Macro Lens recommendations

[HelenClaire]

Am wanting to buy a macro lens for my Canon 450D. What would be a good starter lens that doesn't cost the earth and would be suitable for a relative beginner?

[Speedway]

The Tamron 90mm Macro is highly regarded and excellent value for the low cost.
Cheers
Keith.

[fabian628]

i used to use the canon EF-s 60mm macro. Compact, built like an L lens, and very nice images. Can pick them up pretty cheap off ebay second hand :)

[HelenClaire]

Hi Fabian628, Sorry for my ignorance but what is a L lens?

[davearnold]

I have a 450D and a 7D and use my EF-S60mm Macro on both, best value for money macro lens, combine it with a cheap ebay Yongnuo flash, and you have a very useable cheap macro set up .... check my flickr or blog for photos taken with this lens/flash set up.

This one was taken with 7D ( could not find a 450D image quickly)

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/theelfmaster/IMG_1261-Copy.jpg


Cheers Dave

[Film Street]

The Tokina 100mm macro lens is great value for such an excellent lens.

[ameerat42]

Hi HelenClaire.
An "L" lens in Canon (and some other) terminology is a lens which has some elements made of "L"ow-dispersion glass. That "means" you can expect some higher quality performance over a (presumably) "non-L" lens, such as, say, a "kit lens" (don't ask:D)
Here is a Wikipedia description" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_L_lens) that might be helpful.

I'm only offering this as an interim reply to any that Fabian might give you.
Am.

[dulvariprestige]

I'm with Keith, 90mm tamron would have to be the best bang for buck macro lens out there, picked on up on ebay for $350 new

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8427/7589939938_056d0434f6_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dulvariprestige/7589939938/)
Giant Water Bug (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dulvariprestige/7589939938/) by Jayde Aleman (http://www.flickr.com/people/dulvariprestige/), on Flickr

[Epoc]

Another vote here for the Tammy 90mm. $306 new at EGlobal.

[Allan Ryan]

I'm looking at a Canon 100 macro New for $449, if that's in your budget.
NOTE - there are 2 canon 100Macro lenses, one is an L, one is not

One of the site sponsors is eGlobal ( where i got my last lens - 70-200L )
http://www.eglobaldigitalcameras.com.au/canon-ef-100mm-f2.8-marco-usm-lenses.html

But i have seen many shot someone else done with a Tamron 90 macro, and they are very good.

- - - Updated - - -

The answer is probably the one in Canon's Lens Work III Book - "L" is for "Luxury".

Source
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Canon-L-Lens-Series.aspx

[jamesridley]

any one herd of nikon lenses not keeping up with the camera body of nikon technology with AF and high mega pixels

[Mary Anne]

My vote for a good cheap macro lens is the Tamron 90mm also :th3:

[unistudent1962]

I'm looking at a Canon 100 macro New for $449

"L" is for "Luxury"

The Canon 100 Macro is superb, I've had one for about a year now and it has proven to be an exceptional lens.
If your budget allows it, you will not be disappointed.

As stated, "L" lenses in the Canon range are their "Luxury" lenses.
Lots of lenses use low-dispersion glass in their elements, not just "L" lenses.