[scotboy15]

I currently have a a 350D with the kit lens and the 50 mm 1.8. I am looking into getting a lens with a better zoom and preferably the ability to take decent macro pictures. I have about £150 - £200 to spend and have the canon rebate vouchers. I was looking at the following lenses:-

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro
Sigma 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 Compact Asph Hyperzoom AF Zoom Lens
Canon EF 90-300mm f4-5.6 USM LENS

What are peoples thoughts on these lenses?

Also what is the advantages of getting a lens with a wider range of zoom (i.e 70-300, 28-300, 90-300)?

What are the advantages of getting a prime macro lens over a zoom lens with macro ability? Can you us a prime macro lens for other types of photograph?


Sorry for all the questions and thanks for any advice you can give.

[midtones]

These aren't real "macro" (they are not 1:1). The extreme close-ups of bugs and things are done with real macro lenses, like the Canon EF-S 60mm macro and 100mm (there's also Tamron/Sigma).

So it really depends, do you want zoom or macro only?

K.

[scotboy15]

Well ideally I want a reasonable quality of zoom lens with the ability to try macro photography as I couldn't really justify buying a lens to take macro photography at the moment.

Hope that helps.
Any more advice?

[richard plumb]

the sigma 70-300 gets recommendations as a solid zoom in general (especially the APO version), with the benefit of an 'almost' macro mode built in - 1:2 magnification rather than 1:1 you normally get with proper macro lenses.

Its a good option.

[kenlynch]

Sigma produce an APO close-up filter for the 70-300mm which makes it full 1:1 (slightly more with crop factor cameras). I use the 70-300mm and it's a great all-rounder lens for the price.