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photo:lenses_macro

lenses for macrophotography

closest focus comparisons

  • 1:1 in the first table is not the lens magnification but the system magnification and means it covers a subject area of 36x24mm on the sensor
  • adding a 2x teleconverter doubles the magnification whilst keeping the working distance the same
  • adding a 25mm extension tube allows closest focus to be shorter (eg.halved on a 50mm macro) and this working distance is reduced in order to gain increased magnification (double when using a 50mm macro lens)
  • IF = internal focus (ie. lens does not change in length as one focuses closer)
  • Mag = lens magnification (one needs to multiply this by the sensor crop factor to get effective system magnification)
  • MFD = minimum focus distance
  • MWD = working distance at closest focus
  • TC = compatible with teleconverter
  • 12mm ET = lens magnification when used with a 12mm extension tube
  • 25mm ET = lens magnification when used with a 25mm extension tube
  • prices are for new prices quoted on amazon.com mid-2011
  • MTF at f/8 - MTF (sharpness)
  • CA at f/8 - chromatic aberation

effect of sensor size

Lens Working distance full frame APS-H DX APS-C MicroFourThirds
crop factor 1.0x 1.3x 1.5x 1.6x 2.0x
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro ~10cm N/A N/A N/A N/A 1:1
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 + EC20 ~10cm N/A N/A N/A N/A 2:1
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 + 25mm ext. ~5cm N/A N/A N/A N/A 2:1
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro ~10cm N/A N/A N/A 1:1 N/A
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro ~12cm 1:2 1:1.5 N/A 1:1.25 1:1
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS macro ~18cm 1:1 1.3:1 N/A 1.6:1 2:1
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro ~24cm 1:1 1.3:1 N/A 1.6:1 2:1

modern lenses

Lens weight length filter MFD MWD IF Mag TC 12mm ET 25mm ET $US price MTF f/8 CA f/8
Pan. 30mm f/2.8 OIS macro g mm mm cm No $
Olympus ZD 35mm f/3.5 macro 165g 71mm 52mm 5cm No 1:1 Yes 2.0x $289 good low
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro 300g 62mm 52mm 20cm 10cm No 1:2 Yes 1.0x $599 exc v.low
Leica-D 45mm f/2.8 macro MFT 225g 63mm 46mm 15cm Yes 1:1 N/A N/A N/A $696 v.good v.low
Olympus mZD 60mm f/2.8 macro MFT g mm 46mm 19cm 7-8cm Yes 1:1 N/A N/A N/A $599 excellent v.low
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro 269g 63mm 52mm 25cm 10.5cm No 1:2 LC $299 good
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro 335g 70mm 52mm 20cm 9cm Yes 1:1 No 1.28x 1.61x $449
Olympus m.ZD 60mm f/2.8 macro 1:1
Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x macro 730g 98mm 58mm 10cm at 1x, 4cm at 5x No 5:1 No N/A N/A $1019 v.good
Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/3.5G DX VR352g 99mm 52mm 29cm Yes 1:1 $549 good v.low
PC Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D tilt-shift 775g 110mm 77mm 39cm No 1:2 Yes $1899
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 tilt-shift 565g 58mm 50cm No 1:3.4 Yes 0.42x 0.60x $1329 v.good
Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP macro 405g 97mm 55mm 29cm 10cm 1:1 Yes $1023
Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro macro 513g 95mm 55mm 11.5cm No 1:1 No 1.17x 1.37x $400 v.good
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 nonIS macro 600g 119mm 58mm 31cm cm Yes 1:1 No 1.17x 1.37x $569 good+ low
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS macro 625g 123mm 67mm 30cm 14.6cm No 1:1 No 1.17x 1.37x $999 exc. v.low
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G VR macro 790g 116mm 62mm 31cm 15cm Yes 1:1 No 1.17x 1.37x $1249 exc. mod.
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro 450g 95mm 58mm 31cm 12cm 1:1 N $969 discont.
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM OS Macro 725g 126mm 62mm 31cm 1:1 $1400
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro 895g 137mm 72mm 38cm 19cm 1:1 Y $1099 discont.
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM OS Macro 1150g 150mm 72mm 38cm 19cm 1:1 Y $1600
Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM Macro g 204mm 86mm 47cm Y 1:1 Y $1699
Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP macro 920g 166mm 72mm 47cm Yes 1:1 Yes $1534
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro 1090g 187mm 72mm 48cm 24cm Yes 1:1 Yes 1.09x 1.21x $2500 v.good

legacy MF lenses no bellows needed

MF lenses for use on bellows

    • Olympus Zuiko 20mm f/3.5 OM preset objective lens 4.3-12.4x micro
    • Olympus Zuiko 38mm f/3.5 OM preset objective lens 1.8-6x micro
    • Olympus Zuiko 80mm f/4 OM preset lens 0.26-2.3x macro
    • Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 20mm f/2 5.3-13.5x micro
    • Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 38mm f/2.8 2.3-6.7x micro
    • Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 80mm f/4 0.2-2.2x macro
    • Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 135mm f/4.5 0.2-1.0x macro
photo/lenses_macro.txt · Last modified: 2020/06/05 14:53 by gary1

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