Macro lenses: zoom, fixed and dedicated

The ideal would be a lens that would be suitable for everything, from insects in the wild to a jewel in a studio. Unfortunately, that doesn’t exist.

Zoom lenses

When we buy our first camera, we usually get a zoom lens with it. These lenses usually offer a range of focal lengths from a moderate wide angle to a relatively short telephoto, and sometimes have a “macro” function.

In this context, the term macro is somewhat inexact and can cause confusion among unsuspecting buyers. It would be more correct to talk about close-up photography, since this function allows you to reduce the minimum focusing distance and achieve magnification ratios with which it is already possible to capture various subjects in full frame, such as butterflies, flowers, mushrooms and the like.

• Read more: Difference between macro photography and close-up photography

Zoom lenses are not usually particularly bright, and their macro functionality requires working with long focal lengths, so shooting with them handheld can be really difficult. They are also not as sharp as true macro lenses, although this can be seen as a relative handicap: in many cases we will not be looking for great sharpness at the edge of the image because the subject of interest occupies the center and what we want is to isolate it from the background.

With a few exceptions, there are no true macro zooms. One of them is the Micro Nikkor AF 70-180 f/4.5-5.6. It is not a true macro by reproduction ratio (1:1.3) but it is close enough, and its optical performance is very good. Apparently, it was too expensive to produce and there was not enough demand, so it was discontinued and is now only found on the second-hand market. After all, in close-up and macro photography it is common to move the camera to change magnification, and the actual usefulness of a macro zoom is questionable.

Apart from the Nikkor, we are only aware of three other macro zooms: the Zeiss Luminar Zoom, the Zeiss Tessovar and the prohibitively expensive Leica Wild line of macroscopes.

Fixed lenses without macro function

The story with fixed focal length lenses is similar. The maximum magnification achievable with them is around 1:3. The advantage of these lenses is that they tend to be much brighter than zoom lenses, which means they will work better with teleconverters and extension tubes. In any case, if macro is your primary interest in photography, it makes the most sense to make a dedicated lens your next major purchase. They are available at reasonable prices, but if your budget doesn’t allow for it, you can look into third-party brands or pick up a vintage lens from another system and a lens adapter. Models with a magnification ratio of 1:2 can be found.

Macro lenses

From a mechanical point of view, macro lenses are built like other lenses, but they have longer helicoids and/or internal groups of moving optical elements that allow the focusing range to be extended. They also tend to have greater sharpness and better correction of optical aberrations than non-macro lenses.

The vast majority of macro lenses from major brands have good or very good optical quality. The exceptions are mostly found among vintage macro lenses from the Soviet era. As a result, macro lenses are often more expensive than general-purpose lenses of comparable range and focal length.

Ideally, our first macro lens would be suitable for photographing a wide variety of subjects, from plants and insects in the wild to a piece of jewelry in a studio. Unfortunately, an ideal macro lens for all possible situations does not exist. Let’s take an example: lenses with a longer focal length have a narrower field of view, which makes it easier to isolate a subject. Thus, a 60mm in micro four thirds can be excellent for taking pictures of insects or for photographing subjects at ground level, such as lichens and mushrooms, but its focal length can be too long if we want to take overhead shots of dishes.

Macro lenses often go to f/22 or even f/32 to achieve greater depth of field, although this increase is usually accompanied by a reduction in sharpness due to diffraction (bending) of light around the diaphragm. Most lenses tend to be sharpest in the middle range of their focal length, such as f/8 or f/11.

Less than 50mm

Macro lenses with focal lengths in this range tend to be designed for use with smaller sensors, such as APS-C or micro four thirds. They allow some surrounding elements of the subject of interest to be included, making them well suited for macro landscapes, for example. They are rarely intended for use with full frame cameras, although there are some wide-angle lenses for full frame that offer magnifications of up to 1:2.

50mm to 60mm

Focal lengths in the 50mm to 60mm range are often the go-to choice for macro enthusiasts purchasing their first fixed focal length lens, and there are good reasons for this:

• They are ideal for reprography because they provide virtually distortion-free results.
• They are also ideal for macro photography when working at a distance, such as when photographing plants, skittish insects, or details of larger structures in a studio.
• They are versatile. They serve as a “normal lens” for landscape photography, portraiture, etc.

90 mm to 105 mm

Lenses with focal lengths ranging from 90mm to 105mm are useful in a variety of situations, such as telephoto or portraiture, although in the latter case they can be sharper than desired and reveal every pore or imperfection in the skin, which is probably not what you are looking for. On the plus side, since they allow for a greater working distance, they make it easier to adjust the lighting of the subject. As long as the aperture is not reduced drastically, they also allow for handheld shooting (not counting the possible help of stabilization systems).

150 mm and more

Macro telephoto lenses in the 150mm to 200mm range are ideal for photographing insects such as dragonflies and butterflies. The working distance of about 30cm from the front lens is sufficient to keep most insects from fleeing, provided we are not too loud or abrupt in our movements. If we need more distance, we can also use a teleconverter.

300 mm and more

Lenses in this category have disappeared from the market. If you look for used equipment, you’ll find examples such as the Sigma f/4 300mm and the Sigma f/5.6 400mm, which provide a magnification of approximately 1:3. Their macro applications are minimal, but they are useful for photographing butterflies, dragonflies and, more interestingly for some, birds.

Macro lenses for Micro Four Thirds (Olympus / OM System and Panasonic Lumix)

Macro lenses for Canon

Macro lenses for Sony

Macro lenses for Nikon

Macro lenses for Fuji

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