Buyers’ guide
Indoor optics
Macro, close-up and still-life photography are a great way to spend your hours, and if you need to freshen up your kit bag for better results, we’re here to help...
SHOOTING INDOORS, THERE are loads of creative opportunities. And a lot of them centre around macro and still-life projects, as you’ll see in this month’s Stay Home feature. But you’ll want lenses and accessories that help you make the most of these subjects, so that’s why this month we’ve come up with a list of great options for
close-ups and still lifes. There’s a mix of standard and exotic macro lenses, so whether you’re getting started or want something new to add to your kit, you’ll be covered, and if you’re on a tight budget, we’ve also included gear that you can use to turn regular lenses into effective macro tools. Dive in and see what you can make!
Price: £599 tamron.eu
Price: £399 ukdigital.co.uk
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro The Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro’s stand-out feature is its greater-than-life-size reproduction. At the closest focusing distance, normal macro lenses focus the subject at a ratio of 1:1 on the sensor, but the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 – available in Canon EF and RF, Nikon F and Z, Pentax K and Sony FE mounts – can achieve between 2.5:1 and 5:1. You therefore get lots more detail, and can explore even smaller subjects. At such extreme magnification, the wide-angle focal length gives some great creative options, and the lens’s slim, lightweight design is an advantage. There’s an optional tripod collar – useful if you’re using a focusing rig or rail.
Price: £319
sigma-imaging-uk.com
Price: From£22
kenro.co.uk
Marumi Fit + Slim circular polarising filter
If you’re looking for a macro lens to get started with close- up photography, it’s hard to look past Tamron’s 90mm f/2.8. This latest model builds on a long line of 90mmmacro models, and delivers brilliant sharpness and versatility, with a minimum focusing distance of 30cm. It’s available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony Amounts, and it is weather sealed and has a fluorine-coated front element to make cleaning easier. Although you’ll might shoot your macro and close- up shots from a tripod, it also packs in Tamron’s Vibration Compensation for sharper shots in low light. The f/2.8 maximum aperture makes it a good portrait lens, too.
Don’t forget your old friend the polarising filter for indoor shots. You’ll find it especially useful when shooting floral subjects, as it will reduce reflections on foliage and glass, and therefore improve colour. Polarising filters also open up creative projects like cross polarisation. Made in Japan, Marumi has been making filters for more than 60 years and its current extensive range includes an advanced magnetic creative system and several collections of screw-in filters. It offers four types of circular polarising filter and the Fit + Slim family features ultra-thin and lightweight filters that come in smart eco-friendly packaging. Despite the thinness of the Fit + Slim filter frames, it is still possible to attach a lens cap securely. UK distributor, Kenro, offers these filters starting from 37mm size at £22.25 up to 82mm fit at £57.55. Marumi’s Fit + Slim range also features protection filters, Lens Protect and UVCut + Lens Protect. The Lens Protect version is multicoated, while the UV Cut + Lens Protect not only protects your front lens element, it cuts down on UV light.
Another great option if you’re in the market for a macro lens is Sigma’s 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro, which has a minimum focus distance of 31cm. Available for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A and Sigma’s own mount, it’s an absolute steal at only just over £300. Though you may likely be manual focusing for macro shots, the 105mm f/2.8 has a three-stage focus limiter, so its AF won’t wander too much, and the latter is fast and quiet, too. There’s no weather sealing, which isn’t a massive issue for macro work, but it does have Optical Stabilization, and you get a case and two hoods – vital if you’re working with lights close to the front element – one for full-frame and a converter for APS-C cameras. Image quality is superb thanks to Special Low Dispersion (SLD) and high refractive index SLD elements in the construction. Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EXDG OS HSM
22 Photography News | Issue 76
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook