What Macro Lenses Do You Use?

[buk]

i just got a canon t3i for christmas and the stock lens is obviously not the greatest. i'd like the macro pics of my tanks to be much nicer. so the question comes: What macro lenses do you use? i'd rather rely some on peoples first hand experiences rather that blowing a ton of money and not having something i'm happy with.
also, who uses a remote shutter control? which ones? there are a ton of super cheap ones out there but i'm a bit skeptical of them.

[larryandlaura]

I try and use the macro feature on my DROID lol.........

[BeakerBob]

Buk, if you have the funds, get the Amazon.com: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (~$890). You will be very happy with this lens.

Amazon.com: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2B7p69Y1AL.@@AMEPARAM@@41%2B7p69Y1AL

If you do not use the IS (internal stabilization) because you are shooting tank pictures on a tripod, then find the Amazon.com: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens (~$550). This lens is the same as above, but no IS. IS is great if you are hand holding the camera in low light situations to take pictures, but you turn it off if the camera is mounted on a tripod.
Amazon.com: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419STM7GVWL.@@AMEPARAM@@419STM7GVWL

A great alternative to the Canon lens is the Amazon.com: Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP A/M 1:1 Macro Lens ~$450). HERE is a good comparison between the two lenses, Canon macro vs Tamron macro lens.

Amazon.com: Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP A/M 1:1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31DDKTH8CFL.@@AMEPARAM@@31DDKTH8CFL

Stay away from the 50 or 60mm macro lenses (anything less than 90mm). At first, you will like the lens because you can get very close to take pictures. Later you will find that you HAVE to get very close to the subject to get the macro pictures and that you can't do it because corals are in the middle or back of the tank.

As far as the remote shutter release, I have found that the cheaper ones on Ebay work just as well as the Canon or Nikon ones do. Mine came from China and it works very well at a good distance at a GREAT price. Just search for remote shutter release for Canon T3i on Ebay for the correct one. Make sure you get a wireless remote. This is the one I use that is compatible with the Canon T3i: Wireless Remote Shutter Release for Canon Rebel T3/T3i | eBay

[buk]

YOUR THE MAN BB!!!
that is exactly what i was looking for. thanks for taking the time to post that info.

[larryandlaura]

Which one you getting Buk?

[buk]

hard to say. none are exactly in the budget yet. but most likely leaning toward the 2nd one unless i can find one second hand in good shape.

[bluwc]

Mike/poisden was selling his canon for 450 I think. Great price, great lense. Do a members search and send him a pm. He had a selling thread a while back on it

[buk]

thanks for the heads up

[jduck]

+1 for the Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP A/M 1:1 Macro Lens. Its the one that I use.

[bluwc]

Why don't you post some pics of what the lense can do? And bad bad buk and bad BB, I think I may now go buy the Tamron today on Amazon because of this thread....