New to all this, a question :)

Axius

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hey all, i have just got a D40 for my first SLR, it came with a nikkor zoom lense and the standard.. i was hopeing to take some really close shots aswell as this is my main interest to be honest (at least at first)

I am trying to find a decent budget macro lens to go with this camera.. £150 - £200 MAX...

please any advice i would love!

thanks alot

Mike

P.S i am really new so please be gentle!
 
Thats quite a low price for a new macro lens mate.

Tamron and Sigma do a 70-300 lens that has macro capability, but they only have a magnification ratio of 1:2. The best results are a ratio of 1:1. They aso have very average image quality. I have the Tamron and it's not great. It's not very good towards 300mm and you have to be at that range to use the macro function.

The only proper macro with a 1:1 ratio I can think of is the Sigma 50mm Macro. Good image quality for the money, but slightly over your budget At £240. However, it is a prime lens, so you will have no zoom capability, but I dont usually find that a problem with macro as I like to get close to subjects anyway.

Heres a link

Sigma 50mm f2.8 EX DG Macro Lens - Nikon Fit (346944) - Warehouse Express
 
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Thank you for the reply mate!!! and will this fit my nikon D40? if so i think ill stretch to it! as i really want to have a lense like this :)
 
as a quick upadte, just googled and they say it won't work with the D40 :(
 
thanks pal, but i cant go that far sadly :( but honestly thank you for your help... i am just so interested in taking the 1:1 shots....

anyway ill keep checking the forum post to see if there is other replies, but once again thank you
 
If memory serves me correctly, you can still use the sigma 50mm on the D40, but without autofocus. A lot of photographers prefer manual focusing in macro photography anyway.
 
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Maybe someone else can clarify this, but I am 95% sure it will work with manual focus only. Someone on Amazon posted this short review:

"For the price I am happy with this macro lens. I purchased it for a Nikon D40 DSLR. It will not auto focus with this camera, as a AF-S lens is needed for that; but those are in the range of $700+; so this lens is fine with manual focus, and for $550 or so less than one that will auto focus with my camera. I am happy with the photo quality that it produces. "
 
sold it to me mate... if not ill put it back on ebay :)
 
I'm sure you wont be disappointed.

You'll soon appreciate manual focus when you want to get that butterfly shot before it flies off. Autofocus can often be (particularly in macro) two to three seconds of noisily whirring in and out before finding the subject and then it flies off before you can press the shutter button :mad:
 
you have been a complete star in all of this mate and i thank you so much for helping me, i sent the guy a message, no doubt i will get one back in the morning then i will buy it :)

thanks once again...

Mike!
 
the tamron 90mm is very well respected (i don't if the nikon verson comes with a inbuilt motor) - you probably won't get it new for < £200 but you should find it 2nd hand for that
 
do you have any reasurance that it will work on the D40 mate?
 
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Something to think about, for insect type macro shots 50mm is very short. At 1:1 the front element of your lens will be a couple of inches from your subject, if it hasn't buggered off.
 
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Thanks all for the reply, the Convertor does look interesting :)

i got a message back from the ebay seller and he said it doesn't work and an error message will flash up on the camera :(

I think ill look into this converter a bit more though

 
Thanks all for the reply, the Convertor does look interesting :)

i got a message back from the ebay seller and he said it doesn't work and an error message will flash up on the camera :(

I think ill look into this converter a bit more though



Here is the Flickr group if you want to see more examples:
Flickr: RAYNOX DCR250
Some may well be taken with your camera model too. :thumbsup:
 
Love them pictures! so the raynox will fit my camera 100%? if so i think i shall purchase today :)
 
Love them pictures! so the raynox will fit my camera 100%? if so i think i shall purchase today :)

It will certainly fit.... since its adjustable.

Apparently you can get great results with it mounted to a 50mm 1.8

So if you havent got a 50mm...... your original budget of £200 for Macro would buy you the 50mm (great lens anyway) and the Raynox.

Happy days!

Ive used mine on my 18-105mm with my D90 and it works pretty good there too.
 
yeah mate, proper nice shot gonna order it now i think :) thanks once again
 

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