[Adam Lincoln]

I need to do some close up shots of insects for someone, and not got anything suitable. They are not paying me but would be willing to buy me a lens for the job that i would keep after. Anyone had much experience with macro lenses, and if so what do you recommend. I have a Nikon D200.

Seems the Nikon 60mm f/2.8 gets good reviews.

[dave]

I'd think about a 105mm, you'll have more working distance. Or just get a decent quality closeup diopter to put on any existing long lens you may have, something like a nikon 5T or 6T.

[Adam Lincoln]

Or just get a decent quality closeup diopter to put on any existing long lens you may have, something like a nikon 5T or 6T.

Good knowledge i have never heard of these.

[Jim]

better get bidding

[SA Chris]

If they are buying the lens for you, why spend £40 on a diopter? At least get something for your efforts.

[dave]

I think i misread the bit where they're buying you the lens. in that case look take them to town on a 200mm!

[Johnny Brown]

I do quite a lot of insect photography. Few things to ask:

Are the insects alive?

If they are, as Dave said, a big working distance will be useful. That means you get the same magnification from further away.

How big are they? If they're a decent size like tropical butterflies, a close-focussing tele might be more use than a true macro. If they are small, like ants, you can ignore the rest of the advice as mags above 1:1 are a totally different game.

How much are they willing to pay?  Around the £250 mark you could get an old version Nikon 60mm, or for a bit more a Tamron/ Sigma 105mm, or for around £500 a Sigma 150/2.8 or a Nikon 105. 200/4s are £1k+.

Probably the best option would be a Sigma 150/2.8. The working distance will be very useful, the price is reasonable. The two best known insect photographers in the Uk use these.

Cheaper options - a 2nd hand manual focus Nikon 105mm (£150), or a 2nd hand Tamron 90mm (<£100, depending on version). The Tamron is a classic.

I mainly use two old olympus macros - 90/2 and 135/4.5 - on a home made adapter. You can fudge a lot with macro, as AF is useless, and you tend to be on a tripod, and there pretty much aren't any poor macro lenses. Whatever you get, it'll more than likely be your sharpest lens.

The other big question is lighting - you'll need a lot. You need small apertures for any dof at high mags, plus effective aperture decreases with magnification = slow shutter. For web use you can crank up the iso, but for quality either everything needs to be locked down on a tripod for long shutter speeds, or you're looking at flash. A proper macroflash is very useful, otherwise you'll need an extra hand to hold the flash in the right place.

Anymore qs, just ask.

[dave]

good arrows there. for reference i've seen the previous AF 105mm nikon macro lenses going second hand for very reasonable money (sub-200 sheets) since they brought the AF-S version out.

The main problem with buying sigma is its a complete...

[Johnny Brown]

I don't think so with the 150mm. Seems to have a very good rep.

[dave]

I must admit I've used a borrowed sigma 105mm macro in the past and it seemed decent etc.

[cofe]

Just stand closer.

[Adam Lincoln]

Cheers guys. Insects are alive, yes. They are bees! I have grown up with loads of bee hives in the garden so no issues on the being nervous front.

I think i need to test the water with a price so i can narrow the lens down which i am going to get. I don't mind putting a bit towards it now having looked into macro photography last night. Seen some awesome shots i it is something that really interests me.

My flash won't really be up to the job, as its a sb600.

[dave]

quote author=Adam Lincoln link=topic=13040.msg230720#msg230720 date=1259318540]
My flash won't really be up to the job, as its a sb600.
[/quote]

why?

[Adam Lincoln]

quote author=Adam Lincoln link=topic=13040.msg230720#msg230720 date=1259318540]
My flash won't really be up to the job, as its a sb600.

why?
[/quote]

I suppose 'up to the job' was the wrong phrase.
I have read a few reviews on using it in macro pics, and it does the job, but obviously could be better with a macro flash. But then we are getting into spending a fair wad of cash.

[dave]

seriously you don't need a macro flash to take macro shots. you can control the sb600 off camera from your camera. this actually gives you more flexibility in terms of lighting than being stuck with a macro flash setup with a flash fixed either side of the lens. The only difficulty is holding the flash where you want it, but thats easy enough to do in most situations with either another tripod/minipod/stand, a spare person etc.  With one light you can easily get a bit of fill from the other side using a reflector, sheet of white paper, crumpled then flattend sheet of tinfoil wrapped round some card etc. You'll easily have enough power.

[Johnny Brown]

A Sb-600, even on hotshoe, will be fine for starters. The only issue is the lens shading the subject, but that's unlikely. A good solution is a diffuser sheet held in front of the flash and lens - acts like a softbox.

For really nice results you want two flashes in the ten-to-two position, in fornt of the lens. Macroflashes are basically ways of doing this neatly, a cheaper option would be a SB-600 and a SB-R200 in a home made bracket. Or a cheapo macroflash in manual.

[magpie]

I have no useful advice but I would like to see the bee pictures when you are done, please. 

[Tris]

For really nice results you want two flashes in the ten-to-two position, in fornt of the lens. Macroflashes are basically ways of doing this neatly, a cheaper option would be a SB-600 and a SB-R200 in a home made bracket. Or a cheapo macroflash in manual.

There's loads of stuff on the net for making diffusers/adapting flash guns etc:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=218157
http://home.comcast.net/~dougsmit/bounceflashtoys.html

[Tris]

Also this home made diffuser (milk bottle) for macro shots got really good reviews on the photography forums:

http://www.shaolintiger.com/2007/09/07/the-shaolin-botol-susu-diffuser-plastic-milk-bottle-for-11-macro-photography/

(disclaimer: I have no real experience in macro photography, I only came across this last year when reading up on extra diffusers/bounce techniques for my SB600)