and even more so when you add a flash to the mix. Considering the quality of the optics it is priced quite nicely too.

I second all of the above.