Need advice on a new body and macro lens

[eugenia_romanovsky]

Hi,

 

Writing this post with the hope to get advice on which new camera and

lens to get.

 

I currently have a Canon A-1 with 50 mm 1.8-22 lens. The camera is

very old and is leaking light, so I decided to buy a new camera

instead of fixing this one.

 

I am interested in taking close-up pictures of nature (flowers, bugs)

but also would like to take pictures of people. I am definitely

interested in a macro lens and heard that some macro lenses will allow

me to take good pictures not on a macro scale as well.

 

Since I am also buying a new body, I have the luxurty to choose which

brand to buy for the lens. Can someone please recommend a good camera

body and macro lens given the following constraints:

 

1. Macro lens needs to take decent pictures of non-macro subjects 6-10

feet away and not lose too much on depth of field. I would like to

use just one lens for taking close-up and non close-up pictures.

 

2. Macro lens needs to be able to take pictures 15-30 centimeters away.

 

3. Body should have fully automatic as well as manual features, with a

built-in flash preferably.

 

4. The body and the lens should cost $600-700.

 

I am not necessarily looking for brand new equipment, I understand

that with my budget slightly used equipment could be the best choice.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated, I am completely lost on what is

better Cannon/Nikon and the difference between 55 mm and 100 mm macro

lens.

 

Thank you!

 

Eugenia

[brian_torio]

Eugenia - My first thought is that you'll probably want a 100mm macro lens, reason being that it doubles as a very nice portrait (people) lens. Canon's 100mm F2.8 USM macro has a nice fast appeture that lets you blur the background. This is a nice feature to have available when taking pictures of people. Unfortunately, your budget makes things pretty tough as this lens sells new for $470 at B&H. If 50mm is long enough, Canon makes a 50mm F2.5 macro lens that sells for $240. You will have to decide which length better suits your needs.

 

As far as bodies go, there are plenty of posts out there comparing the various Canon bodies. The simple Rebel 2000 or the new Rebel TI are at the "lower end" and work just fine. If you need a higher-end body, you can always look at the Elan 7e or the EOS-3, although I suspect they might be out of your price range.

 

One final note -- if you're looking for used equipment, the Photo.net classifieds have some great stuff. There's a lot of opportunity out there if you're patient. I can say that they have been very good for me!

 

Hope that helps.

[todd peach seattle, washi]

<i>

The camera is very old and is leaking light</i>

<p>

Not answering your question, but why is the camera leaking light? A common reason is that your light trap seals have worn out. This is a relatively easy do-it-yourself repair; if that's your only problem, you might knock this off yourself for under $20.

[._._z]

"The camera is very old and is leaking light"

 

You can get the camera cleaned, lubed and adjusted, with seals and foam replaced to make it light-tight again, for around $60.

 

Still want to buy a new body?

[graham_line]

A nice Canon FD 100 mm macro will probably run less than $250 at www.keh.com

The 100 lets you work farther from the subject for the same size image and works for people pictures as well.

Nothing new on the market in your price range is as well built as the A1.

[._._z]

"A nice Canon FD 100 mm macro will probably run less than $250 at www.keh.com"

 

For $250 the Canon is a pretty good deal. In an e-mail to Eugenia, based on her stated budget (and willingness to migrate to another system) I sugested that she look at a Tamron 90/2.8 macro lens, which sells for around $440 new, less used (and even less for the older f/2.5 version). Since Tamrons have inerchangeable mounts, buying it offers the ability to continue to use it should she ever decide to migrate to another system, and that flexibility means it will hold its resale value better than a lens only usable for FD.

 

Also, the 90/2.8 is a more recent design than the Canon, with better coatings, I'd imagine ... and it is generally considered to be one of the best macro lenses at its focal length for any camera system.

[chris_browne]

Eugenia,

 

This combo may be out of your price range, but a Maxxum 7 and 100mm f2.8D Macro from Minolta might give you great value for what you pay along with an excellent lens. This is one of Minolta's sharpest lenses, and for what it is worth, rated higher optically than Canon's and Nikon's equivalents on photodo.com. The D means it will work with the Maxxum 7 to give you flash distance information, helping you to expose your portraits better if using flash.

 

The bad news is that the lens and camera will likely cost you around $1200 brand new. But you will get one of the best camera values available today, with great autofocus and metering abilities. The 7 is well known for its superior ergonomics and ease of use.

 

You may be able to find the non-D version of the macro lens on e-bay for $300-400, if you don't anticipate needing flash often this may be a cheaper way to go.

 

Alternatively, the Maxxum 5 has a lot of great features, and is 1/2 the cost of the 7.

 

Good luck, just don't go Minolta if you think you want a digital SLR anytime soon!

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[yogi_logy]

Not answering you question either, but if the leaky light is due to bad seals and not due to shutter curtain, then it is worth fixing for a song. And if you go that route and deicde to keep the A-1, then you might consider a cheapo solution to your macro deisre in the form of a Vivitar 2X macro focusing teleconverter. This little gizmo with its own focusing ring fits between the 50mm lens and the A-1, and turn the lens into a 100mm lens that can focus down to life size. This converter is no longer sold in stores (except maybe as real old stock) but e*bay has a bunch of them, and one that will close in two days has a decent price. Yes, I own one with Minolta mount for years and I like it. No I don't know the e*bay seller. If you really want to want the $700, there are many beautiful solutions.

[michael_moon]

I second the recommendation for a Maxxum 7; it does all this user seems to need. Unfortunately, that leaves only $100 for a lens. I'm going to suggest a 50mm macro lens as a more versatile single-lens system. Sigma 50mm macros in Maxxum mount go on eBay for under $100. I had one and found no fault with its performance; but it did seem somewhat cheesy in its construction when compared with the Maxxum 50/2.8. Close-ups of flowers and bugs will frequently require different focal lengths - 100 may often be too short for many bugs and too long for many flowers. A 50 would be a good compromise and fit the budget.

[david godfrey]

In your situation I'd consider going with Bailey's answer, get the camnera fixed, look out for the Tamron 90mm macro (or the FD 100mm) and track down a ML-1 - the ringflash for the A series cameras. Sorted.

 

My own solution which might stretch your budget is to go with the T90, and the Tamron, I'm still hunting for a ringflash though. Total cost so far £350ish.

[._._z]

"I'm still hunting for a ringflash though."

 

One nice thing about the Sunpak 622 "potato masher" flash is that it has add-ons to it like ringflash and bare-bulb flash. Moderately pricey, though.