Which Len??

Hello all,

I dive with a canon 400D in an ikelite housing with the 6" dome port. I mainly shoot wide angle and use a tokina 10-17mm most of the time. I've also used the standard kit lens (EF-S 18-55 3.5-5.6) behind the dome port but i've never been that impressed with the image quality or the close focusing ability. I know the latter could be improved with a diopter but it will only make the quality worse.

Anyway, I'm heading off to Indonesia in a few months (Raja Ampat and Lembeh) and think I should invest in a proper macro lens. I'd like to get some recommendations on lenses to take. I was thinking along the lines of a 50mm as this give me the option to shoot small(ish) stuff as well as larger fish. But i've seen some threads on here recommending a zoom (such as a 17-85) but I would have thought the optics would be comprimised across a lot of the range due to the change in lenght of the lens? Or should i just go for full macro and get a 100mm?

Any advice would be appreciated,

Mike

PS I'd like to not get any EF-S lenes if possible so that i can continue to use these lenes if i upgrade to a full frame camera in the future.

Since you don't want the Canon 60mm EF-S, i'd say the 100mm macro is your best bet. good luck!

Scott

For macro in Lembeh, it is best to use a lens that will decrease the water column between you and your subject, and that would make the 50mm a better choice. The water in Lembeh often has "stuff" suspended in it and using the longer 100mm lens will make more of that stuff show in your images.

I am primarily a macro shooter, and have both 60mm and 105mm lenses, I almost never remove my 60mm in places like Lembeh. Even for things like pygmy seahorses....

Are you planning to use the dome port for your macro lens? You may want to consider a macro style port too. It would make your macro much easier.

Have a wonderful trip whatever macro lens you choose.

I can understand your point about not wanting any EF-S lenses, but how long before you actually move up to a full frame? The 60mm is my go-to macro lens and perfect for Lembeh. You will get years of great shooting out of it - you can always sell it when (if) you go full frame.

Phil

If you thinking not to speed a flat port, For your 6" dome port, you only have one choice to go. 60mm(afs) or lower. 100 or 105 and 60mm are very good lens

I'm not a Canon shooter but-

I'll be in Lembeh in two weeks and will be shooting the 105VR on a FF Nikon body. I'll let you know how it works out.

Wendy

I can understand your point about not wanting any EF-S lenses, but how long before you actually move up to a full frame? The 60mm is my go-to macro lens and perfect for Lembeh. You will get years of great shooting out of it - you can always sell it when (if) you go full frame.

 

Phil

You may also want to consider the Tamron 60mm f2.0 ( yes 2.0 is correct) macro lens. It is easily as good as the Canon 60mm EFS lens optically but it has the added advantage that you could use it with a 1.4 Teleconverter to give you a ~100mm f2.8 macro lens on a full frame camera. ( You can't mount the Canon 60mm EFS to a teleconverter). I actually prefer the Tamron 60mm / 1.4 Teleconverter combination to my Canon 100mm macro lens as you can get greater than 1:1 magnification if you need as well.

Thank you for all the replies. I will have a look at the Tamaron 60mm but apart from that the consensus seems to be the EF-S 60mm. There doesn't seem to be an equivalent lens with EF mount which seems like a little gap in the market. I think getting a lens in the 50-60mm range (instead of the 100mm) will be better as i'll probably get more use out of it back here in the UK.

Mike