Is the 60mm EF-S Macro Lens Compatible with the 5 megapixel Digital Rebel?

[jim_norman4]

My wife has one of the 5 megapixel Canon digital rebel cameras. I'd like to

get her a good macro lens, and am thinking of the 60mm EF-S 2.8 macro lens.

I'm also considering getting her the MR14 EX ring flash. She has a BIG

birthday coming up. As I read different comments on the Canon digital lenses,

there seems to be confusion (or at least a lack of clarity) on what is

compatible, or only partially compatible with what. I'd appreciate it if

someone could provide guidance on whether the 60mm macro lens and the MR14

ring flash will work with that camera, or if she really needs the Digital

Rebel 10.2 megapixel XTi. Thanks, Jim (a large format film guy who is

clueless about all things digital).

[carl_chamberland]

Jim, the Ef-s lenses will fit all digital rebels, and the 20d and 30d. The ring flash will also work with the camera/lens combo. Lucky wife!

[tommyinca]

Canon generation 1 (300D) digital rebel is 6 megapixel. Does she have a digital rebel? 300D will take all EF-S lens including the 60mm macro. Older (then Rebel) Canon DSLR does not work with EF-S lens (Example 30D, 60D, 1D, 10D) even if it has simular cropped sensor as a digital rebel.

[NK Guy]

Any Canon EOS camera with a red dot on the lens mount can take EF lenses. Any Canon EOS

camera with both a red dot and a white square on the lens mount can take both EF lenses

and EF-S lenses.

<P>

<A HREF="http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html#efs">http://

photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html#efs</A>

[mark u]

This thread has a very illuminating (!) discussion about macro flash alternatives:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HJU6&tag=

[robin_sibson1]

I contributed to the thread referenced by Mark U, and was reminded on looking at it again that it is not for arachnophobes. There are indeed many comments there that you may find helpful.

 

Since then, I have done a major wildflower trip - three weeks in Namaqualand and the West Coast of SA - and my main plant lens was the 60/2.8 with the MR-14EX. This confirmed my view that they make an excellent combination for that particular type of close-up work.

[jon_austin]

Tommy Lee: "Older (then Rebel) Canon DSLR does not work with EF-S lens (Example 30D, 60D, 1D, 10D) even if it has simular cropped sensor as a digital rebel"

 

EF-S lenses are in fact compatible with the 30D, which is actually a relatively new Canon dSLR, and the 60D doesn't exist (yet). I'm sure you meant the D30 and the D60, which were forerunners of the 10D. And the 1D series is 1.3x, not 1.6x ("similarly cropped sensor as a digital rebel").

 

Just clarifying, so someone with a 30D won't get the mistaken notion that it won't mount EF-S lenses (it will).

 

Another way to express EF-S lens compatibility is that they will only mount to all Canon 1.6x-sensor dSLR bodies EXCEPT the D30, D60 and 10D.

[jim_doty]

Jim,

 

Another option is to get the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro lens. The cost difference is about $60. It works great with the MR-14EX ring flash and it will work on any Canon digital SLR. There are no worries about compatibility (especially if she gets a full frame DSLR down the road) and there are some advantages to a 100mm macro over a 60mm macro.

 

Jim

[robin_sibson1]

Jim and Jim ...

 

I have both the 60/2.8 and 100/2.8USM macro lenses, also the 50/2.5 (which still has its uses, although not for fieldwork on the 20D, for which the 60/2.8 handles much better). There is nothing to choose between them optically - all are excellent. On FF there is much - but not by any means everything - to be said for the 100/2.8 (by comparison with the 50/2.5, of course). The 60/2.8 is almost precisely equivalent on 1.6-factor to the 100/2.8 on FF as far as angle of view is concerned, and provides a general-purpose macro lens. On 1.6-factor I find that the 100/2.8 is a much more specialist lens, mainly useful for insects where a longer working distance is needed - although the 135/2 on an EF25 tube can be even better for butterflies and dragonflies. The 100/2.8 is a much bulkier and heavier lens, and I find that the MR-14EX can run out of steam to some extent with it - the MT-24EX is for many applications a better choice with that lens. For someone just getting into macro work - which sounds like the case - and not apparently just about to go FF, I think the 60/2.8 is the perfect choice.

[yakim_peled1]

Because of its longer working distance I think that the 100/2.8 USM is a much more versatile lens. Then again, which kind of macro does she do?

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.