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Originally Posted by ruchai
You do not need a macro lens for dragonflies. Macro lens is originally for life size or bigger than life pictures. Many lenses now are called macro lenses but could not take life size pictures, you have to blow them up in the computer, nothing to do with the lens. I usually use my Nikkor80-400VR for dragonflies and butterflies. See my dragonfly picture here. http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/...cat/fav/page/2
Real macro lenses are expensive because they are designed for close-up works. They can not sell them in big volume like conventional lenses. You will have to pay for quality. There are no such thing as cheap good macro lens.
It's the ccd and the lens that produce sharp sparkling pictures. No other things will. So buy the camera that has the best ccd, luckily at present it's the D50 which is the lowest priced dslr from Canon or Nikon. Buy the best lenses. With modern high quality zoom lens you do not need shelffull of lenses. |
Macro is not necessarily for life size or bigger. My Nikon 200mm F4 micro only goes to 1:2 i.e. half life size. Manufacturers seem to use macro to mean anything between 1:4 and 1:1.
You are correct that a macro lens is not essential for close ups, as you can add extension tubes or a decent diopter lens and some zoom lenses often have a macro mode. But a macro lens will usually if not always give better quality imaging. Whether that difference matters to you is another issue. (And more importantly whether or not you are prepared to pay for the difference.) In my experience dragonflies need 1:4 for big uns and 1:2 or smaller for little uns.
IMO the advantage of longer focal length is greater working distance. I see you have a nice Rat Snake picture. Mmmm. I might prefer working distance for snakes! (I'm sure you will tell me that Rat Snakes are big softies.)
I never use macro lenses hand held, though hand held in flight shots are now possible thanks to the wonders of modern cameras.
Leif