Rebel macro lens

gflat65

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Is the f/2.8 100mm USM still one of the better lenses in that price range for macro shots? Jonesin for one, so I thought I'd ask before pulling the trigger.
 

surfn

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yup, still one of the best.

what size is your tank?

b/c if its quite deep/large, i would suggest getting the Sigma 150mm instead.

with that said, you should practice with the kit lense for a month or so if you aren't familiar with SLR's. the settings are pretty complicated and you need to learn how to work the camera before you get a new lense IMO, as the new lense comes with a learning curve also.

JMO. get used to your camera, and dont rush to buy a macro just yet. ;)
 

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I never take mine off my camera. I love that lens.

Surfn - why would you suggest a bigger lens for a bigger tank?
 

surfn

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I never take mine off my camera. I love that lens.

Surfn - why would you suggest a bigger lens for a bigger tank?

well, if the tank is deeper, the sigma 150mm gets a longer "reach" for macros

the min focusing distance for a 1:1 on the sigma 150mm is 1.24ft (15inches), it should be less for the canon 100mm
 

surfn

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the only dowsides to the sigma are the quality control (in my situation), the weight, and if you want to take macros of stuff in the front of the tank, you have to sit the camera back further (the last 2 aren't really a big deal IMO)

but so far, i'm the only person i know to have an issue with quality control on the 150mm macro lens
 
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gflat65

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Thanks for the info:). I started reading the manual last night and have a lot to learn... I will get to start taking pics tonight. UPS after hours pick up is a fiasco. I was there with about 15 other people for almost an hour waiting on them to bring the camera to the guard shack. Shotty operations... Seems par for the course down here, though...
 

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so how's the learning going?

so do you think its a good idea to learn the camera first before getting the macro lens?? ;)
 
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gflat65

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Just gotta get them resized... It's pool night with the wife (made a decree this weekend that we should commit to a two beer minimum at least 2 days of the work week and the weekend out by the pool;)), so if not tonight, then tomorrow for sure.
 
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Well, she still hasn't made it home from work, so here goes. Camera shake is killing me...

Elias-stag.jpg

Some of the replacement frags from fishdoc (not the better ones-those pics didn't come out very clear):).
fishdoc-frags01.jpg

My Duncan monster
duncan.jpg

Not the clearest, but one of my favs.
orange-and-white.jpg

Not exactly sure what this is. The polyps are tiny and look like acans/micros, but they seem to share a wall (or the dead skelton appears that way, anyway),
micro-maybe03.jpg

micro-maybe02.jpg

micro-maybe.jpg

single-polyp-frag.jpg

reddish-white01.jpg
 
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gflat65

gflat65

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Oh yeah. I had the last two acan colonies morph right before my eyes. The next to last pic is five minutes ago and the last pic was 1 minute ago. I didn't even use glueD. Amazing, huh:D.
 
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gflat65

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I'm using auto right now. I quit using the macro function and have just gone with P. The Iso is supposed to run at 100, but it slows down under lower light. Not sure on f-stop, but it is usually around 5.8... I've read the manual, but need to go back and make note cards. First thing is to have it use the center AF. It always hits around center, but never on center... I cheated, too. I used a 15X magnifying glass in front of most of those. A tripod and a good macro (and some note cards;)) and I should be on my way.
 

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I'm using auto right now. I quit using the macro function and have just gone with P. The Iso is supposed to run at 100, but it slows down under lower light. Not sure on f-stop, but it is usually around 5.8... I've read the manual, but need to go back and make note cards. First thing is to have it use the center AF. It always hits around center, but never on center... I cheated, too. I used a 15X magnifying glass in front of most of those. A tripod and a good macro (and some note cards;)) and I should be on my way.

f 5.8, that makes sense....some of those pics have a VERY narrow depth of field.

try AV mode, around F11, center AF, ISO 200......the shutter delay will be longer, so you'll need to set the camera on a tripod, or on some books or something or you'll get alot of blurr from camera movement. you'll be amazed at the difference that will make!

just make sure the lens is even with the plane of glass, any angles will create distortion in the image. oh yeah, use the timer option.
 

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hey gary, what kind of shutter speeds are you getting on those blurry shots? Bump your ISO up to 800 or 1600 so you can tell the difference. You get more noise, but not too much of an issue with what you're shooting. I;d throw it in AV mode and make yourself learn that way. I wouldn't throw your F-stop up unless you have a tripod either...if you're heolding the body tight thru the entire exposure, have good light, bump up the ISO you should get good shutter speeds...you don't want your shutter speed to be smaller than your focal length. ie. if that kit lens is a 55 (not sure what it is)...you'd like to get shutter speeds at least that but higher.
 
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