Picking a Macro Lens That doesn't break the Bank

Photographed with a Sony a77 mark ii and a Tamron 60mm Macro


Today we are talking about one of my favorite lenses, the macro lens. I'm without one at the moment and I have nearly as much lust in my heart for a Fujifilm 80mm f/2.8 macro as I do for Alyssa Milano(yes I know I'm old). If you find yourself chasing bugs around getting frustrated because you can never get close enough and still focus you need a macro lens. Macro's aren't the cheapest lenses on the planet but they are very good at doing double duty. They do their main job of macro photography well and for most photographers will be more portrait lens than they need.

I'm going to do this list a little different than yesterday's list. I'm going to cover stand out third party lenses first and then cover manufacturer lenses on a per manufacturer basis after that.

Third Party Lenses

Tamron has a great macro lens called the Tamron SP 60mm f/2 Di II 1:1 Macro that is available for the Canon, Nikon and Sony A mount. It costs about $525 USD so it's not cheap but it's one of the best lenses at any price I've had the pleasure to shoot. See that image at the top of the post? That was shot with this lens.

If you plan on moving up to a full frame camera eventually the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD Lens also comes in Canon, Nikon, and Sony A mounts. It costs around 650 USD, is just as good optically as the 60mm, and has the added bonus of image stabilization. This is a new design and as such it's compatible with Tamron's Tap in module(an extra $50 USD) that will allow you to update the lenses firmware online and thus allow you to keep the lens usable far into the future.

Sigma also has a good Full Frame macro lens. It's an older design but that's not as big of an issue in macro lenses because their optical formulas haven't changed for over a decade now. The lens is called the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens and costs around $550. It also has image stabilization and is available in Canon, Nikon, and Sony A mounts.

Canon

As we work our way through this series it's going to become apparent that Canon has a lot of decent lenses that are really cheap. If they only approached their camera bodies the same way. The EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens is a good lens that costs $400 USD.

If you're looking for stabilization and a full frame lens because you plan on stepping up to a full frame body one day look no further than to the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens. It's pricey at $750 USD but you get image stabilization. You also get to be a lens snob with that red ring goodness of the L series. For many Canon Shooters this is the best lens in there bag.

Nikon

Nikon macro lens are over priced and under preform. Buy the Tamron or Sigma lenses listed above.

Fujifilm

Just like with wide angle lenses. Fujifilm choices are expensive and if you want auto focus there aren't any third party options. So here's your choice, it's called the XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro and it costs $1200 USD. It's all metal construction and insanely sharp so sell a kidney, you only need one right?

Pentax

You still got that stuff? Okay well good news. Pentax has a really good full frame lens that costs what most other brands sell aps-c macros for. It's called the smc PENTAX-D FA 100mm f/2.8 WR Macro Lens and costs $500 USD. It's weather sealed and has all metal construction. If Pentax's autofocus was as good as this lens it would be selling a lot more cameras.

Sony A-Mount

Sony has only one true A mount macro lens and it's overpriced compared to the excellent third party lenses from Tamron and Sigma. Buy one of those instead.

Sony E-Mount

Sony doesn't have a legit aps-c macro lens so to do macro you'll have to step up to there only full frame offering. It's a spectacular, and expensive, lens. It's called FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens and costs right at $1000 USD.

Conclusion

Macro is some of the most fun you can have with a camera. Picking a good lens will help you get the most out of that fun. All of the Macro lenses I listed here today will do a good job standing in as a protrait lens as well. Just a reminder. I have no deals with any equipment companies or retailers, your upvotes are my only compensation for the time I put in on this blog. I do recommend B&H( https://www.bhphotovideo.com ) for buying your equipment because I've been buying through them for years with no problems.

Links to previous posts in this series:

https://steemit.com/photography/@randystiefer/picking-a-wide-angle-that-doesn-t-break-the-bank