Camera:Canon XT(~$500) 8mpCanon XTI. (~$675) 10mp.
Subjects:For Insects: Sigma 150mm macro $600For Mixed subjects: Canon 100mm $475, Tamron 90mm $400For Still subjects: Canon 60mm $375, Sigma 50mm $275.
Get a good tripod if you can.'Be right, fearless, faithfull, and true to others...'T.S. Elliott..
Thanks for the replay, I'll appreciate if you could answer me on those few question:.
1. Why are the lens for macro still object less expansive than the insects lens?.
2. Does the canon XT has also automatic modes such as auto focus etc... or do I have to manually set the lens?.
3. I read on the net that macro lens has less DOF than macro shotting with point and shoot cameras like my current powershot. How can I tell if a lens has big DOF or does it dependence on the camera body itself?.
Thanks from advance...
Whitelen wrote:.
1. Why are the lens for macro still object less expansive than theinsects lens?.
The 150mm lens has more glass, and is much larger than the 50mm/60mm lenses.More glass = more materials = more $..
2. Does the canon XT has also automatic modes such as auto focusetc... or do I have to manually set the lens?.
Yes, the XT has autofocus and everything..
3. I read on the net that macro lens has less DOF than macroshotting with point and shoot cameras like my current powershot.How can I tell if a lens has big DOF or does it dependence on thecamera body itself?.
DOF is a somewhat complicated mathematical formula. It's an over-simplification, but a lens with a longer MM will generally have less DOF at the same distance to the subject than one with less MM..
Point and shoot cameras typically use something like a 7-21mm lens to make an 35-105 35mm "equivilant." At 1 meter, a 7mm lens will have more DOF than a 150mm lens.Again, this is not a scientific explaination, just a practical explaination..
'Be right, fearless, faithfull, and true to others...'T.S. Elliott..
I forgot to add "at the same aperture value.".
So, 30mm at f/8 1 meter from target will give you more DOF than 150mm at f/8 1 meter from target..
The point and shoot may have something close to the same angle of view because of the tiny sensor in the P&S versus the larger sensor in the DSLR.'Be right, fearless, faithfull, and true to others...'T.S. Elliott..
The kodak 880 was/is? a great camera. very wide and takes excellent closeups..
With slr's i'd go for a second hand mid range. e.g. nikon d70 canon 300d and whatever lens they come with.macro...70mm sigma seems to have a good rep as an all-rounder cum portrait lens.but there are cheaper macro options.filters that screw on....
The point of an slr is the interchangable lens capability. pity they ARE expensive.I love wide angle.
So a 10-20 zoom is on my dream list. With 35mm this would be exreme but with the smaller sensors of digital it makes sense..
A macro is essential too. there is nothing like being able to get those extreme closeups..
A fast lens. something to hand-hold in low light. to get the charascurio of natural light from an open window as you see it..
Something long, you know .. for the birds, football , picking out detail in a distyant landscape.photography becomes an addiction.....
ThanksAndy.
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C'est La vie..
Sorry booga roo but.....
Booga_roo wrote:.
I forgot to add "at the same aperture value."So, 30mm at f/8 1 meter from target will give you more DOF than150mm at f/8 1 meter from target..
No, it just seems that way because 30mm you will see more of the target..
The p&s actually has greater dof because of the smaller sensor size. It loses out because the tiny hole that is F8 (eg) for that size lens has problems with light diffraction. This is one of the major advantages of a larger sensor, the ability to use a wider range of apetures.Of course, f8 with a tiny sensor has great dof.....
In fact, a small sensor has a lot going for it... except ultimate image quality..
The point and shoot may have something close to the same angle ofview because of the tiny sensor in the P&S versus the larger sensorin the DSLR.'Be right, fearless, faithfull, and true to others...'T.S. Elliott.
Sorry I may have opened a can of worms here....
But, Focus is FOCUS. A lens has a field of focus. anything out of thiis field will be softer. The degree of softness depends on the apeture used. A small apeture will decrease this softness but not eliminate it. QUite often it is eliminated so that it is not noticable at a normal viewing distance.
S.
ThanksAndy.
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C'est La vie..
Convert wrote:.
No, it just seems that way because 30mm you will see more of thetarget..
But you're not seeing more of the target at 30mm because the sensor is so small. Same reason why a 1.6 crop sensor sees less at 30mm than a full frame sensor at 30mm. If you do not move the camera with a 1.6 crop sensor away(thus changing distance from the subject, your DOF is the same as the full frame camera. You're confusing the "effective" focal length with real focal length. A 30mm lens is a 30mm lens is a 30mm lens, regardless of the sensor put behind it only seeing the equivilant 150mm angle of view..
The p&s actually has greater dof because of the smaller sensorsize. It loses out because the tiny hole that is F8 (eg) for thatsize lens has problems with light diffraction. This is one of themajor advantages of a larger sensor, the ability to use a widerrange of apetures.Of course, f8 with a tiny sensor has great dof.....
You need to do the math. The size of the sensor has NOTHING to do with the depth of field. I avoided using the math to avoid confusion from misinformation such as this. DOF is a function of distance, f/#, focal lenth, and required circle of confusion. Even this is a huge simplification. Please check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field for a SHORT explaination..
The reason you're getting diffaction at f/8 on a P&S is because the tiny photosites cannot correctly capture the light striking at a high angle of incidence to the sensor plane. There are microlenses over each photosite to help with this. Larger sensors have larger photosites with larger microlenses that CAN capture that light. The "tiny" aperture is unrelated to the sensor size, it's a mathematically relevant to the focal length of the lens..
Please do not fall for the misinformation out there and regurgitate it.'Be right, fearless, faithfull, and true to others...'T.S. Elliott..
Try to get your hands on:.
Nikon D50sb-600 flashtamrom 90mm macro.
Ges for arround 1200 and I'm very happy with it..
Rebel XT 8MP - 500Sigma 17-70 Macro and walk around lens (Awesome!!) - 350Canon EF-S 60 Macro - 350.
Your all set!For some examples of the 17-70 on my 30D see this album here.
Http://agconrad.smugmug.com/gallery/3033717#165181428.
Good Luck!!A.G.Conrad.
Canon EOS 30DSigma 24-70 2.8 EXCanon 50 1.8 Mk II.
Http://www.agconrad.smugmug.com..
Booga_roo wrote:.
Convert wrote:.
No, it just seems that way because 30mm you will see more of thetarget..
But you're not seeing more of the target at 30mm because the sensoris so small. Same reason why a 1.6 crop sensor sees less at 30mmthan a full frame sensor at 30mm. If you do not move the camerawith a 1.6 crop sensor away(thus changing distance from thesubject, your DOF is the same as the full frame camera. You'reconfusing the "effective" focal length with real focal length. A30mm lens is a 30mm lens is a 30mm lens, regardless of the sensorput behind it only seeing the equivilant 150mm angle of view..
The p&s actually has greater dof because of the smaller sensorsize. It loses out because the tiny hole that is F8 (eg) for thatsize lens has problems with light diffraction. This is one of themajor advantages of a larger sensor, the ability to use a widerrange of apetures.Of course, f8 with a tiny sensor has great dof.....
You need to do the math. The size of the sensor has NOTHING to dowith the depth of field. I avoided using the math to avoidconfusion from misinformation such as this. DOF is a function ofdistance, f/#, focal lenth, and required circle of confusion. Eventhis is a huge simplification. Please checkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field for a SHORTexplaination..
I looked up WIKI and It actually supports what I said. to Quote: "The greater DOF with the smaller format can be either an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the desired effect. For the same amount of foreground and background blur, a small-format camera requires a smaller f-number and allows a shorter exposure time than a large-format camera; however, many point-and-shoot digital cameras cannot provide a very shallow DOF. For example, a point-and-shoot digital camera with a 1/1.8 sensor (7.18 mm 5.32 mm) at a normal focal length and f/2.8 has the same DOF as a 35 mm camera with a normal lens at f/13.".
Imho the article is a little suspect because of it's misrepresentation of the schempflug principle..
The reason you're getting diffaction at f/8 on a P&S is because thetiny photosites cannot correctly capture the light striking at ahigh angle of incidence to the sensor plane..
Diffraction occurs at all focal lengths, F1:8 is my example of a maximum useable apeture in a digital P&s I don't have trouble..
There are microlensesover each photosite to help with this. Larger sensors have largerphotosites with larger microlenses that CAN capture that light..
Don't know a lot about microlenses. but with tiny sensors capturing 10 Mp of detail, the sensor needs all the help it can get. I always thought that the wavelength of colours also became more of a problem with size reduction and that microlenses were there to solve wavelength problems rather than angle problems (which can be dealt with by lens design?).Microlenses are needed. how well do they work?.
"tiny" aperture is unrelated to the sensor size, it's amathematically relevant to the focal length of the lens..
YES! It is related to the focal length of the lens, which with small sensors is greatly reduced, hence.....
Please do not fall for the misinformation out there and regurgitateit..
Lol.
'Be right, fearless, faithfull, and true to others...'T.S. Elliott.
I prefer to be Fearless, faithful and true to myself....andy.
ThanksAndy.
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C'est La vie..