Confused about macro lenses, help?

Question

I'm pretty confused about all lenses really. I kind of understand the the mm relate to the distance the end of the lens is from the camera but I don't get at all how that relates to choosing a lens.

Anyway, I'm looking into getting a macro and heard this one is quite good:

http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/lenses/macro/105mm.htm

Why is it also called a telephoto lens? I always thought they were completely different things but does this mean that macros can do telephoto shots as well? Can they do 'normal' shots?

I'm so confused!

Answer 1

Contrary to several other answers the lens you show is a true macro lens. It gives you a full 1:1 (life size) image of your subject. Apparently some people are confused about how close the lens can focus but that's because its a 105mm macro. Trust me, you'll appreciate the longer working distance from bees and you'll be less likely to scare away butterflies.



You might want to look at the latest Tamron 90mm macro lens as well.



My personal macro lens is a 100mm.

Answer 2

I happen to own this lens and it is very good. The 105mm focal length enables me to take close-ups of flowers or insects whilst keeping a reasonable distance away from the subject. The f2.8 aperture lets in plenty of light and keeps the background nicely blurred.

You can use it as a 105mm telephoto lens as well as a macro lens, so it can do “normal” telephoto shots, as well as macro photos.

However, it is not a zoom lens like your 18-55mm zoom. It has a fixed focal length of 105mm, which means if you want to alter the amount of the subject appearing in the frame you will have to move the camera.

I suggest you visit your local camera shop and have a look at this lens. You can read all the reviews you like, but the real review will happen when you put the lens on your camera and take a few test photos.

Try joining a local camera club or join an evening class in photography.

Answer 3

Okay, this is a good lens in the medium telephoto range. Sigma lenses have been around for umpteen years and are good for the price. Take care of it and it will give you good service.

It is not a true 'macro'. A macro as you are aware is a close-up lens. And I mean "close". When you want to get right on top, so to speak.

Sigma is telling you that you can take 'medium' telephotos with it, letting you get images as you would with a "standard" 50mm len but at twice the distance ( 2x magnification in other words).

This is a very efficient lens with a big objective allowing good natural light photography.

But this is not a macro in the true sense -- closest focusing is about 12 inches.And a macro doesn't do telephoto duty.

A telephoto lens is like this one and others with longer focal lengths (like 200mm 300mm), than a "standard" 50mm lens ( known as standard or normal because it captures an image size very close to what the unaided eye sees). Telephotos magnify the scene or bring it closer. As a rule of thumb a 100mm lens has twice the magnification power of a 50mm, a 200mm has 4x and so on. Very useful when you want wildlife or sports shots and the like and you can't walk up close.

Your current 18-55mm lens is a zoom. Unlike a telephoto lens ( which is a fixed focal length like 100mm), yours is variable . It will let you adjust from 18mm wide-angle (that's a good wide angle) to a close to standard 55mm. Usually, not always, but usually, photogs will carry a 70-210mm zoom as their second lens nowadays instead of a fixed telephoto. Lots more range to play with. With telephoto adapters you can easily increase the range to 140-420mm.

Answer 4

A macro lens allows for close up photos. Say you are shooting with a regular 50mm lens, then the minimum focal distance from lens to object being photographed is roughly 12-18 inches. A macro lens has a closer focal range, allowing the lens to be as close as maybe 6-8 inches. All of this depends on the quality and brand of the lens. But these numbers are close.



Taking a quick glance at the specs for the lens you are interested in, I would not consider this to be a true macro. My metric conversions aren't great, but I think 31.3cm is about 15 inches.



It is called a telephoto lens because of the 105mm length. That means that it is doing somewhat of a close up. The human eye is roughly the equivilant of a 50mm lens. Anything longer is like a telescope, and brings objects close.



I do like the aperture ratings on this lens. It goes from F2.8 to F45. The smaller the number, the larger the opening of the aperture. Kind of like wire gages.



The aperture affects the depth of field in a photo. The wider the opening(F2.8), the narrower the depth of field. This allows focusing on one object, and blurring the fore and backgrounds. The smaller the opening(F45) the wider the depth of field. Many objects will be in focus. For example, Ansel Adams shot with F64 and look at how much detail there is over the entire photo.



A great example of this is to use your eyes. When you are looking at something nearby and focusing on one object, your eyes are open wide. When you are looking in the distance with no real focal point, you are likely to squint.



I'm not here to bash any specific brand, but I will tell you that years ago, a friend bought a Sigma lens at the same time I bought a Canon lens. I still have my Canon, and he has a Canon now too. The Sigma got returned withing a few days.



Good shooting to you!

Answer 5

Let me explain the lens you are referencing with concepts that you will understand easier ESPECIALLY when it's claim of macro/telephoto is being used.



A lot of companies and the general photography industry seems to feel that the 50mm is essentially 'what you see' from the camera's point of view. What they mean is that a 50mm lens will capture what you would normally see in front of you on a perceptual basis.



I don't want this to be confusing to you because you know and I know that if we look through the lens of a SLR linked with a 50mm lens with both eyes open... there are two different images in front of each eye and, realistically, the perception with the 70mm would appear to be the same perspective of your eye and the viewfinder.



Telephoto is anything that creates the perception of being closer to you (about 75mm is where you will appreciate a slight difference in magnification). By definition then, a telephoto lens is a lens with a longer focal length than standard, giving a narrow field of view and a magnified image.



It goes beyond telephoto though... macro is extreme telephoto... does that make sense? A good macro lens can reproduce a ratio of 1:1 (what you see through the viewfinder is a magnified (telephoto) version of something close).



So, what you are getting in your lens from Sigma is simply this... a telephoto lens with the ability to focus on closer subjects. It's not really a true macro (mine can nearly touch the subject with my front lens and still focus... beyond 1:1 and a true macro lens).



I hope that wasn't confusing.

Answer 6

The term macro is often misused,originally it was a lens that would form an image the same size as the subject,

ie, a one inch long insect would fill a one inch piece of film.

Now it's used for any lens that will go close up.

A telephoto lens brings objects much closer than normal,so if you are photographing butterflies,for example,or rattlesnakes you can take a close up without being too close.

Your 18-55 will go quite close,different distances at different settings.A special macro lens,while not zooming, will go in closer and give much better quality results,it will also work with bellows and close up extension tubes to get really close,zoom lenses don't work to well on these.So, you could photograph the proverbial gnat's kneecap. My Sigma macro is a 50mm which is the equivalent of 75mm on my Nikon D200 and while not as fast to focus as the Nikon is a very useful lens for photographing close ups and especially jewelry and insects and flowers .Speed and zooming do not matter too much with macro photography as I usually work on a tripod with the aperture closed right down to get as much in focus as possible.Depth of field of focus is a problem with macro work and specialist macro lenses often stop down to much smaller apertures than normal lenses,ie f32,or even f64.

Macro lenses usually focus from really close to infinity and often make a very good portrait lens too.

Answer 7

Join http://www.redbubble.com/, its totally free.

You can upload your photos, and learn a lot.

Regarding the lens, it is a good lens, but a fixed focal length.

A good all round lens would be a Tamron 28-300 or 18-250, and both have a macro facility.

I use the cheap Sigma 70-300 with macro facility, with excellent results, and you can get one for about £100.

If you want to see examples of my work, message me, and I will send you a link to my profile on Redbubble.

Answer 8

http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/2349994755/sizes/o/



That lens is designed so it can focus very closely.



Above is what it looks like at different focal lengths. The 50 mm lens is considered a "normal" lens, as what you would see, that is. The 100 mm is "narrower" than the 50 mm lens would produce.



I think it's probably a good idea for you to take photography lessons. Meanwhile, start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography

Answer 9

Because the lens can also be used as a 105mm lens.



50mm is equal to the eye. Below 50mm (say 28mm) is wide angle and longer than 50mm (say 105mm) is telephoto bring the subject in closer.



I hope that helps.



Rosh

http://www.newmediaphotographer.com

Answer 10

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Answer 11

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Answer 12

fisheyes use a very convexed lens... extra wide angles use a slight convexed lens... macros use magnification... i use a Tamron 90mm macro lens and a Tamron 10-24mm wide angle lens...

Answer 13

it means it has a wide zoom. it has a low end so you can shoot close up pix but also has a zoom but not a big zoom. its called a medium telaphoto and macro lens.