Sigma 105 mm & a 1.4 converter?
 

Hi all,

I am planning to start out in the field of macro photography and am thinking about buying the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG for use with my Nikon D70. I want to get as close as I can so I'd also like to buy the Sigma 1.4 converter. Can these two be used together? On the Sigma site and others it seems that only APO (?) lens can be used with the converter.

Alternatively, I would love to hear any other lens recommendations from anyone that can get me as close as possible without breaking the bank!

Cheers.

Hi Baycat,

I would check out the Kenko DG AF Extension Tube Set 12-20-36 as the most economic way to go macro with your 105 Sigma. They will extend and still afford Auto Focus on your D70.

Best of Luck

Brian

If you don't want to break the bank I would go for the Sigma 180mm macro. It's decent quality and gives you the reach for nervous insects. However, it depends on what you photograph. If you do not photograph nervous insects, then the 105mm would be fine and would be easier to use i.e. lighter and more compact. I'm not sure I would use a TC though.

This might be of interest:

http://www.nnplus.de/macro/Macro100E.html

I am a little confused though. Isn't the 105mm lens you mention a macro?

Leif

Thanks for the replies.

Ideally I would like to be able to shoot both nevous flighty insects (I'm off to Borneo for 3 years so lots of beasties!) and also extreme close-ups of plants. I'm completely new to all this, but from reading I think I'd like to go beyond 1:1 for the plant shots, so I believe I'll need something extra to the lens to get this level of magnification (?).

Thanks for the reccomendation prostie, I'll check the tubes out. I wonder how much difference these tubes will make to the level of magnification I can get? Will it make more (proportionate) difference to a smaller focal length lens?

Thanks for the article Leif, very useful. Presumably the 180 Sigma will not enable me to get any closer than the 105 (they're both 1:1 I believe) so is the main advantage that you can shoot from further away and still get the same magnification?

Cheers

Dont forget the Jessops set of extension tubes they are £79 for the three. I have been playing around with them on my Canon set-up they are brilliant.
I have photo's in my gallery taken with these. http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...=500&ppuser=57

Hello Andy: Yes that's it. The 180mm allows more working distance at a given magnification e.g. 1:1. So you can stay further away from the insect (or snake!) and you are less likely to frighten them away.

I agree with Saphire that tubes are a good way to go beyond 1:1. I have Triplus autofocus tubes. They retain AF and metering on Nikon cameras. Build is okay I suppose.

Leif

If you want a good 1.4 converter the Kenko Pro works very nicely with the Sigma. As far as tubes go, the shorter the focal length of the lens in use the greater the magnification achieved.

I second Kenko. Make sure to go for set rather than intermediate length single extension ring that will cost you not much less that set.

Alternatively you may want to look at bellow as well. One like this one LINK.

Bellow is cheaper and more versatile but Kenko gives you the electronic connections (Rather than simple mechanical contact with bellow) so more accurate focusing with confirmation light, etc.

Thanks for the replies.

Extension tubes certainly sound like the way to go, but I'm unsure how much benefit they will be for longer focal length lenses, if the main aim is get maximum magnification.

Presumably the tubes work by effectively shortening the minimum focusing distance between the camera and the subject, thus allowing you to go beyond 1:1. I can see how this extension of say 60mm would significantly affect a 50mm lens, but how much affect would it have on say a 105mm or a 180mm, which presumably have a larger min focusing distance?

Given this, what lenses do you use your tubes on?

I am not a qualified engineer so someone correct me if wrong, but I believe you can achieve the same magnification with any lens, only with longer focal lengths, you need larger extension. Having said that, this later situation gives you the benefit of longer sensor to object distance, in other word if you are taking a macro picture of a live bee, with a 28mm on extension vs 200mm, keeping the mag ratio the same at both egs by changing the extension length, you are more likely to get a bee sting with 28mm as you are very close to sharp, uncomfortable at time creature.

Now if you add the flash to this situation, there might be some situations (Still macro photography) where you find yourself more comfortable to be close to the subject to utilize all that lux of flash.

Again consider that when doing macro, one of the essential elements being tripod, situation could be easier to handle with a lighter equipments or you need heavier tripod to hold that long lens on extension attached to body.

Having said it before, let me share my personal secret of macro. If you have a bellow, use a mid size zoom (My favorite, the cheaper Canon 70-300mm), using length of extension in bellow for primary magnification factor rise, then using zoom ring of lens for focusing purpose. Macro is so much fun and easy this way especially for hand held situations that you need lesser magnifications such as daylight photography at garden, with good distance to subject especially the not so friendly live and shy creatures.

Hope it help and have fun. BTW do not underestimate the power of bellow (Link to another eg).

Divide focal length of lens into amount of extension = magnification. Belows are basically infinately adjustable extension tubes with greater extension so greater magnification is possible. More fiddly though. For tubes I would highly recommend a focussing rail to make adjustment much easier, bellows have them built in.

Andy: Many people get very good results by putting a close up lens on the front of a prime or zoom lens. The prime should give the best results, but zooms work too. If you choose this route, then make sure you buy a high quality 2 element close up lens, to reduce CA. Canon and Nikon make close up lenses. I have used a Nikon 3T on an old Nikon 75-150 F3.5 zoom with good results. However not all zooms work well with a close up lens. And I'm not sure if the 75-150 would work on your D70 as it is a manual lens.

Yes, I have got the a Canon close up lens and it works very well. They come in different strengths or dioptres and have the advantage of no loss of light.

Sigma 180mm macro lens
 

I use this len and also a Canon 100mm, However for extreme close-ups I always use the Sigma. As this gives a greater working distance, very useful when using extension tubes.

The attached photo taken yesterday is of a spider aprox 8mm in length, for this shot I used the Sigma and a full set of Jessops extension tubes (full set = 65 mm) Flash was also used.

Just minimal cropping so as to frame the subject better.

Harry

That is a super image Harry. Stronger image than the one in your gallery.

Don

Yes, it's a good one. I know from experience how hard it is to take such a picture.

That is a fantastic shot wolfie -really sharp!

I was thinking of buying the Sigma 180 but having read a few reviews and forum discussions I am now leaning more towards the Sima 150. It will still offer a reasonable amount distance from the subject and I have read that it is somewhat sharper than the 180 and offers a greater potential dof.

Having said that, Wolfie's shot shows that the 180 is far from soft. Does anyone have any experience of the two lenses?

My intended subject matter will range from flighty insects, to slow moving whopping great insects to plants and fungi. I'll be using it in the rainforest, so the lighter weight of the 150 is a bonus!

Whatever you get read up about looking after you equipment in the humidity of the rainforest or youy macro subjects like fungi will be living inside your lens!

Something in the range 150-180mm is ideal for flighty insects. But it can be a bit cumbersome for fungi although it will work.

Regarding DOF, you will get the same DOF from a 105mm lens as with a 180mm lens, as long as the aperture and image magnification are the same.

The difference is that a longer lens has a narrower field of view, making it easier to isolate a subject against a smooth background.

And of course a longer lens is usually bigger and heavier.

There are some more reviews on www.PhotoZone.de including the two Sigmas you are looking at.

Leif

Thanks for the info. Mike, storing my gear is certainly on my mind. I'm going to start a new post regarding this.

Sorry miketoll, my understanding is that your statement is wrong as

Magnification should be = Extension / focal length

In other word when you increase the extension or distance of lens to sensor, then you will have larger magnification, not vise versa.

Yep, you are right.