Macro lens for 60D?

S

sedna

New member
Hi from Greece:) I got Canon 60D with the 18-135mm EF-S kit lens. I want a good lens for macro photography and close-ups, particularly for people/clothes and body/nudes, but also flowers, ants and moving insects, things on water/sea, and electronics. Both photos and videos.

Which lens do you recommend/use?

I know EF lens are compatible with full-frame 5D as well, albeit more expensive. I don't plan to get a full-frame soon, but someday I might get one, so I think EF lens offer better future-proofing. Do you think I should prefer EF lens over EF-S? I'm not a pro, just learning still.
 
the usual options are the EF 100mm f/2.8 non-L macro, the EF 100mm f/2.8 L macro, and the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro (this is the only one of these 3 that won't work on full frame):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00004XOM3
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002NEGTSI
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0007WK8KS

and there's the cheap route too, of course: http://www.similaar.com/foto/tuten/520.html
 
I own the 100mm f/2.8L IS and think it's a fantastic lens. Super sharp, pretty quick to focus. Only downsides: it's a bit long for a crop, especially indoors, and it's not cheap.
You should check out the lens forum on POTN. It has a nice section organized by lens, so you can view lots (and LOTS) of photos taken by all of the lenses mentioned above.
 
For what you want the lens for the Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 is probably a good bet. A 100mm lens is probably a bit long for full body shots of people unless you can get well back from the subject. Also being an internal focus lens the 60mm has a good working distance even at its closest focus. Of course you can't use EF-S lenses on FF cameras, although I do understand that it's possible if you use a small extension tube. However, the lens would only then be usable as a macro lens. An alternative is the Sigma 70mm f2.8 macro lens, which does provide full frame coverage. It is reputed to be the sharpest lens that Sigma ever made and it is a match for the very best primes. I own one and it is superb even wide open, I mean really sharp.
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/300-sigma-af-70mm-f28-ex-dg-macro-canon-review--test-report
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/964/cat/30

Apart from the 2 Canon 100mm macro lenses these are your options for macro lenses less than 100mm. Tamron 90mm f2.8, a very good lens, and light for its focal length, but not much shorter than 100mm. Tamron 60mm f2, a very good lens, with internal focusing and a very good working distance at its closest focus, but it is only for crop sensors, but is f2. Canon 50mm f2.5 compact macro lens. This only goes to half-life size (half the magnification of the other lenses) and needs a converter to get to life-size. It is not that brilliantly constructed and whilst not poor optically, is probably not as sharp as the others. Sigma 50mm f2.8, it's cheap, is very good optically, but it's working distance at its closest focus is only a few centimetres. There is also the Zeiss Makro Planar 50mm f2. It has excellent image quality, but its pricey, it only goes to half life-size, and has no AF. I think your best choice is between the Sigma 70mm f2.8, Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 and Tamron 60mm. That is unless you think you can get away with a 100mm (160mm eqv on a crop sensor) lens.
 
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