Sigma or Canon

Hello,

I`ll ask again. I have been offered a SIGMA AF 105 mm F2,8 MAKRO EX for a nice price. (I believe makro is so difficult !), or should I go for a Canon 60mm which is also on offer.

It will be used in Ikelite housing on a Canon 350D. I have no expierence with makro what so ever.

Also we are travelling to Moaboal/Cebu and Panglao in the Phillipines in March so all travel and lens tips will be very welcome.

Cheers

Ted

Hello,

I`ll ask again. I have been offered a SIGMA AF 105 mm F2,8 MAKRO EX for a nice price. (I believe makro is so difficult !), or should I go for a Canon 60mm which is also on offer.

It will be used in Ikelite housing on a Canon 350D. I have no expierence with makro what so ever.

Also we are travelling to Moaboal/Cebu and Panglao in the Phillipines in March so all travel and lens tips will be very welcome.

Cheers

Ted

I'm from the Nikon's camp but I had the same problem:

60 mm:

- Fast AF

- More practical, can use for macro and also for fish portraits.

- Ration 1:1, but to get that the subject must be very close to the port.

105 mm:

- Slower AF.

- Can be used almost only for macro.

- Ratio 1:1, but can get is from more far distance, good for shy creatures.

I chosed the 60 mm, in the future I'm planning to add X2 converter to get 120 mm 1:1 or (equivalent) 60 mm 2:1 ratio.

Hi Arnon Ayal

Thanks for your tip, I think I will go for the 60mm, like what you said, "More practical, can use for macro and also for fish portraits". I dont think I will have much success with taking really small stuff.

Cheers

Ted

I don't recommend the SIgma 105 as I have heard from others that the focus is really slow. The Canon 100mm is an incredibly sharp lens and great fun to use. It's also USM so will focus MUCH faster than the Sigma, which I don't believe has the USM motor.

Cheers

James

If you are considering I think you should consider the Canon 100mm as opposed to the Sigma 105. I have no experience with the Sigma but know the Canon 100mm is proported to be one of the best lenses Canon has made. I certainly think it is a heck of a lens. Then go back to considering between the Canon 60mm and the Canon 100mm.

It may help to consider the type of shooting you plan on doing and the subjects that interest you. Certainly the 60mm is a easier lens to shoot. If your first try at these lenses and macro UW then maybe a start with the 60mm would give you more positive results to start with.

IMHO

Todd

If you are considering I think you should consider the Canon 100mm as opposed to the Sigma 105. I have no experience with the Sigma but know the Canon 100mm is proported to be one of the best lenses Canon has made. I certainly think it is a heck of a lens. Then go back to considering between the Canon 60mm and the Canon 100mm.

I have the canon 60 and the canon 100, but have also had the sigma 105. I would highly suggest the 100 over the 105 if you want to go for macro and super macro shots. The autofocus of the canon lens is 10 times faster, and you can also manually focus, even when it is on auto-focus. Ikelite also has the special port for the canon 100, that has a manual focus knob on it, and the lens just slides in without using any focus rings. If you want to do some fish portraits, and some macro, i would suggest going with the canon 60. It works well for both types of shots. either way, i would stick with the canon lenses as they are very sharp. Only sigma i would recommend over a canon would be the 15mm fisheye.

Justin - sounds like you took my advice. Glad you like the 100mm.

Cheers

James

Hello Ted

Not sure if you have already made your purchase.

I'm a nikon user myself. but I'll pass on what i can to you.

The sigma 105mm is a great lens, i've used one for a couple of tests and is pin sharp.

The AF is a little on the slow side but thats not too worry you.

The 60mm is also a very nice lens and if its USM it will focus much faster than the 105mm from sigma.

In terms of Use

A True Macro lens will be able to give you a reproduction ratio of 1:1 or LIFE SIZE.

that is if you take a picture of a Coin at 1:1 it will be exactly the same size on a 35mm frame than it is in real life... 1:1 LIFE SIZE

Now each macro lens has its minimum focusing distance MFD in which it can capture this 1:1 image

The 105mm and the 60mm are capable of capturing 1:1 the difference is

The MFD of a 60mm 1:1 is about 26cm

The MFD of a 105mm 1:1 is approx 38cm

so if you can get close enough with a 60mm for a 1:1 shot and its 1:1 that your looking for you have got to get in real close.

If you dont think you can get all that close then the 105mm will let you stand off a little but can produce 1:1 from further away.

Now this is not always good as if we are further away we have more water infront of our lens, thus distroying image quality a little if its muddy that is.

its a really hard choice sometimes,

if the subject is very small and i cant get right into them i use a 105mm if i know i can get close in like say.. "CLOWN FISH" then i normally go with a 60mm as the closer i get the better the quality.

if its fish you trying to capture, the 105 can be better, as you can stand off that little bit and not scare them away, thus preventing the classic images of FISH TAILS.

hope this helped Ted

regards

craig

Hi again Ted

just a few notes on shooting macro

- use manual on your camera and shoot apertures above F8 for MAX depth of field as the DOF with macro lenses can be as much as 1cm , so you need to close the aperture a little to get the best DOF.

Use a shutter speed that is 1 to 1 with your lens. so if using a 105mm use 1/100 or 1/125 or faster this will ihelp nhibit any camera shake.

I usually just go in preset with 1/125 and F11

if you use aperture priority or Program the camera will always try and balance the light of your shots and almost certain it will use F5.6 down to 2.8 to get the exposure correct. it does not take into account that you will be using flash as well.

Most macro work is TOTALLY exposed with flash . we just set the camera manually to suit our lens - subject matter - DOF and then use either TTL or manual flash to expose the picture.

just one more note, on macro lenses, take a look through any lens once on your SLR and you are looking through it at MAX aperture WIDE OPEN, now focus in on somthing real close, take a look around the view finder and note just how much of the area is out of focus, that because we are looking through a F2.8 aperture. Now if you camera has DOF preview button crack the aperture to F16 and press it.

The screen has gone dark, yes, but now you are looking through a F16 aperture (SMALLER) but not how much of the picture has now come into focus from your focus area. (A LOT MORE).

so using very wide apertures like F2.8 3.5 5.6 will give you what you percept as a BLURRED image, Not really its just that the DOF is so so shallow.

again i hope that helped a little.

anymore questions just ask away.

regards

craig

Hi Craig

Thanks for your answers, I`ve printed them out and pasted them in my tip book I`ll be taking with me. It seems I have put this posting twice in the beginners forum , woops. Anyway I also became great tips from the other guys.

In three weeks is the Big Four Week Holiday and the first time with the new dSLR underwater, I`ll probably make a mess of it, but who knows

Cheers

Ted

Hi Ted,

Didn't we address your question in another posting? Perhaps I can merge the two posts.

James

yeh i think we did James ... i seem to recall a posting a short time ago,

craig

hi Ted,

i suggest you go for the canon lenses less headache in future body compatibility... sigma has the reputation on not being compatible with newer canon slr bodies... or canon purposely making sigma not compatible with new canon bodies.

i hope you'll enjoy your diving trips here in Cebu Philippines... dont miss to dive in Balikasag island near Panglao Bohol, you will definitely like it there... its my personal favorite...

also if you have enough time, check out Malapasqua island.

edwin

cebu city Phils.

Choosing between a 60mm and a 105mm is retorical.

Both have their indications. I would not go for the sigma lens , having tried both I found the Sigma

to be slow and clunky in comparison with the Canon.

The Canon has an interior focusing mechanism within the lens , and there is no shifting front elements( the distance between th pot and the front lens element is constant)

One problem is the focus limiting switch which is mostly a blessing but could also be a curse.

Go for the Canon