Dear Hairy :),

Another couple of things to consider are extension tubes and close-up
lenses, since price is a big issue. Now I wouldn't try these on the
Canon kit lens probably but the Sigma might be fine. Extension tubes
will get the close focus distance of any lens down, but at the cost of
less light. Closeup lenses will get you closer with no light loss but
may incur an image quality cost. I've successfully used both, preferring
the extension tubes on a 50mm f1.8 (and my 100mm macro for even closer)
and the closeup lenses on a 100-400 IS Canon lens. Neither solution is
as good as a dedicated macro lens, as there are compromises with image
quality with both, but they can be a worthwhile option to consider,
especially while you are gaining experience.

Re macro lenses if Canon is out then I'd look at Sigma, Tokina and maybe
Tamron. Whilst I have had good personal experience with Tamron macros in
the past, there seems to have been a lot of comment on the net about
quite variable quality from lens to lens. Personally I like the slightly
longer working distance of a 100mm (or there abouts), but a lot depends
on your subject matter.

Cheers,

Wayne

Tamron 90 macro (esp, the used full fram f/2.8 version)
Tamron 50 macro

and, oddly enough,

The Sigma 180 macro (although a bit extreme on a cropped sensor.

Cheers,
Alan

Tamron 90 mm macro or more expensive canon 100mm macro (which has a very
good reputation). As for myself I bought an extention tube (Canon 25mm) and
with my 17-85 it's great very very close to the subject..to bad this is not
a binairie group I'd show you. Why don't you go on dbase (google) and
you'll find an answer.
 Good luck Jean

If you really want to keep it cheap, there are a few options.  I used my
Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens for macro quite a bit at first.  To begin with, it
focuses quite close (0.28m from the film plane) getting you a magnification
of 0.26 which is over 1/4 life sized on the sensor at 55mm focal length.
Since the lens is quite short, it leaves some room to your subject so
lighting is easier too.  The 18-55 is quite versatile.  Your 55-200 has a
maximum magnification of 0.22 at 200mm at 110cm from the image plane.
That's pretty good too.

There are three very cheap ways to get closer still.

1.  For around $40 you can get a set of Tiffen close-up dioptre 58mm
filters.  These come with a +4, +2, +1 and can be stacked.  A diopter is the
reciprocal of the focal length in meters.  So +4 moves infinity focus to
250mm and the lens focuses still closer if you move the focus ring toward
the close focusing limit.  These work quite well with just a touch of
chromatic aberration but with no loss of light or lens functionality.  You
could spend more for double element dioptres, but then you would be better
off putting the money toward the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 or another macro lens.
Autofocus works pretty well with close-up filters on the 18-55.  I've got
some very nice pictures using the cheap close-up lenses on the 18-55.  Your
55-200 takes 55mm filters so get a 55-58mm step up ring for a few bucks so
it can share your 58mm filters for your 18-55 and see which works nicer for
you.

2.  (not quite as cheap) You can get extension tubes.  As far as I know,
only the Canon EF 25 II and EF 12 II will work with EF-S lenses.  The non II
models do not, and most third party tubes do not.  These are a bit more
trouble since you have to remove the lens to mount them.  They will also
move the close focusing limit closer for any lens but do cause a reduction
in brightness necessitating longer exposures.  They also have more effect at
short focal length.  They are a bit awkward to use and generally require
manual focus or moving the camera as the autofocus doesn't work very well
with them although the AF confirmation light will work.  You have to be very
careful in focusing and the working distance gets very small at shorter
focal lengths.  These are also pricy enough to suggest saving your money
instead toward a real macro lens.

3.  Mount the lens backwards for very high magnifications.  This requires a
reverse adaptor which is really cheap (about $12).  You can get one for 58mm
threads from:
http://cgi.ebay.com/58mm-Canon-EOS-Lens-Reversing-ring-macro-photography_W0QQite
mZ130052033337QQihZ003QQcategoryZ30059QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The 18-55 actually works very nicely reversed.  Use manual mode or aperture
priority modes since you lose the electronic contact.  This is probably not
a good solution for taking pictures of the dog's tongue however.  The
aperture can be stopped if desired by down by putting the lens on the normal
way, setting the aperture in Av mode and then while holding the depth of
field preview button, remove the lens.

If you want the ultimate reverse setup for Canon lenses, have a look at:
http://www.novoflex.com/english/html/products.htm

This adaptor connects the electronic contacts to the front and provides a
filter thread even so you can fully use the automatic features of the
camera.  However for that price you could also buy an EF-S 60mm macro,
although if you want really high magnifications, (like more than 2:1) you
will need to get into reversing your lenses.

These methods are not as cheap:

4.  The next cheapest thing after that is a cheap zoom lens that focuses
close, like the Sigma 70-300mm DG Macro lens that goes to 1:2 and can take
+1 diopters to get a bit closer still.  +2 and higher seems to start to
degrade the image on it.  Extension tubes can be used also.  This isn't the
sharpest lens ever and at 300mm focal length, vibrations are a real
detriment to good pictures.

6.  A 1.4x or 2x teleconverter will increase the magnification by this
amount but cost one or two stops of light repectively by increasing the
focal length but not the minimum focus distance.  These are not a good
solution for your lenses are your lenses are already at the limit for
autofocus to function (f/5.6).  Secondly the EF-S lens can only be mounted
on a teleconverter using an extension tube.  This is all getting to be good
money after bad again and better put toward a real macro lens.

7.  Finally save up for a real macro lens, and watch the newspapers and
forums for a used one for sale at a good price.  Sometimes a factory
refurbished unit can be had from Canon for a slightly cheaper price.  Real
macro lenses have the benefit of flat field correction, very high optical
quality, low distortions etc.  The EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro for example also
has silent USM focusing and has no external parts that move when focusing so
you don't scare the small animal or bug that you are photographing.  Macro
lenses don't come cheap though.

Conclusion:  To have some fun now, buy some cheap close-up lenses, a step up
ring, and maybe a reversing ring and save up for a real macro lens when you
know what you really want and can afford it.  You will get some great
pictures with what you have and a very small investment.  If you get really
serious into macro photography then you can buy better stuff later if you
find that you need it.

Hi,

My cat won't let me get near her with a camera, so I have no idea about
how to get a photo of her tounge<g>  I shot this photo with my Digital
Rebel 350 with the kit lens and a 2x diopter filter at 55mm f5.6 and
400ASA at 1/160.  http://www.itakefotos.com/stuff/_mg_1333.jpg  Note
that this is a completely unprocessed jpg so nothing has been done to
it except download from camera.  The "thing" there is about 1 - 1.5 cm
in diameter.  The depth of focus is very short when using a diopter
filter, but with patients you can use it and it is not expensive.  I
bought a kit from adorama
(http://www.adorama.com/SU58CUS.html?searchinfo=diopter&item_no=29)
that contains 3 diopters for $35 but they are out of them now and you
can get the Hoya for $41 (I think they are probably better quality than
the sunpaks, but they were out of the Hoyas when I bought<g>)  They are
fun to experiment with if you don't want to shell out for macro lens.

I have used my 70-300mm (non IS) lens also for macro shots (example:
http://www.itakefotos.com/stuff/_mg_1980.jpg)  This shot was at 300mm
f7.1 and 400ASA at 1/500 - handheld.  Not very good, not very sharp,
but I have got some nice shots with it - hand holding should be
avoided<g>

Best regards,

Arnor Baldvinsson
San Antonio, Texas

What's new is a new 70mm Sigma DX.  It might be fantastic, so please try
it and report back.  It might be great.
For "off" brands:
Sigma 105mm is as good as anything.  Low low CA, and sharp as a pin.
Noisy clunky solid metal construction that makes you long for plastic?
Tamron 90mm is as good as anything.  9 blade diaphragm - so circular OOF
highlights for nice boket.  (new 70mm Sigma also has 9 blade diaphragm,
but that's not to say the boket isn't butt ugly - you try it first)
Tokina 100mm - apparently great too, but as the Sigma 105 or Tamron 90
are better, why bother.
That's it.
Oem lenses cost a lot more.  The tamron or sigma are arguably better
than the OEM equivalents - if you look at MTF data, but they are all so
good you're never going to see any difference between them. Longer good
non-OEM macros (such as Sigma 150 or 180) also cost a lot more.  Longer
good OEM macros require you to get a credit card limit revision.
Focus distance at around 1:1 is about a foot from the film plane with
the ~100mm macros.  With a 50mm it's too close - almost inside the hood.
 With the 150 or 180mm it's further, but the lens costs a lot more.

For the price (or less) of a good macro lens you can buy a very decent
compact camera.
The most compact camera's have excelent macro possibilities.
You will have -a lot- more DOF with a compact and therefore it's easyer to
start with macro photography.
It'll also give you a preview on the LCD. That's more comfortable than
crawling around in the mud. ;-)
Just a thought.
br
Aad

Nothing but the best for you!

;-)

The lenses that offer 1:1 focusing and decent working distance is the
90-105mm macro lenses. The good news is that everyones model is good.
You may want to look in camera stores for used ones, a used lens even
autofocus is not a bad buy if it is clean. Since at 1:1 magnfication
you generally focus by hand, autofocus isn't precise enough, a manual
focus lens wouldn't be a bad buy. I have a manual focus Tamron 90 f2.5
at work that is a nice lens, but needs an extension tube to get to 1:1,
make sure you get them together, should be able to pick one up for
$100-200. Used autofocus lenses run $250-$400.
Another option is a multi element closeup lens, much better than the
regular single element generally sold. The Canon 500D is an excellent
buy. Runs about $125. But do yourself a favor and get a 100mm or so
macro, will open your eyes to waht high quality lenses can do.

Tom

What I did was get a really nice 2-element +2 diopter closeup 'filter'
in a large size with step up rings and when I finally did get a real
macro lens, that's still useful on it to get beyond 1:1 magnification,
plus a teleconverter, or another reversed lens on that. Even 1:1 is not
that extreme really but a true macro lens has good enough resolution to
be used beyond it's limits.

Here's some tests with the 105 macro and a reversed 28mm:
<http://www.edgehill.net/1/?SC=go.php&DIR=Misc/photography/2006-11-19_105x2-28-macro>
-the first page is without teleconverter, the second with.

The thing is, at this kind of magnification, you really need a stable
tripod, the only way to do hand held is maybe in blaring sun with high
ISO & flash, for these tests I set the camera on a table near a window,
even a decent tripod was too bouncy.

Don't be silly:  if someone can buy you the body, you can certainly
afford the lens.

Working distance is the most important user-interface issue with macro
lenses.  O(100mm) is just too close alot of the time.  I suggest, if
macro is your calling (as you claim it is), that you "make do" with
whatever you have now while you save up and get the Canon EF 180/3.5L:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=112541
&is=GREY&addedTroughType=search

And since it's just about impossible to make a "bad" macro lens, you
can always look into the equivalent Sigma:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=389299
&is=USA&addedTroughType=search

I recommend this approach because by "inching" your way up the scale,
you simply waste time and money.

Hi
I've been looking into the Canon 100mm 2.8 macro.Any comments on that one
for close ups?
Jim