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02-15-2013, 09:45 PM   #1
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Best macro 50mm or 90/100mm or 70-200

Hi needing a macro for close ups of musical instruments,thinking of either the Pentax 50mmm or 100mm or Sigma 105mm or Tamron 90mm or Tamron 70-200. Any advantage of the 50mm over the 90/100mm ones? need to use as normal lens as well with decent AF.Any help is appreciated
Thanks Shanti

02-15-2013, 09:53 PM   #2
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For taking pictures of whole musical instruments macro shouldn't be needed unless you are only taking pictures of small parts.
02-15-2013, 09:55 PM   #3
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If you are buying new the best lens with the highest price/performance ratio would the be the Pentax 50mm f/2.5, followed closely by the Tamron 90mm f/2.8. The Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 isn't really a macro lens, not like the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Is.
02-15-2013, 10:01 PM   #4
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I love my dfa100 wr. The quick shift is really nice. I wouldn't go with the zoom.

02-15-2013, 10:31 PM   #5
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I dislike Tamron 90 because its diameter or long front element bezel prevents the use of built in or hot shoe mounted flash for macro shots. Basically it covers the direct path between the flash and the thing you're shooting at 1:1 - half of the shot ends up in the shadow. So you have to use some kind of flash on a tripod via extension cord or hold it with your other hand of something like that, which complicates things to the point its not worth doing at all.

With 100mm WR however I have no such problems - the whole frame is covered with built-in flash's light at 1:1.

For the instruments however I think 50mm or less is more appropriate since you won't need macro on 90-100mm if you go far enough for the instrument to fit in the frame. Unless it's harmonica or something like that of course.

Last edited by olenl; 02-15-2013 at 10:37 PM.
02-16-2013, 01:26 AM   #6
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A50/2.8
02-16-2013, 01:52 AM   #7
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The DFA 50/2.8 is a crackingly good lens, Great macro, and a top performer as a "50" Prime.

02-16-2013, 02:49 AM   #8
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I have the DFA 50 2.8 macro, and the Tamron 90, and I love both of them. They are both brilliant lenses. The 50 is better at general purpose stuff, but can get in quite close if you want to, however the 90 is better for getting right in, if you do want super close shots. Unless you are doing incredibly close macro (where DoF is only a few mm) then the 50 is probably a better buy because of it's handy all-roundedness.
02-16-2013, 10:43 AM   #9
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Thanks..as I am a repair tech/builder I need some very detailed pics at times where 0.5mm makes a difference... so is the new DA 50 the best to get or an older one? it is possible to use extension rings on the new one isn't it?
02-16-2013, 10:47 AM   #10
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I have and like the Tamron 90. I either use a ring flash or off-camera lighting w/ good results.
02-16-2013, 11:12 AM   #11
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As said before the 50mm is good for close quarters or if you need to take photos of the entire instrument. 90-100mm gives you more working room between the lens and object which gives you more options for lighting. More working room may come in handy if the part is in a nook or cranny and you can't get close enough with a 50mm to focus on the object. If you need more magnification than 1 to 1 then look into extension tubes or the Raynox add-on lenses in addition to your macro lens.
02-16-2013, 11:17 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shanti Quote
Hi needing a macro for close ups of musical instruments,thinking of either the Pentax 50mmm or 100mm
QuoteOriginally posted by Shanti Quote
Any advantage of the 50mm over the 90/100mm ones?
Yes, there is a huge advantage of the 50mm over the 100mm, there is also a huge advantage of the 100mm over the 50mm -> ones wider, the other is longer, and you still have minimum focusing distance to deal with; BUT, even with that said, the biggest variable here is going to be FOV.

QuoteOriginally posted by Boker Quote
For taking pictures of whole musical instruments macro shouldn't be needed unless you are only taking pictures of small parts.
@Shanti , as @Boker noted, if you are taking pictures of whole instruments macro really isn't needed. If this is the case, the FOV on a 100+ isn't going to work well at all, here is a snap [straight from camera with no crop only downsized] of a guitar shot with the Sigma 28mm 1.8 (which has close focusing capabilities):




That is probably not what you are looking for in a shot, it does however give you a real perspective on what you can expect - in short, if you are doing snaps of complete instruments (like string instruments), you may want to start looking wider than 50...
02-16-2013, 11:20 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shanti Quote
Hi needing a macro for close ups of musical instruments,thinking of either the Pentax 50mmm or 100mm or Sigma 105mm or Tamron 90mm or Tamron 70-200. Any advantage of the 50mm over the 90/100mm ones? need to use as normal lens as well with decent AF.Any help is appreciated
Thanks Shanti
I recommend the 50 mm 2.8 macro. Besides being an excellent macro, it is a razor sharp 50 mm lens and pretty fast at 2.8. In my opinion,it is the best of the Pentax 50mms, though expensive and one stop slower than the 1.7.
02-16-2013, 12:53 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shanti Quote
Hi needing a macro for close ups of musical instruments,thinking of either the Pentax 50mmm or 100mm or Sigma 105mm or Tamron 90mm or Tamron 70-200. Any advantage of the 50mm over the 90/100mm ones? need to use as normal lens as well with decent AF.Any help is appreciated
Thanks Shanti
You don't mention what sort of instruments you want to shoot, or the environments you want to shoot them in. A piano in a small room? A piccolo in a stadium? I would think that would limit your choices depending on the appropriate focal length. How come nobody is mentioning the 35mm 2.4 Ltd? I happen to be 'over the moon' for this baby - and not just for macro work, but as a wonderful "normal" one that is a joy to use most places, most of the time...
02-16-2013, 01:40 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shanti Quote
Any advantage of the 50mm over the 90/100mm ones?
Generally no on account of short working distance. With a 50mm lens at 1:1, the lens body is close enough to the subject to block illumination. A 50mm macro will generally be a more compact, but in the field that is not as big a consideration as you might think.



That being said, if you are looking at 50s, you should add the Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro to your list as well as the Sigma 70/2.8 EX DG Macro (probably the best macro in the Sigma line).


Steve

Last edited by stevebrot; 02-16-2013 at 01:45 PM.
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