Macro Shots

[gamerxx13]

For my work we dissect many fruits and I needed a camera that takes the best macro pictures. Do you know which camera takes the best macro shots? Price range around 400 and less. I was looking just purely for macro shots for great detail. Thank you.

Amitoj

 

[andylawcc]

do you have ANY camera to start with? (so we can compare what you have to your possible options)

also, do you plan to keep the camera for other use in the future? (if you do, then I will recommend a DSLR so you can swap lense for other usage/purpose; otherwise, a DSLR just for shooting Macro to me is a bit of waste, therefore, a quality P&S like Canon G9 would be recommended instead)

 

[troytime]

i don't think you can get true macro without going to an slr

i'm sure there are point & shoots with decent close-up abilities

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: troytime
i don't think you can get true macro without going to an slr

i'm sure there are point & shoots with decent close-up abilities

i dunno, my S3 can take some awesome macro shots.

 

[996GT2]

For $400 you can get a nice used SLR body like a D70 or Rebel XT, get a nice prime lens such as a 50mm, and put a few extension (Kenko) tubes on it. That will allow you to take some great macro shots and you can always change out the lenses for different situations.

P&S Cameras can take good macro shots, but the larger sensor (and faster available lenses) of an SLR gives it a much better ability to produce shallow DoF.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that with a Nikon DSLR you can also mount a whole variety of inexpensive but very nice older manual focus macro lenses. Lenses like the 55mm f/2.8 Micro (Nikon calls macro lenses Micro) can be had for well under $150 in great condition.

With Canon you're out of luck in that department, since their DSLRs only accept the newer EF and EF-S lenses introduced in the late 1980s.

 

[jpeyton]

The cheapest I can think of is about $450.

$300 for a used Nikon body (D50, D70s)
$150 for a used Sigma EX 50mm f/2.8 Macro

The Sigma lens is a bargain; it does 1:1 without an extension tube, and is about $100 cheaper than the Nikon AF Micro 55mm.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: troytime
i don't think you can get true macro without going to an slr

i'm sure there are point & shoots with decent close-up abilities

i dunno, my S3 can take some awesome macro shots.

close up, yes, macro, no. magnification on your S3 is still something like .2x. so technically it's not macro. though, after applying crop factor, it's like 2.5:1.

though the distortion on the S3 is pretty awful in super macro mode.