Macro lens that doesn't break the bank?

I use a set of fotodiox macro tubes from ebay; quality is totally fine, and you can't beat the price, but I have no idea how much better a real macro lens would be

plus I've only used them for tests so far, so I can't link to anything actually shot with them

so just pointing it out because, a week before buying mine, I didn't know that such thing existed
 
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Thanks for the posts...will look into those!

Edit:

Also just came across this lens on ebay for a pretty cheap price....Canon fd 100mm Macro F4....would this be an option? Some of the photos from it on Flickr certainly look impressive. Will it work ok on the 60D? (I'm assuming one needs to manual focus...but I'd do that anyway)
 
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you would need an FD to EOS adapter; they have a glass element which makes them very blurry but its only to focus to infinity. without the lens element they are decently sharp, which for macro work you dont need it so one would remove the glass element anyways.
 
Zissou said:
you would need an FD to EOS adapter; they have a glass element which makes them very blurry but its only to focus to infinity. without the lens element they are decently sharp, which for macro work you dont need it so one would remove the glass element anyways.
Click to expand...

Thanks Zissou!
 
I have the Macro Tube for my Canon lenses and it does work to get Macro shots. However, I did go the Camera store and tested the 100mm L Macro, and the 100mm L does have HUGE advantages.

The ONLY advantage of the macro tubes is the price. They do work well, but you have a fixed distance where you have to focus from depending on the lens. For example, if I use the Macro tube with my 50mm f1.4, your camera has to be exactly 3 inches away (maybe 1/2 inch range at the most) in order to focus. When you are outside the 3 inch distance, the camera will NOT focus no matter what you do.

With the 100mm Macro, you can position your camera any where up to 1 inch away and still be able to focus. Obviously, this is a HUGE advantage because of the flexibility.

So if you have cash, get the 100mm (I plan to as it's an amazing lens), but if you have no cash, get the tubes.

The guy at the camera store told me that macro tubes and zooms with macros are not true macros. in order to have a true macro where you can focus from various distances, you need a lens like the 100mm macro.
 
Zissou said:
you would need an FD to EOS adapter; they have a glass element which makes them very blurry but its only to focus to infinity. without the lens element they are decently sharp, which for macro work you dont need it so one would remove the glass element anyways.
Click to expand...

That's a good point about FD lenses. They would be good for macro only work and are much lower price used than other lenses.

Here's one that's only up to $16 so far.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CANON-FD-50mm-f...14271129?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item230b598399

Here is a 100mm Canon FD macro f4

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-FD-100mmf...0806159?pt=Camera_Filters&hash=item2c5859440f
 
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