{"id":144310,"date":"2022-07-11T18:00:26","date_gmt":"2022-07-11T17:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/?p=144310"},"modified":"2022-07-11T14:23:16","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T13:23:16","slug":"what-are-the-best-value-macro-lenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/round-ups\/lens_round-ups\/what-are-the-best-value-macro-lenses\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the best value macro lenses?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past couple of years there has been an upsurge of interest in macro photography, with many macro competitions and more photographers choosing to shoot close-up subjects. To help you to make the best choice from the array of available macro lenses, we’ve compiled our top recommendations for the best value macro lenses on the market…\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you want to shoot stunning, frame-filling shots of small subjects then you’ll need to add a macro lens to your kit bag. But where do you start when choosing a macro lens?<\/p>\n

How to choose a macro lens<\/h3>\n

A true macro lens should give you a 1:1 reproduction ratio of the subject in your photograph, so, ideally, you’ll need to be looking for a lens that allows you to do that.<\/p>\n

In other words, if your subject, say a flower, is 15mm wide you’ll want it to appear 15mm long on the imaging sensor of your camera.<\/p>\n

Always check the reproduction ratio when buying a macro lens to make sure you have at least 1:1 ratio. Some lenses do go beyond this and offer ratios of 2:1 or more.<\/p>\n

Most macro lenses have focal lengths of 100mm or under and typically have maximum apertures of around f\/2.8.<\/p>\n

Often an aperture of around f\/2.8 will help for shooting macro if you want to have a shallow depth-of-field and effectively isolate the main subject from its background.<\/p>\n

If you deliberately want to keep more of the background in focus you’ll want the option of a lens that offers you different aperture settings, say of f\/16 or f\/22.<\/p>\n

Also, consider whether you want an autofocus lens or a manual focus lens.<\/p>\n

Most AF systems in cameras are now incredibly sophisticated at recognising and tracking subjects, even when hand-holding a camera.<\/p>\n

However, in a more controlled environment with a tripod, you might want to have the flexibility of manually focusing.<\/p>\n

Whatever your criteria for choosing a macro lens, we’ve scoured our tests reports and the market to bring you the best value macro lenses.<\/p>\n

Our recommendations<\/h3>\n

Some specialist macro optics can be expensive, but we\u2019ve rounded up the best value macro lenses on the market so that you can shoot close-up imagery without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n

So, without further ado, here is our expert selection of the current best value macro lenses on the market…<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Laowa CF 65mm f\/2.8 2x Ultra Macro Lens<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: \u00a3409<\/strong><\/h3>\n\"Laowa\n

Rather than being content offering the standard 1:1 magnification, this lens offers 2:1 magnification<\/strong>, letting you get even closer to your subject. Whilst some specialist ultra macro lenses only offer close-up focus, this one can still focus to infinity. The lens has a manual aperture ring, and you’ll need to get used to using manual controls, as the lens does not have an electronic connection to the camera.<\/p>\n

This manual focus lens, designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras<\/strong>, is available in Sony E-Mount, as well as Fujifilm X-Mount, and weighs just 335g.<\/p>\n

What we like<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Impressive magnification available<\/li>\n
  • Excellent image quality<\/li>\n
  • Relatively small and lightweight<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Read our Laowa 65mm f\/2.8 2x Ultra Macro Review<\/a><\/p>\n