Starting to look for a macro and telephoto lens for my Sony Alpha a58

[george013]

Macro lenses are not fixed focal length, so composition means many fine adjustments / re-positioning of your camera on the tripod. We are looking at a few degrees of rotation and a few cm / fractions of a cm to compose. Macro shooters DO NOT autofocus, not that autofocus doesn't work, but rather that it is not good enough to focus on the subject. How good are your manual focus skills, given your vision issues?

Thoughts?

Manfred,
Probably a word to much in the hurry.

George

[Manfred M]

Manfred,
Probably a word to much in the hurry.

George

Sometimes my fingers move faster than my brain. You are correct of course. Most macro lenses are fixed focal length.

[JBW]

Sometimes my fingers move faster than my brain. You are correct of course. Most macro lenses are fixed focal length.

Not a problem i am acquainted with.

Just a quick question: without moving into niche lenses how much difference would a better lens of the same basic type i now have make. maybe with a little more reach?

Something along the lines of a Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC MACRO HSM Contemporary Lens

[Stagecoach]

Hi Brian,

Following on from Manfred's input regarding focusing with macro work how about doing some experimentation to see how well you can focus manually.

Looking at your recent Hibiscus shots the ends of the stigmas appear OOF. Have a try manually focussing on these with camera on tripod whilst using a wide aperture for minimum DOF.

If mobility is a concern, sitting in a chair camera on tripod with subjects on a table/bench at the right height in decent light may be a solution for the macro route.

[Manfred M]

First of all, it's not a macro. It's not even close. If you look at the specs:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._dc_macro.html

You have a 1:3 ratio (just over 15" minimum focus distance, and that's at 18mm.

That's actually worse than your current 18 - 55mm lens that lets you get as close as just under 10" at 18mm with the same 1:3 ratio.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...f_3_5_5_6.html

You'd probably be further ahead with something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...hoto_Lens.html With the two lenses that would give you coverage from 18mm to 300mm,

[Manfred M]

Hi Brian,

Following on from Manfred's input regarding focusing with macro work how about doing some experimentation to see how well you can focus manually.

Looking at your recent Hibiscus shots the ends of the stigmas appear OOF. Have a try manually focussing on these with camera on tripod whilst using a wide aperture for minimum DOF.

If mobility is a concern, sitting in a chair camera on tripod with subjects on a table/bench at the right height in decent light may be a solution for the macro route.

Grahame - he's already shooting from a stool using a tripod. I've gotten him to try shooting tethered to give him a larger view on his laptop. He's done this indoors, but is afraid of damaging the laptop if he shoots tethered outdoors. Manual focus with MS, I suspect is going to not work at all. From what I have seen with people with MS, fine motor control is simply not there.

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

Following on from Manfred's input regarding focusing with macro work how about doing some experimentation to see how well you can focus manually.

Looking at your recent Hibiscus shots the ends of the stigmas appear OOF. Have a try manually focussing on these with camera on tripod whilst using a wide aperture for minimum DOF.

If mobility is a concern, sitting in a chair camera on tripod with subjects on a table/bench at the right height in decent light may be a solution for the macro route.

Manual focussing is a problem. if I had eanted to I could have adjusted the focus to concentrate on the stigma using auto focus and spot sighting it. I went with a wider area focus to get as much as i could in reasonable focus. Stool and tripod are my constant companions.

[Stagecoach]

Manfred,

My ideas come from this comment of Brian's, along with his interest in Macro.

With my expanding list of limitations what gear would people suggest that will allow me the most pleasure from my Sony Alpha a58?

Focusing manually (or in a controlled Auto mode) can certainly be helped with aids such as being tethered but an option for Brian also is to consider moving towards the 'outside studio' approach if he wishes to pursue the macro aspect.

If he can manage the focussing I believe he will get more value, up his present skills and have far more to explore than to go the telephoto route.

[JBW]

First of all, it's not a macro. It's not even close. If you look at the specs:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._dc_macro.html

You have a 1:3 ratio (just over 15" minimum focus distance, and that's at 18mm.

That's actually worse than your current 18 - 55mm lens that lets you get as close as just under 10" at 18mm with the same 1:3 ratio.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...f_3_5_5_6.html

You'd probably be further ahead with something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...hoto_Lens.html With the two lenses that would give you coverage from 18mm to 300mm,

Okay lets assume I keep the lens I now have and work with your suggestion. I don't suppose there is a zoom type lens for the sony that can get in as close as the zoom on my fujifilm which was about one inch.

[JBW]

Manfred,

My ideas come from this comment of Brian's, along with his interest in Macro.



Focusing manually (or in a controlled Auto mode) can certainly be helped with aids such as being tethered but an option for Brian also is to consider moving towards the 'outside studio' approach if he wishes to pursue the macro aspect.

If he can manage the focussing I believe he will get more value, up his present skills and have far more to explore than to go the telephoto route.

and I listen to everyone's ideas.

[Dave Humphries]

~ I don't suppose there is a zoom type lens for the Sony that can get in as close as the zoom on my Fujifilm which was about one inch.

"One inch" which way Brian?

a) Was that one inch between front of lens and subject?
b) Or that a subject one inch long stretched across the entire frame width?

The answer to your question is that a macro lens probably will do b), as I explained above.

a) is trickier to quantify; depending upon the angle of view available on the Fuji at the closest focus distance, determines how big the subject will be.
A 90mm Macro lens will probably not focus with a one inch 'working distance', but the magnification of subject may be better than the Fuji achieves due to the angle of view being narrower, despite the subject being further from the front of the lens.

[JBW]

"One inch" which way Brian?

a) Was that one inch between front of lens and subject?
b) Or that a subject one inch long stretched across the entire frame width?

The answer to your question is that a macro lens probably will do b), as I explained above.

a) is trickier to quantify; depending upon the angle of view available on the Fuji at the closest focus distance, determines how big the subject will be.
A 90mm Macro lens will probably not focus with a one inch 'working distance', but the magnification of subject may be better than the Fuji achieves due to the angle of view being narrower, despite the subject being further from the front of the lens.

it was 'A'. But B&H has answered my inquiry and their suggestion is a Tamron 70-200mm.

It's big and heavy (2.5 pounds) so a new tripod may be required. it also has a minimum distance of about 3 feet. They say it would be a nice companion to the lens I already have.

Comments?

[Dave Humphries]

it was 'A'. But B&H has answered my inquiry and their suggestion is a Tamron 70-200mm.

It's big and heavy (2.5 pounds) so a new tripod may be required. it also has a minimum distance of about 3 feet. They say it would be a nice companion to the lens I already have.

Comments?

Hi Brian,

This will be a bit of a beast (of a lens), not that I have one this heavy.

As I see it, for you, the considerations are:
Plus: Tripod collar providing the possibility of adding extension tubes between it and camera to shorten the working distance and thereby increase the magnification and having less tripod issues with this (beyond the weight).
Negative: No greater magnification (in macro terms) than you can already achieve with the 18 - 55mm lens.
Plus: At least the 0.32x magnification is available at the longest focal length (200mm), meaning you should be able to get images similar to what you are used to (with A58) from a greater distance; e.g. 3 feet.
Plus: 200mm (300mm FFE) will obviously be better at capturing distant birds than the 18 - 55mm, but not as far as the S4200 can; 576mm FFE (although the A58's image quality should be better)
Negative: Slow AF (according to many reviewers)

I may add to this list if I think of anything later.

It is a fair amount of money and, despite the name, it really only tackles half your desires "for a macro and telephoto lens", I fear it may disappoint compared to the S4200 with regard to both macro and telephoto.

Dave

discussion to be continued ...

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

This will be a bit of a beast (of a lens), not that I have one this heavy.

As I see it, for you, the considerations are:
Plus: Tripod collar providing the possibility of adding extension tubes between it and camera to shorten the working distance and thereby increase the magnification and having less tripod issues with this (beyond the weight).
Negative: No greater magnification (in macro terms) than you can already achieve with the 18 - 55mm lens.
Plus: At least the 0.32x magnification is available at the longest focal length (200mm), meaning you should be able to get images similar to what you are used to (with A58) from a greater distance; e.g. 3 feet.
Plus: 200mm (300mm FFE) will obviously be better at capturing distant birds than the 18 - 55mm, but not as far as the S4200 can; 576mm FFE (although the A58's image quality should be better)
Negative: Slow AF (according to many reviewers)

I may add to this list if I think of anything later.

It is a fair amount of money and, despite the name, it really only tackles half your desires "for a macro and telephoto lens", I fear it may disappoint compared to the S4200 with regard to both macro and telephoto.

Dave

discussion to be continued ...

One of the advantages of living where I do is that buying something is often a long process.