Macro lens choice....

Okay..here's a question for you macro gurus. The Oly 50mm f2.0 is a 1:2 or .56X macro lens. Its minimum focus is about 9 inches. The Oly 35mm macro, f3.6 is a 1:1 or 1X macro lens. Its minimum focus distance is 5.6 inches. I realize the 50mm is two full stops brighter...until you add a 2X teleconverter. It then becomes the equivalent macro of the 35mm at about 4 times the price. I realize there are other considerations that I'm not taking into account here but it seems to the average shooter that the 35mm lens is hard to beat for the price.

The Sigma is about half the price of the 50mm with a 2x teleconverter and is a 2.8 lens which makes it faster at 1:1 macro. My current ranking on these lenses is

Sigma 105mm

Oly 35mm

Oly 50mm

The only real edge to the 50 mm is there is a port designed for it and some folks have brought back some pretty decent macro with it while I've yet to see anyone dive with the other two lenses. Any thoughts?

I have the Zuiko 50mm and the Sigma 105. The 50mm with/without a Woody's dioptre is my favorite. The 105 is tricky to use and overkill in most cases.

Hey Jlyle,

I'm trying to skinny up the budget but there's no way I'm going to head to the Philippines without a good macro lens. I've got the 14-42mm flat port and a new port, new lens combo seems out of reach at the moment. The 105 seems perfect. Have you used it underwater? When you say "tricky" to use what exactly do you mean?

Hey Jlyle,

I'm trying to skinny up the budget but there's no way I'm going to head to the Philippines without a good macro lens. I've got the 14-42mm flat port and a new port, new lens combo seems out of reach at the moment. The 105 seems perfect. Have you used it underwater? When you say "tricky" to use what exactly do you mean?

The 105mm is physically long and the lens has to hunt to find AF, often not locking in. It is also the 35-equivalent of a 210mm lens - it's hard to find the subject you want to shoot when looking through such a long tube. Further, the magnification that you get with the 105 is much more than you need for all but the tiniest critters. Don't get me wrong, but I find myself taking the 50mm in the water 100x more often than the 105.

With the 105mm:

With the 50 & dioptre:

The 50mm is a great lens above and below water, worth the extra $$'s.

hmmmm. Thanks for the replies. Well the big problem is there are no extra dollars. Gotta buy a Z240 and a Macro lens.

50mm with my current flat port and then rig up a wet dioptre would be an option.

Hi Gary,

First you need to remember that life size means the size of the sensor/film you are using. So at 1:2 the Olympus 4:3 image is about the same size as the 35 mm sensor or 1:1. At 1:1 (life size) the Olympus 35 mm lens image is about the size of the 35 mm image at 2:1 (twice life size). In other words you are at what is commonly referred to as life size (35 mm sensor size) with the 50 mm macro at full extension out of the box.

Second, the 35 mm macro is a great lens for mid size (6 inches or greater) fish and so on. At 1:1 (twice life size in 35 mm terms) the lens focuses to close to or inside the port glass. Remember that the minimum focus distance is from the sensor plain not the front of the port. I have used the 35 mm macro many times and if you plan to use it with the 14 to 42 or 14 to 45 ports at 1:1 your focus point will be inside the port glass. If you do get to 1:1 outside the housing you will be so close that getting the strobe light between the port glass and the subject will be a problem.

Third, the Sigma 105 is slow focusing as Jlyle said and it requires a custom port to take full advantage of the lens along with a custom gear to use the lens in manual. You will need to chose between AF or manual prior to the dive because you can't switch back and forth during the dive.

Your best option is the Olympus 50 mm macro with the Inon macro port. I just tested this port and I like it very much. The up side is that the port is less expensive than the Oly or Athena ports. you can buy the port with or without the magnetic manual focusing ring. Without the ring you shoot in AF only. With the ring you can switch between AF and manual. If you add an extension port (tube) to add the X1.4 or X2 tele converters you don't need a new gear for each extension. The magnetic gear just moves out with the port as you add extension between the port and housing.

Last, the combo I use most is the 50 macro and X1.4 tele converter. You lose one stop of light which puts you at F2.8 like all the other manufactures lenses. The lens is pushed beyond life size (in 35 mm terms) and the images are outstanding. The Inon port has a 67 mm thread so the Inon 165 C/U diopter can also be added to get you images beyond 1:3 times life size.

The X2 tele converter does make the lens 1:1 (twice life size 2:1 in 35 mm terms) at F4 like the 35 mm. But unlike the 35 mm lens it is now a 100 mm (200 mm in 35 mm terms). As such it extends the distance between the port glass and the subject at 1:1 allowing you to shoot animals which are shy and allowing you to get strobe light on the subject.

Phil Rudin

Second, the 35 mm macro is a great lens for mid size (6 inches or greater) fish and so on. At 1:1 (twice life size in 35 mm terms) the lens focuses to close to or inside the port glass. Remember that the minimum focus distance is from the sensor plain not the front of the port. I have used the 35 mm macro many times and if you plan to use it with the 14 to 42 or 14 to 45 ports at 1:1 your focus point will be inside the port glass. If you do get to 1:1 outside the housing you will be so close that getting the strobe light between the port glass and the subject will be a problem.

I'm not quite sure I understand this. The minimal focus distance of the 35mm is around 5.8 inches...is that measured from the sensor or the end of the glass?

Thanks JLyle, Belize and Phil. I really appreciate all the help. I think if I do all this before May my wife will skip divorce court and just shoot me I think what I will do is go ahead and purchase the 50mm lens. I'll probably rig up some DIY way to hang a woody's dioptre in front of my existing port. Later, add the other items. I have a lot to improve in my game, so to speak, so new clubs only can do so much

I guess off-topic a little... I'm an enthusiast like most and it usually takes me a few years to completely build a rig I'm happy with. At least that is how long it took me to build my P&S stuff. I'm sure the DSLR kit is going to take a little longer due to the amount of scratch you have to put together to buy a piece of gear. I just started down this path last fall after the E-410 came out and was very impressed by the price point and Phil's write up here. I've been very happy with the change from my old P&S. I would like for you to put yourself into the role of a new guy and tell me what would be your progression when it came to purchases. You've got the trip of a lifetime come up in May. You've got about $1000 to spend. Any future recommendations are appreciated

You currently have the items listed in my signature below.

I'll start by telling you my thoughts.

1. get rid of the housed FL20 and purchase the 2nd Inon Z240. I've been trying to do this since I purchased the FL20 but there always seems to be something else more important to buy. I actually purchased the Athena optical mount for the housing in anticipation of the day I do this

2. Macro lens used behind current port for awhile (add wet diopter)

3. Macro Port -

4. WA Lens -

5. WA Port -

I apologize for the lengthy request

Your list looks good to me, strobe first, macro lens...eventually WA. A never ending list of new toys...

Okay I did some research as well the other night. It appears the fine print on the Sigma reads that its AF down to about .89X and only 1:1 with MF. That would agree with Jlyles post above. It would mean you're actually guessing at distance and it would lead to some hunting issues if you were too close. I noticed that this is similar to adding the Olympus Extender onto the 50mm. It will AF to a point and then you'd need MF to get the true 2X. All too confusing for me at the moment but all the evidence suggests to go with the 50mm so I guess I'm off to buy one soon.

Thanks for all the help.

Out of curiousity...how did you house the Sigma? How long is the actual lens? I saw a photo that had a huge barrel tube projected out the front but most manufacturers only list the contracted length. I'm thinking that is the focus gear extending the barrel since its a fixed focal point lens. BTW..on your list you have quite selection of lenses...do you use more than a couple of ports?

Out of curiousity...how did you house the Sigma? How long is the actual lens? I saw a photo that had a huge barrel tube projected out the front but most manufacturers only list the contracted length. I'm thinking that is the focus gear extending the barrel since its a fixed focal point lens. BTW..on your list you have quite selection of lenses...do you use more than a couple of ports?

The Sigma lens is 4.25 inches - 6.25 inches long (at full extention).

I have the Ikelite housing & ports.

The Sigma requires a unique, long flat port. I also have a 6" dome port for the 14-54, a flat port for the 50, and an 8" dome port for the 7-14. [The 8" dome can also be used with the 14-54.]

On our last trip to Indonesia, I took all the lenses and ports. We are going back in April and I'm leaving the 8" dome at home.