Hi all,

We just bought the Canon EOS 600D camera, can you suggest a suitable lens for close up photo's.

Thanks.

Ian.

Hi Daniell,

We have the 18-55mm lens, and I just wondered if a different lens would allow really close up photo's.

Ian.

Ian,

It took me a while to get used to my Sony camera and the zoom is still to fast for me or to have the time and feel for it to expand or retract the zoom smoothly.

I've got a canon camera but the shutter is not working anymore and to replace it I thought I better buy a digital camera body instead and use the lenses I've got.

John

Hello Ian and all.

Your kit lens is all you need for train pictures.
It focuses close enough to cover the whole field, and capture the details you want to show.
IMHO, no need for a macro lens.-

Now, it is just a matter of learning to use your camera in "manual" (or semi manual mode)

First disable the build in flash, use ambient light.

Use the A mode (aperture priority, and turn the aperture (aka "diaphragm") down to 16 or even 22. This will maximize the depth of field

Adjust the sensitivity to 200 asa or less, as to ensure best signal/noise ratio (i.e. minimize "snow")

Select the "automatic white balance" setting, as to ensure proper color rendition.

You will often need exposure time of several seconds, therefore mount the camera on a tripod and use a flexible release cable, or a remote or the camera build-in timer , as to avoid shaking on long exposures.

Take a few shots and you'll see the difference....

Good luck!

I have Nikon lenz 18-55 which was as kit.
This lenz allowed at least 28 cm to snapshoot close pictures.
If you really wants extrem closeup pictures i suggest macro lenz to buy.
But it´s not neccesary...

Hi Ian,

I usually use either Aperture priority or shutter priority mode (Av and Tv) and lock it on a tripod. The manual modes automatically disable the flash and let you select either shutter speed to freeze or blur motion or aperture to control your depth of field.

I'd suggest putting the camera on live view mode if you want to get an idea of composition and what the white balance looks. The changes will appear instantly, I think I used the shade or cloudy setting for my profile picture.


Daniell

Hi Daniell,

Thanks, will try all of this thro' the week.

Ian.

I agree, Canon and Nikon's 18-55mm lenses are great, I have owned/own both. Very close focus, very sharp. I think in this case a macro lens is not really necessary unless you find that the 18-55 is still limiting you after you nail down the technique.

-Brandon

Hi Brandon,

Thanks.

Ian.

Hi Svein and all
Yes and no...

In the case of model photography, a large aperture may dispense of the flash or even dispense of a tripod, but....at 2.8 your depth of field will be very shallow.
I agree it is often an advantage in macro photography, since you can get all the attention on the main subject, while the background is blurred in a nice bokeh.
(FYI, my Olympus 4/3 Macro lens is a 50 mm, that even opens at 2.0 and does just that)

But for model RR photography, you will often want the *deepest* DOF possible to "sharply" show details that are not all in the same plane.
This can only be achieved by using the smallest possible aperture like f16 or f22) when you are at close range.

Of course there are as many ways to shoot pictures as there are photographers and "blurr" can sometimes be very "artistic" !

Cheers

Hi, Ian.
We have the same camera.
Best option for close-up would be a 50mm f/1.4

Hi all,

Thanks for the information.

Ian.

All this talking about focal length is interesting.
But, it might be meaningless for people without a photo background or hobby.

What do all the numbers mean?
In this case, the focal lenght massurement is based on cameras with 24x36mm film size, so called 135 film format.

50 mm focal lenght gives the same magnification as the human eye (1x magnification). A 50 mm iens is therefore called a normal lens.
Below 50 mm is wide angle lenses, the lower the number the wider the angle.
Above 50 mm is tele lenses. A 100mm lens gives 2x magnification, 200 mm 4x, 400mm 8x and so on. Compare with binoculares.

But, today most digital single lens reflex cameras has a sensor which is smaller than 24x36mm.
Canon EOS 600D has a so called APS-C sensor, 14.9x22.3 mm, 1,6 times smaller than 24x36 mm.
Cameras with 24x36 mm sensor size are called Full Format (FF) cameras. My Canon EOS 5D is a FF camera.
1,6 is is the so called the "crop factor" for APS-C sensors.
Therefore the old magnification scale must be altered, as we don't use the whole image size.

With a APS-C sensor will a 50 mm lens give the same magnification or viewing angle as a 80 mm lens with a FF camera.
A normal lens for APC-S cameras will be 50/1,6 = 31,25 mm.
A 35 mm lens is often concidered as normal lens for APS-C cameras.

Examples:
Canon EF-S 60 mm macro on a EOS 600D will give the same viewing angle as a Canon EF 100 mm macro on my EOS 5D camera.
Canon EF-S 10-22 mm on a APS-C camera gives the same angle as a EF 16-35 mm on a FF camera

This has no practical meaning when it comes to picture quality or viewing angle; what you see in the viewfinder or on the display is what the sensor records.
But, it is nice to know the difference.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APS-C and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_factor

Did you buy the camera in a kit with a zoom lens?

Hi Ian

It's not so difficult as you may think. For he moment, forget all the information about the sensor measurements andd the cropfactor. That is important if you decide to buy another lens. If your camera won't focus automatically you're to close to the subject (or the subject is too dark).

To take a picture, use manual settings for the aperture. It's important to control your depth of field. With Canon it's the Av setting.

If you want less DOF, choose a low number (large aperture) e.g when you take a picture of a loco from the side, the whole loco has more or less the same distance to the lens, so less DOF could by enough. If you want the front and the side in a picture than you need to use a high number (small aperture) . Focus on 1/3 of the front.

For a landscape use a small aperture too.

Use live view to check your settings.

If the light is insufficient, swith to the M setting and use a longer exposure time.

Edited by user 07 June 2012 20:23:48(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Hi Ian

I agree with Piet.

When people ask me what kind of lens they should buy, I ask them what the miss with their excisting lens.
Get used to the 18-55 zoom lens and it's possibilities, play a little bit with different appertures and shutter times, as well as focal length.
When they find out what they are missing, it's time to look at an additional lens.

But, for real close-ups, I would still recommend the EF-S 60 mm macro.
I use my EF 100 mm macro (with my camera the same viewing angle as your camera and 60 mm) a lot, for all kinds of pictures.

I have a Canon 40D and have been thinking of getting the Mark II (much cheaper than the new Mark III for starters, anyone have this?) ...
so the question of lenses interests me... when tied to the resulting images... so I am curious to see the results of layout photos with the lenses that people are recommending.

Anyone?

- Mark

Hi Patrik,

Great looking photo's.

Ian.

Are you talking about the 5D MkII, Mark?

The night picture is great

I suggest the new one 5D MkIII.
One of the best in the market...but the prices is high!

Love the pic of Victoria Harbour, HK, it brough back alot of memories from when I was there.