Help Please

[brens]

I just bought a Canon Eos Rebel T1i 500D it came with the standard 55-250 lens and I also got the 18-55 mm lens - I'm new to this and don't know that much. My question is I tried to focus in on a Bee and could not get it to focus. I had the zoom lens on,Could that have been the reason? Thanks Brenda

 

[seilerbird]

The minimum focusing distance for your 55-250 lens is 3.6 feet. To focus on a bee you would need a macro lens like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-Compact-Macro-Lens/dp/B00006I53V/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1272401076&sr=1-5
which can focus down to 9 inches.

 

[brens]

Thanks Tom.

 

[brens]

I hope you can help me out again? I went to amazon and looked at the Canon ef50mm Macro lens,I liked it! I thought I want it,then I looked at the reviews and said to slow to focus and loud . Re-comended the Sigma Macro 50 mm f2.8  What is your thought on this? Is this lens just for close up?Thanks Brenda

 

[vermilye]

As a Nikon user I can't specifically comment on your choice of macro lens other than to say most macro users use manual focus & a tripod, so I wouldn't worry about slow or loud focusing.  When you get that close to a subject your depth of field is so narrow you rather than the camera should decide what part of the image should be sharp. 

 

[tnsauerkraut]

I own the Canon Rebel and I use only Canon lenses.  I've tried others and they just don't seem to work as well.  I have that Macro lens and I've never had any problem with noise.

 

[brens]

I own the Canon Rebel and I use only Canon lenses.  I've tried others and they just don't seem to work as well.  I have that Macro lens and I've never had any problem with noise.

What can you tell me about close up with your Macro lens? I want to take some pictures of small insects.

 

[brens]

As a Nikon user I can't specifically comment on your choice of macro lens other than to say most macro users use manual focus & a tripod, so I wouldn't worry about slow or loud focusing.  When you get that close to a subject your depth of field is so narrow you rather than the camera should decide what part of the image should be sharp.

Thanks for that advise. I need to learn how to use the manual focus.

 

[vermilye]

What can you tell me about close up with your Macro lens? I want to take some pictures of small insects.

One additional point about shooting small insects - a long focal length lens may be preferable because it puts you further away from the bug.  I have both a 105mm & a 55mm macro lens and often use the 105mm when shooting butterflies, dragonflies, etc.  If you want to get really close to get images of flies eyes, etc, get a reverse mounting adapter for one of your current lenses.  You will need to get very close to the insect and have a very shallow depth of field, but the amount of magnification with a reversed lens is impressive.

The first is at 105mm mounted normally,
The second image is a reverse mounted 55mm

 

[seilerbird]

Brenda - Shooting macro is a whole different world. There are a few books on macro photography available at Amazon or you might just want to look up web sites with macro instructions. I don't agree that most macro shooters use a tripod and manual focus. I have never used either and I have taken a zillion macro shots. You don't need a macro lens that focuses fast or is quiet. Those are very expensive options to include in a lens.

Vermilye is correct that you should have a longer focal length for bugs. I recommended the 50mm since it is Canon's least expensive macro. If you want a longer focal length macro lens it will cost more money. I don't even own a macro lens. When I want to shoot a macro I use my telephoto and crop it. The shot of the bee was taken with a 100-400 at the 400 setting which means 640mm. I was about 6 feet away and I cropped the photo severely. With a macro lens I would have had to have been about 3 inches from the bee to get that shot and the bee would not stand for that.

There are extention tubes and teleconvertors you can put on the front or the back of your lens to do macro, but I would recommend you avoid those products until you have used a macro lens for a while.

 

[tnsauerkraut]

Brenda - Shooting macro is a whole different world. There are a few books on macro photography available at Amazon or you might just want to look up web sites with macro instructions. I don't agree that most macro shooters use a tripod and manual focus. I have never used either and I have taken a zillion macro shots. You don't need a macro lens that focuses fast or is quiet. Those are very expensive options to include in a lens.

Vermilye is correct that you should have a longer focal length for bugs. I recommended the 50mm since it is Canon's least expensive macro. If you want a longer focal length macro lens it will cost more money. I don't even own a macro lens. When I want to shoot a macro I use my telephoto and crop it. The shot of the bee was taken with a 100-400 at the 400 setting which means 640mm. I was about 6 feet away and I cropped the photo severely. With a macro lens I would have had to have been about 3 inches from the bee to get that shot and the bee would not stand for that.

There are extention tubes and teleconvertors you can put on the front or the back of your lens to do macro, but I would recommend you avoid those products until you have used a macro lens for a while.

I agree with Tom.  I have never used a tripod and I photograph wildflowers every year.  I also use a telephoto lens because I couldn't afford a macro originally.  Then, when I got one, I had gotten so used to my other one that I never use it.