Choosing Macro Lens For Jewelry And Tiny Beads Photography

[born2snooze]

Hi guys, I'm super new here, actually decided to sign up cause I need help looking for my first big girl lens for my big girl camera. :D
First of all, please forgive my Engrish! :p

I want to get a Macro lens for my Canon 400D, and torn between many Macro lenses. I'm still not familiar with some of the terms. So I hope to get as many suggestions as possible, to help me make up my mind.

I'm kinda in a budget but I can break my piggy bank so I can spend up to 600 to 800 bucks if its worth it. But more than that I have to wait a bit, and I dont want to wait. :D I know if I buy the more affordable ones, I will end up buying the next better one anyway.

I will use this to take mostly jewelry and glass beads photos. Most glass beads are around and under 1 inch in size. I also of course, interested in taking picture of tinier objects.

What else, oh, you can see the kind of jewelry and beads by clicking the links in my signature.

Please help, your kind posts will be highly appreciated. Thank you!

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[born2snooze]

Nobody have suggestions? :(

[TheWengler]

What lenses are you currently looking at? I think most of the macro lenses are pretty good. The Tamron 90mm is popular as is the Canon 60mm. The focal length you choose depends on the working distance you'd like to have. Do you have a lighting set up for product photography? I'm not sure, but it seems like if you had a really small working distance then the camera might block some of the lighting. Something to stabilize the camera would be good too. Also, have a look at extension tubes.

[Guy594]

Hi Maria ;)

For a good Macro lense i would advise you the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens.
If you can buy a f/2.8 because it's very good.

Maybe these links will help you a bit Maria:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-60mm-f-2.8-Macro-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Canon-EF-S-60mm-f28-Macro-USM

http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Macro_Lenses/EF-S_60mm_f2.8_Macro_USM/

Don't forget to share me the pictures you make, i'm curious :D

[born2snooze]

Thank you Guy594! That one is one of the ones I am considering right now. I will go check your links. Thank you so much! :)

[born2snooze]

What lenses are you currently looking at? I think most of the macro lenses are pretty good. The Tamron 90mm is popular as is the Canon 60mm. The focal length you choose depends on the working distance you'd like to have. Do you have a lighting set up for product photography? I'm not sure, but it seems like if you had a really small working distance then the camera might block some of the lighting. Something to stabilize the camera would be good too. Also, have a look at extension tubes.

Hey Lukas, I hope you are still here, I might go tonight to buy the one I want, and I'm still not sure which one to buy.

I have a tabletop studio set up with lightings and light cube. I'll see if I can find picture of my set up.

To tell you the truth, I am actually still not sure I understand focal length, and whats those milimeter means. So I will appreciate you kind help. Let me find my photo set up. be right back!

[born2snooze]

Hi Maria ;)

For a good Macro lense i would advise you the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens.
If you can buy a f/2.8 because it's very good.

Maybe these links will help you a bit Maria:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-60mm-f-2.8-Macro-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Canon-EF-S-60mm-f28-Macro-USM

http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Macro_Lenses/EF-S_60mm_f2.8_Macro_USM/

Don't forget to share me the pictures you make, i'm curious :D


Oh, and I will gladly share pictures, I cant wait! :D

[born2snooze]

Okay I find a picture! This is my set up, but its an older set up, right now I have 3 lightings, 2 on the sides and 1 on top.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/born2snooze/studio.jpg

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[Guy594]

You have a nice set-up there Maria ;)
Macro is not really my speciality, 95% of the pictures i make are from sport, but i am always interested how other people make their pictures, so keep on sharing Maria.

I had a look on your webpage, you have some very nice pictures there, specially the ones in the white dress are really nice.
Hopefully this year i will also start with making pictures of people, i'm curious how it will turn out :D

[born2snooze]

Hey Guy, thanks for the sweet comments, I love taking pic of people too, but I dont have much friends so its hard to get a model, thats why most of the time I take pic of myself. :D

[born2snooze]

Okay, cause I'm impatient, I went out and bought my macro lens. I ended up with Canon EF 100mm F2.8 USM. I hope this is a good decision.
Thank you all for the help!

I've been playing with it and I just want to share 1 pic, so far I am happy. :D
This is my Garfield figurine saying: "Talk to the hand" Forgive his rudeness. :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/born2snooze/garfield.jpg

[TheWengler]

Wow, you are impatient! It's ok, you ended up with a very nice lens. :)

[AdamW]

Maria--the 100 mm macro is a great lens. You're gonna have a lot of fun with it!

[born2snooze]

:p Yay! Thank you Lukas!

Thank you Adam! :D

[Guy594]

Congrats with the lens Maria, some nice DOF on the Garfield ;)

[Guy594]

Hey Guy, thanks for the sweet comments, I love taking pic of people too, but I dont have much friends so its hard to get a model, thats why most of the time I take pic of myself. :D

You are right Maria, it's hard to get a model. Importing thing about them is that they need to feel comfortable when somebody make pics of them and thats not really easy.
But making pics of yourself is for sure not easy to do.

[born2snooze]

Thank you Guy594! Yes thats true, I went to Indonesia a month ago, and saw my photographer friend, we had a photo session and only some of my pictures turn out nice (the expression), lots of people watching that time, I didnt feel comfortable and was very shy! That was a surprise to me, I thought I will be a good model cause I used to take pic of myself. :p