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What makes a macro lens?

  • 27-04-2010 10:18am
    #1
    leche solara
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,161 ✭✭✭


    This might seem to some as a bit of a stupid question, but here goes anyway:

    I have a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens and a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens. The 60mm is sold as a macro lens while the 50mm is not.
    What I want to know is what attributes must a lens have to make it a macro lens, as opposed to a non-macro lens.


Comments

  • #2
    DaireQuinlan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,703 ✭✭✭DaireQuinlan


    leche solara wrote: »
    This might seem to some as a bit of a stupid question, but here goes anyway:

    I have a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens and a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens. The 60mm is sold as a macro lens while the 50mm is not.
    What I want to know is what attributes must a lens have to make it a macro lens, as opposed to a non-macro lens.

    Basically, a macro lens can form, on the image plane, an image which is at least 1:1 WRT the subject. That's the technical definition at least, most manufacturers fudge this though, and slap a 'macro' on any old lens. Pedantically however it's not a macro unless it can do 1:1 and above. I don't know the specs of the 60mm so I don't know whether or not it's actually a macro lens in the proper sense of the word. I presume given that its a canon that it probably is.


  • #3
    rowanh
    Registered Users Posts: 703 ✭✭✭rowanh


    I think what technically makes something a macro lens is if its able to make what is on the film or ccd the same size as it is in real life. A lot of macro lenses seem to be 1:2 or 1:4 which i think means the image on the ccd/film is half or a quarter what is actually is where as 1:1 is true macro. thats my understanding of it anyway, i might be wrong.


  • #4
    oshead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭oshead


    Both answers above are correct. The EF-S 60mm is a true macro lense. Ie, it can photograph lifesize (1:1). Another attribute of a macro lense is it's close focusing ability.


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