Looking for a community feedback

Calina

Let's assume that there is an outside chance I will be going buying myself a treat at the weekend in addition to a replacement 40D.

I'm tossing up between a couple of options to go with the camera.

They are LightRoom, nothing, a 60mm macro lens.

It may well for financial/prudent reasons be nothing, but between the others, what would you do?

Covey

Surprise yourself, get nothing :pac:

Seriously, why a 60mm Macro ??

Morrisseeee

I don't see an option for an Atari Jaguar !! :eek:

Calina

Atari Jaguars don't add to my ongoing need for documentation. I have a personal library of photography books worth about 500E. I think.

Covey, I'm looking at macro lenses in general. I played with rymus's 100mm macro at some stage and liked, a bit. But iirc when I priced them, the 60mm was marginally less and I'm interested in taking pictures of jewellery and stuff like that, hence preference for macro.

Covey

Sounds cool if your doing inanimate stuff, but is frightfully close if your looking at insects and the like.

nilhg

Have you already used the trial version of LR?

I know I'd hate to be without it, so I'd probably go for Lightroom.


I'm firmly in the nothing camp ATM myself though, the free education system in this country is costing me a fortune.

Calina

Covey wrote: »

Sounds cool if your doing inanimate stuff, but is frightfully close if your looking at insects and the like.

Insects look great on photographs, however, for me to be close enough to take photographs of them without grossing out too much would require an 800mm macro. I don't think I could afford one even if it existed.

My objectives are jewellery and ornaments. I do a nice line on layers of dust as well.

Calina

And yeah I have tried LR way back when it was version 1.0.

As it occurs to me, another option would be spare cartridges for my inkaholic printer.

Covey

Calina wrote: »

My objectives are jewellery and ornaments. I do a nice line on layers of dust as well.

Is a 1:1 Macro not a bit of overkill for that or are you taking very small details of a very small piece??.

Ricky91t

Just keep downloading the trial of lightroom :pac:
Then get a 60mm

pete4130

Go for the glass everytime...software is more easily aquired than a fun new lens. The lens will give you far more opportunities for photos than software will.....go for the glass!!!!

Mycroft H

Covey wrote: »

Is a 1:1 Macro not a bit of overkill for that or are you taking very small details of a very small piece??.

Isnt the 60mm only 1:2

Covey

landyman wrote: »

Isnt the 60mm only 1:2

Ah, just assumed.:o

Well if the 100mm is only a little dearer, then sell a couple of fingers or something and buy that, much more useful.:p

elven

was it ryan's 150mm you had a shot of? he doesn't have the 100. I've got the canon 100 along with danny, paul, keith and possibly more, and al has the 105 sigma - as does louise. I'm not sure what price the 60 is but if you haven't had a shot of the canon 100 then make sure you do before making any decisions. course, if the 60mm focal length is more your bag then go for it. it's a gap in your arsenal so i'd be inclined to suggest glass over software, and stick with whatever you're using just now in that regard.

Is the 60mm a canon or sigma? i discovered there was a relatively inexpensive canon 50mm macro and started to covet it, inexplicably....

Calina

Yeah I heard about the 50mm macro but since I have the 1.8 I figured that something a little different was called for.

Just looked and it's the 150mm I was playing with alright. Don't know why I filed it down as 100mm in my head. That makes the 100mm a bit more attractive; I wanted something shorter than the one I'd used.

I might look at the 50mm macro though if someone has it when I'm getting the camera.

The 60mm I thought was a Canon but I might be wrong.

CraggyIslander

the 100mm is the bestest

AnimalRights

100mm macro easy decision, do you not check adverts regularly? Been a few up recently.
100mm doubles up as a good portrait lens too.

oshead

If you've managed without Lightroom up to now, i'd bet you won't miss it. You have DPP. Besides... Who buys software these days...

Some Pros and Cons... 60mm vs 100mm

The 60mm is lighter.
The 100mm has better bokeh.
The 60mm is cheaper.
The 100mm has slightly better build quality.
The 60mm is better for portraits.
The 100mm has a longer focusing distance 6 inches. 60mm 3.5.

Both are excellent lenses.
Both do lifesize macro, 1:1.
Both are equally sharp.

My personal favourite is the 60mm.

ThOnda

Software is free, why to buy that? I'll get a 5,25" DSDD FDD with some free software for you.
60mm - why?
100mm borrowed to me by an unwise man - lovely, excellent, handy and in consideration (if I could use it also for portraits).

elven

oshead wrote: »

The 60mm is better for portraits.

What makes you say that? curiosity here, not arguing... is it because of the focal length? if you have a nifty fifty the 60 is too close to that to be a real extra to your range isn't it? have you actually used both lenses?

AnimalRights

From what I've read 100mm is an excellent portrait lens, incredibly sharp.
I've not used the 60mm mind.
100mm is 160mm on a crop frame remember.

duffarama

So you're not getting an E-3 then

May I ask why you're not getting a camera that is extremely well sealed against the elements? I don't really care what you shoot with, just curious

Deliverance XXV

Okay until I recently I though macro would be the same in all macro lenses. I was wrong :rolleyes:

How do the ratios work?
I'm considering the 100mm myself opposed to my 28-300 macro which I need to stick a extension tube on to get any decent results...

Dodgykeeper

ThOnda wrote: »

Software is free, why to buy that? I'll get a 5,25" DSDD FDD with some free software for you.
60mm - why?
100mm borrowed to me by an unwise man - lovely, excellent, handy and in consideration (if I could use it also for portraits).

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Just sell a kidney and buy both!

CabanSail

ThOnda wrote: »

Software is free, why to buy that?

oshead wrote: »

Who buys software these days...

***MOD***

Just to clarify that, Freeware is Free.

A lot of Shareware operates under honesty system.

Some Software has a Trial Period & you require a licence after that.

Please refer to the Charter on this subject.

Specifically;

"Discussing the possibility of pirating software is not permitted."

Thanks.

joolsveer

I have the 105mm Sigma lens and I am happy with it. It is great for portraits as well.

Hugh_C

Just had a play with a friend's Sigma 50 macro and it's fantastic, it opened up a whole new cosmos of tiny things. Loved it but sadly had to hand it back.

How much does Lightroom sell for these days? About 300 quid or something? I have to say I like it a lot, but if I had to choose, I'd buy the lens and learn Gimp (freeeeeeeeeee).

oshead

CabanSail wrote: »

***MOD***

"Discussing the possibility of pirating software is not permitted."

Thanks.

Sorry for the misunderstanding... I was talking about DPP.

"You have DPP. Besides... Who buys software these days..."

elven wrote: »

What makes you say that? curiosity here, not arguing... is it because of the focal length? if you have a nifty fifty the 60 is too close to that to be a real extra to your range isn't it? have you actually used both lenses?

Thats it.. The focal lenght. Longer focal lenghts tend to produce flatter images. But, may I say the Bokeh on the 100mm which might be more desirable for portraits.

I bought the 100mm a couple of years ago in Malaysia, kept it for a week then brought it back and changed it for the 60mm which I have to this day.

The Nifty fifty is a nice lense but dosn't compare to the 60mm for IQ.

On another point... The 50mm Macro mentioned earlier in this thread does not do lifesize. Though from what I gather it seems to be a nice lense.

Dave OS

Covey

oshead wrote: »

Sorry for the misunderstanding... I was talking about DPP.

"You have DPP. Besides... Who buys software these days..."



Thats it.. The focal lenght. Longer focal lenghts tend to produce flatter images. But, may I say the Bokeh on the 100mm which might be more desirable for portraits.

I bought the 100mm a couple of years ago in Malaysia, kept it for a week then brought it back and changed it for the 60mm which I have to this day.

The Nifty fifty is a nice lense but dosn't compare to the 60mm for IQ.

On another point... The 50mm Macro mentioned earlier in this thread does not do lifesize. Though from what I gather it seems to be a nice lense.

Dave OS

As a matter of interest, how do you get those fabulous insect shots with a 60mm. Are you not too close physically to scare them off?

CabanSail

oshead wrote: »

Sorry for the misunderstanding... I was talking about DPP.

"You have DPP. Besides... Who buys software these days..."

It was just a bit ambiguous & so thought it best to put in a reminder before anyone does cross the line.

oshead

Covey wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how do you get those fabulous insect shots with a 60mm. Are you not too close physically to scare them off?

Some of the shots are with the 60mm. Most of them are with the MP-E 65mm. I find that it's better to be closer to the subject when shoting with onboard flash (ringlite or twinlite). The light is not as harsh for obivous reasons. A lot of times they do scare off but sometimes they hang around.

Dave OS

oshead

CabanSail wrote: »

It was just a bit ambiguous & so thought it best to put in a reminder before anyone does cross the line.

I'll try to be a bit clearer in the future. I would never condone the use of pirated software, especially here in a public forum.

Dave OS

ThOnda

My apology for using term "software". I understand it as a general word for a code that runs on operating system and allows user to work with data.

So - Calina - I am ready to make a floppy disk of FREEware for you.

Covey

ThOnda wrote: »

make a floppy disk

You still on that Amstrad then V? :pac: