Macro lens: which one to choose and how ?
Macrophotography really is a very special field, that of the infinitely small! It is truly a field in photography that transports you to a parallel world, not visible to the naked eye or almost. I must admit that I am not a big specialist in this field, but I am still particularly interested in it!
I also wrote a full article dedicated to macro-photography, giving as much advice as possible to start off and progress in this field. Capturing close-ups is not as simple as you might think. Today, I will stick to the material aspect and try to answer to the best of my ability the question: which macro lens to choose and based on what criteria?
Even if I have already done a complete article explaining how to choose a camera lens, macro photography remains very particular on a lot of different aspects. I want to start by thanking Hervé, a friend who lent me his macro equipment on several occasions and helped me write this article. Indeed, everything that you need to know about macro lenses is presented here, and I will guide you in choosing your camera in this field. At the end of the article, I will briefly talk about the different accessories that exist for macro photography.

Check out my practical photography packs. It's a simple, fun and entertaining way to learn and improve in photography, especially in the field!
As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. It means that, all the links linking to camera gear in this post are redirecting to Amazon stores
Small clarification that in my opinion is also important, you do not have to use your macro lens only for macro photography. For instance, many use the superb Canon lens 100mm f/2.8 L as a very good portrait lens. In this article, i will only talk about DSLR’s and mirrorless camera (sorry for owners of Point-and-shoot cameras, but you don’t have interchangeable lenses possibilities).
So how do you choose your macro lens?
1 - The reproduction ratio
We’ll simply start with the basics without going into too much detail to avoid headaches. Also known as magnification ratio, the reproduction ratio represents the ratio between the size of a photographed subject and the size of its image on the sensor of your camera. What does that mean in practice? If your subject measures 1cm in the real world and also measures 1 cm in the image, then this is referred to as a 1:1 reproduction ratio.
In the real world, we call this macro photography when the magnification ratio is from 1:1 (minimum) to 10:1. To achieve 10:1, the subject that measures 1cm in real life would have to measure 10cm on the image, which is huge. Beyond 10:1, we speak of microphotography, which corresponds to extreme macro photography. For example, being able to see the hairs of a spider in detail. Below the 1:1 ratio, is what we call proxy photography, which is the equivalent in common language to “close-up photography”!
You will understand why I am talking about the reproduction ratio in the paragraph below.


2 – Beware of the term “macro`` on lenses
A few lines to quickly clarify a few points. Some brands had fun (so to speak) making you believe that some of their lenses could do macro photography. You will find more and more lenses with the mention “MACRO”. This is the case, for example, with my Canon 70-300 L IS telephoto lens. I can reassure you right away that these are not macro lenses.
The 1:1 magnification ratio mentioned above is never achieved in reality and you will therefore be able to get very close to your subject thanks to a reduced focusing distance for this type of lens. For example, my telephoto lens that I mentioned above allows me to do what’s called proxy photography. This is enough for me, for example, to try to take a picture of a butterfly close-up. Therefore, be sure to check the reproduction ratio announced at the time of your purchase.
3 - Focal length, minimum distance shooting, weight, size and price
I deliberately wanted to group all of this together in the same paragraph because in the end, they are all closely related. These are the four main parameters to consider when making your choice (and of course, very often, the budget). Each has its advantages and disadvantages due to the fact that you don’t choose a 180mm focal length to do the same thing as you would with a 35mm focal length. A longer focal length has an impact on price, weight, size and especially the shooting possibilities. Remember that most of the time, there is no zoom lens for macrophotography. Most are prime lenses (fixed focal length lens). To sum up, here is a list of the essentials:
- Short focal lengths: I would say are between 35mm and 60mm. They are already available in all brands. They have the advantage of having a very short focusing distance (about 10 to 13cm). The lenses are lightweight, small in size and relatively affordable. They are suitable for small objects, flowers and static subjects. However, they are not suitable for shy subjects such as butterflies or dragonflies.

The Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 IS STM Macro lens, an example of a short macro focal length (1:1 ratio) – More details on Amazon
- Standard lenses: 90mm and 100mm lenses are considered the most versatile for a macro lens. It’s a bit of an all-round focus in macro photography. However, the minimum focusing distance will be longer (about 15 cm) and the price, size and weight be higher. However, you will be able to start shooting insects from a little further away, which is nice for the subjects who are a little shy.
- Long focal lengths: the last category of focal length is over than 150mm. These are more imposing, more expensive and more difficult to handle lenses, especially when starting out in macro photography. Generally, no one starts with such a long focal length because it takes a certain time to adapt and be able to control it. This focal length specializes in large, shy insects and small (more delicate) insects or flowers. Working with a long focal length necessarily entails a much greater risk of motion blur. It will often be necessary to use a higher ISO to obtain a sufficient speed or to use a tripod.
As a general rule, we can summarize it like this: the shorter the focal length, the closer you will be able to get to the animals but evidently not to the shy ones, however the lens is easier to use. The long focal length allows you to increase your safety distance with the subject (generally less frightening for them), but the lenses will be harder to use, more expensive, heavier and may require the use of a tripod.
4 - The maximum aperture of your macro lens
When you consider buying a standard camera lens, it’s often one of the first things you look at. However, in macro photography, I would say it’s less important. All the macro lenses I know open to f/2.8 or f/3.5 as a general rule. If you know a little bit about photography, you should know that the closer you get to a subject (which is the case here), the more you’ll get a shallow depth of field.
We will come back to this in another article, but we often try to increase our depth of field by using small apertures (f/11, even f/14). In my opinion, there is not much point in thinking about maximum aperture when choosing a macro lens. The only case I see interesting is if you want to use your lens for portrait photography and/or for low light photography. Indeed, having a larger aperture will allow you to obtain more beautiful background blurs (bokeh). Especially since (something I didn’t know then), the closer you get to the minimum focusing distance (concretely the closer you are to the subject), the smaller the maximum aperture gets. Even a fixed lens at f/2.8 will no longer open at this aperture when you are as close to the subject. For portrait no worries (even though it’s not the purpose of your purchase), but it is a detail to know that few tests actually specify (Thanks Alex).



5 – Stabilization
This is a major debate in the world of macro since not everyone agrees on the usefulness of choosing a lens with image stabilization. I personally haven’t been able to test it to that point yet, but from what I know and have read, it can be useful. Especially in difficult lighting conditions, where you will have trouble getting enough speed to avoid motion blur. On the other hand, I have met several people who advise against activating the stabilization of your macro lens when you have enough speed to ensure the sharpness of the image.
Which macro lens to choose? My recommendations
Macro lenses for DSLR cameras
We have just seen all the technical aspects to be taken into account for the purchase of your lens. Nevertheless, many beginners who are starting out in macro photography, don’t have an unlimited budget and the financial aspect will very often be the priority. Here are some general recommendations.
In order to help you in your choice and to give you the maximum numbers of characteristics of each lens, I have decided to summarize the important elements in summary tables. Here are the three comparative tables for short focal lengths (between 24mm and 60mm), standard focal lengths (85 to 105mm) and finally for long focal lengths (more than 150mm). In these summary tables, you will find in the main characteristics of the lenses.
For each lens, I present you my recommendations for the two main brands, Canon and Nikon. Please note that I have however added the 3 reference lenses from Pentax as well.
Starting macrophotography with a short focal length
If you are new to photography and want to try your hand at shooting macrophotography, I would recommend choosing a short focal length in the range of 30 to 60mm. This price range is still acceptable (300/400€) and this will allow you to have a good vision of this domain. The main advantage of these short focal length lenses is that they are light, inexpensive and easy to handle. However, the bokeh may be slightly less blurred and the minimum focusing distance will be quite reduced, in the order of 10 to 16cm. Shorter focal lengths also tend to accentuate perspective and distortion. Chromatic aberrations are also generally more present. Here are the serious references if you want to choose a short focal length macro lens.
Macro lens | Body | Focal length | Max. aperture | Focus | Stab. | Working distance | Weight | Filter | Best price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Laowa - Nikon 24mm f/14 Ultra Macro (2:1) | FF / APS-C | 24mm | f/14 | Manual | NO | 47cm | 474g | - | Amazon |
Laowa - Nikon 24mm f/14 Ultra Macro (2:1) | FF / APS-C | 24mm | f/14 | Manual | NO | 47cm | 474g | - | Amazon |
Laowa - Nikon 25mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro (5:1) | FF / APS-C | 25mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 17,3cm | 400g | - | Amazon |
Laowa - Nikon 25mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro (5:1) | FF / APS-C | 25mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 17,3cm | 400g | - | Amazon |
Canon 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM | APS-C | 35mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 9,7cm | 190g | 49mm | Amazon |
Pentax 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited | FF / APS-C | 35mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 13,9cm | 214g | 49mm | Amazon |
Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S DX | APS-C | 40mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 16cm | 235g | 52mm | Amazon |
Pentax 50mm f/2.8 Macro | FF / APS-C | 50mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 20cm | 265g | 49mm | Amazon |
Canon 60mm f/2.8 USM EF-S | APS-C | 60mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 20cm | 335g | 52mm | Amazon |
Nikon 60mm micro f/2.8 G ED | FF / APS-C | 60mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 18cm | 425g | 62mm | Amazon |
Laowa - Canon 60mm f/2.8 Ultra-Macro (2:1) | FF / APS-C | 60mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 18,5cm | 630g | 62mm | Amazon |
Laowa - Nikon 60mm f/2.8 Ultra-Macro (2:1) | FF / APS-C | 60mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 18,5cm | 630g | 62mm | Amazon |
Tamron - Nikon 60mm f/2.0 Di II LD Macro | APS-C | 60mm | f/2 | Auto. | NO | 23cm | 400g | 60mm | Amazon |
Tamron - Canon 60mm f/2.0 Di II LD Macro | APS-C | 60mm | f/2 | Auto. | NO | 23cm | 400g | 60mm | Amazon |
Here are my recommendations for short focal lengths by brand:
- At Canon, I would particularly recommend to start with the 60mm f/2.8 which has a very good reputation. Alternatively, you can have a look at the Tamron 60mm f/2.0 Di II LD. Both lenses are almost the same price, around 450€. For even closer close-ups of subjects (not fearful) or on fixed subjects (bark, book, moss, etc.), Canon also offers a 35mm f/2.8. Please note that these three lenses are only dedicated to Canon APS-C sensors,
- For Nikon fans, I will also recommend the 60mm f/2.8 or (as on the Canon), the Tamron 60mm f/2 Di II LD. For shots even closer to the subject, Nikon also has a 40mm f/2.8.
Standard macro lenses
If you are looking for a more versatile focal length, the 90 to 105mm focal lengths are generally recommended. The minimum focusing distance is slightly longer (25 to 30cm), but this should be put into perspective with the fact that these focal lengths are generally longer than the short ones. The average gain is between 4 and 7cm I would say in reality on the field. These lenses are still relatively light, easy to use handheld and can offer softer bokeh overall. Prices generally go up a notch.
Here are my recommendations for standard focal lengths:
- At Canon, the best standard macro lens at the moment is still the Tamron 90mm SP f/2.8 Di VC USD. The Canon 100mm L IS also offers superb image quality (I’ve had the opportunity to test it several times!). Finally, the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM also remains a very good quality lens with a very good reputation. These three lenses are suitable for a full frame or APS-C body and have auto-focus and stabilization. If you have a more limited budget, you can look at the first Canon 100mm or Tamron version,
- At Nikon, I consider the three best lenses to be more or less the same as at Canon. First the Tamron 90mm, then the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED MC AF-S VR and finally the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM.
- For those with a smaller budget, Tokina also offers a 100mm which seems to be well known (auto focus), as well as Samyang (manual focus). Both lenses are available from Canon and Nikon.
Here below is the set of standard macro lenses along with their main features.
Model | Body | Focal length | Max. aperture | Focus | Stab. | Working distance | Weight | Filter | Best price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nikon 85mm f/3.5G ED VR II AF-S DX | APS-C | 85mm | f/3.5 | Auto. | YES | 27cm | 355g | 52mm | Amazon |
Tamron - Canon 90mm SP f/2.8 Di VC USD | FF / APS-C | 90mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 30cm | 610g | 62mm | Amazon |
Tamron - Nikon 90mm SP f/2.8 Di VC USD | FF / APS-C | 90mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 30cm | 610g | 62mm | Amazon |
Tamron - Canon 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro SP AF | FF / APS-C | 90mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 405g | 55mm | Amazon |
Tamron - Nikon 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro SP AF | FF / APS-C | 90mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 405g | 55mm | Amazon |
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro L IS USM | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 30cm | 630g | 58mm | Amazon |
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 31cm | 600g | 58mm | Amazon |
Tokina - Nikon 100mm f/2.8 ATX-i | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 520g | 55mm | Amazon |
Tokina - Canon 100mm f/2.8 ATX-i | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 520g | 55mm | Amazon |
Tokina - Canon 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 490g | 55mm | Amazon |
Tokina - Nikon 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 490g | 55mm | Amazon |
Laowa - Canon 100mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro APO (2:1) | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Manual | YES | 24cm | 638g | 67mm | Amazon |
Laowa - Nikon 100mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro APO (2:1) | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Manual | YES | 24cm | 638g | 67mm | Amazon |
Samyang - Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro ED UMC | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 30cm | 720g | 67mm | Amazon |
Samyang - Nikon 100mm f/2.8 Macro ED UMC | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 30cm | 720g | 67mm | Amazon |
Pentax 100mm f/2.8 WR | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 340g | 49mm | Amazon |
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED MC AF-S VR | FF / APS-C | 105mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 31cm | 790g | 62mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Nikon 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM | FF / APS-C | 105mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 31cm | 720g | 62mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Canon 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM | FF / APS-C | 105mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 31cm | 720g | 62mm | Amazon |
Long focal length lenses for macrophotography
Finally, about the longest focal lengths, the ones that are only recommended for advanced macro users in general (also known as telephoto lenses for macrophotography). We’re talking about focal lengths beyond 150mm. This type of focal length will allow you to shoot rather shy insects from a little further away, since the average focusing distance is between 34 and 47cm (so you gain slightly more distance from the insect). However, bokeh is often even more blurred. Conversely, focal lengths are heavier, more expensive and more difficult to use hand-held for a long period of time. They are also more difficult to use in low light (due to a generally larger aperture (f/3.5 – f/4) and long focal length).
At Canon, the reference remains the 180mm f/3.5 L USM, but which is a heavy, rather old and unstabilized lens. Sigma offers a stabilized 150mm f/2.8 that I would recommend more, both at Canon and Nikon. Note that Sigma also offers the excellent 180mm f/2.8 but which will be reserved for people who have the means and who are not afraid of a heavy lens! Finally, Irix recently offers a 150mm f/2.8 with manual focus, which according to the tests, remains a superb lens, especially for the price displayed for a focal length at this aperture (around 600€). Tamron also offers an (old) 180mm f/3.5 but I am having difficulties finding it online for the moment. Here below are the long focal length macro lenses and their main characteristics.
Model | Body | Focal length | Max. aperture | Focus | Stab. | Working distance | Weight | Filter | Best price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sigma - Canon 150mm f/2,8 EX DG APO OS HSM | FF / APS-C | 150mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 38cm | 1180g | 72mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Nikon 150mm f/2,8 EX DG APO OS HSM | FF / APS-C | 150mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 38cm | 1180g | 72mm | Amazon |
Irix - Canon 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 Dragonfly | FF / APS-C | 150mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 34,5cm | 840g | 77mm | Amazon |
Irix - Nikon 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 Dragonfly | FF / APS-C | 150mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 34,5cm | 840g | 77mm | Amazon |
Canon 180mm f/3.5 L USM | FF / APS-C | 180mm | f/3.5 | Auto. | NO | 48cm | 1109g | 72mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Canon 180mm f/2.8 APO Macro OS HSM | FF / APS-C | 180mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 47cm | 1640g | 86mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Nikon 180mm f/2.8 APO Macro OS HSM | FF / APS-C | 180mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 47cm | 1640g | 86mm | Amazon |
Nikon 200mm f/4.0 D IF ED MC | FF / APS-C | 200mm | f/4 | Auto. | NO | 49cm | 1190g | 62mm | Amazon |
Tamron 180 mm f/3.5 SP AF Di LD IF | FF / APS-C | 180mm | f/3.5 | Auto. | NO | 47cm | 985g | 72mm | Amazon |
Specific macro lenses, Laowa's lenses
I wanted to add a few words about special lenses, the LAOWA macro lenses. Namely that they are available in both Canon and Nikon mounts.
For those who want to see more details than on a classic lens with a 1:1 reproduction ratio, Laowa offers beautiful lenses with higher ratios, including a 100mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro APO (2:1), a 60mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro (2:1), or two very special lenses: the 24mm f/14 Ultra Macro (2:1) and the 25mm f/2.8 which has a reproduction ratio of up to 5:1. Clearly, these are particular optics, but it is worth mentioning them here.

According to many sources, the best macro lens of the moment, the Tamron 90mm ! – More details on Amazon
Macro lenses for mirrorless cameras
I hadn’t originally decided to discuss it in this article, but in the end, I think it’s relevant to say a few words about it, especially now that mirrorless cameras are becoming more and more popular on the market. In fact, I’ve written a very complete guide on how to choose lenses for mirrorless cameras! Here are the best macro lenses to consider for a hybrid camera.
- Sony: samll reminder, all Sony lenses can be mounted on full-frame or APS-C bodies. Be careful however with the conversion factor between the types of bodies (x1.5) and the cropping if you place an APS-C lens on a full-frame body. Everybody says it, the best Sony macro lens is still the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS. Built for a full-frame body, it is however adapted to the APS-C format (Type Axxx). There is also the very good and cheaper FE 50mm f/2.8 as well as the 30mm f/3.5 (only for Sony APS-C). Concerning third-party brands, Sigma offers a very good reference, let’s say the best if you own a Sony FF camera, the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN MACRO Art. Also from the Sigma (for cheaper and shorter), the Sigma 70mm F/2.8 DG. Finally, Tokina also offers the FíRIN100mm f/2.8 FE.
Model | Body | Focal length | Max. aperture | Focus | Stab. | Working distance | Weight | Filter | Best price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sony 90mm f/2.8 FE Macro G OSS | FF / APS-C | 90mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 28cm | 602g | 62mm | Amazon |
Sony 50mm f/2.8 FE | FF / APS-C | 50mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 16cm | 236g | 55mm | Amazon |
Sony 30mm f/3.5 | APS-C | 30mm | f/3.5 | Auto. | NO | 9,5cm | 138g | 49mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Sony 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro Art | FF / APS-C | 70mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 26cm | 570g | 49mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Sony 105mm f/2.8 DG DN MACRO Art | FF / APS-C | 105mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 29,5cm | 715g | 62mm | Amazon |
Tokina - Sony 100mm f/2.8 FE Firin | FF / APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 30cm | 570g | 55cm | Amazon |
- For the Micro four thirds cameras: Here, we’re talking about Olympus and Panasonic brands which use the same mount. Not to mention macro lenses with manual focus which will certainly not be of interest to beginners, three lenses stand out in Micro 4/3:
- The Olympus 60mm f/2.8, perfect from all sources for a 4/3 Micro format,
- The Olympus 30mm f/3.5 that many recommend for details on small subjects
- The Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 ASPH O.I.S or the Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 (known to be very good).
Model | Body | Focal length | Max. aperture | Focus | Stab. | Working distance | Weight | Filter | Best price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Olympus 60mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED | Micro 4/3 | 60mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 19cm | 185g | 46mm | Amazon |
Olympus 30mm f/3.5 M.Zuiko Digital | Micro 4/3 | 30mm | f/3.5 | Auto. | NO | 9,5cm | 130g | 46mm | Amazon |
Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. | Micro 4/3 | 30mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 10cm | 180g | 46mm | Amazon |
Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. | FF / APS-C | 45mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 15cm | 220g | 46mm | Amazon |
- At Fuji: everyone loves the same reference and I particularly recommend the Fuji 80mm f/2.8 for all owners of Fuji mirrorless cameras looking to start out in macro photography! Among third-party brands and with manual focusing, Samyang/Rokinon offers a 100mm f/2.8 which is well known. Zeiss also offers (but at a higher price) the Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8. Other third-party brands offer macro lenses such as Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO, Samyang 100mm f/2.8 Macro ED UMC or Meike 85mm f/2.8 Macro. If you are interested in the field, I invite you to read our comprehensive guide that details everything you need to know about the best Fujifilm macro lenses.
- At Canon: although they don’t offer a large quantity of lenses for mirrorless cameras (it will surely increase), you have two nice references with short focal lengths, perfect for close subjects for instance. For Canon’s APS-C mirrorless cameras, there’s the EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM. For Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, there’s two references : the RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM and the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM. For those on a tighter budget, several 3rd party rf lenses exists to shoot macro photography with manual focus, such as :
- The Meike 85mm f/2.8 Macro
- The 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro
- And from Laowa, the 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro and the 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO.
- At Nikon (Z) : Unless I’m mistaken, both in APS-C and Full Frame format, there are no dedicated macro lenses for Nikon yet. While waiting for Nikon to release its Z macro lenses (they are already announced for 2021, like the Nikon Z 105mm Micro S and the Nikon Z 60mm Micro), and if you don’t have concerns with manual focusing, several third party brands offer cheap macro lenses like :
- The 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro Z
- The Meike 85mm f/2.8 Macro
- And at Laowa, the 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro and the Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO
- For those who own a Nikon Z50 (APS-C mirrorless camera), 7Artisans offers an affordable macro lens, the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro
- If you want to know more, check out our in-depth guide on the best current Nikon Z macro lenses (Nikon and third-party brands).
- At Panasonic (L-mount), thanks to the Panasonic-Leica-Sigma alliance, the 70mm f/2.8 Art Macro is now available in Panasonic L-mount.
Model | Body | Focal length | Max. aperture | Focus | Stab. | Working distance | Weight | Filter | Amazon |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fuji (X) 80mm XF f/2.8 R LM OIS WR | APS-C | 80mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | YES | 25cm | 750g | 62mm | Amazon |
Zeiss - Fuji (X) 50mm f/2.8 Touit | APS-C | 50mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 15cm | 290g | 52mm | Amazon |
Samyang - Fuji (X) 100mm f/2.8 Macro ED UMC | APS-C | 100mm | f/2.8 | Manual | NO | 30cm | 705g | 67mm | Amazon |
Canon (EF-M) 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM EF-M | APS-C | 28mm | f/3.5 | Auto. | YES | 9,7cm | 130g | 43mm | Amazon |
Canon (RF) 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM | Full Frame | 35mm | f/1.8 | Auto. | YES | 17cm | 305g | 52mm | Amazon |
Canon (RF) 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM | Full Frame | 85mm | f/2 | Auto. | YES | 30cm | 500g | 67mm | Amazon |
Sigma - Panasonic (L) 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro Art L | Full Frame | 70mm | f/2.8 | Auto. | NO | 26cm | 570g | 49mm | Amazon |
Finally, a few words also about Laowa lenses which can be considered as very good quality manual focus lenses. The brand offers many of these lenses in several mounts for mirrorless cameras, including Canon EF-M, Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF and Fuji X. At the time of writing this article, there is no macro Laowa lens yet for Micro 4/3 mounts (unlike their wide-angle lenses). I summarize everything I found in terms of their main specifications in the table below. Today, almost all Laowa macro lenses are available in Sony E-mount. For each lens model, the reproduction ratio is specified (from standard 1:1 to 5:1).
For your choice, I would say that it all depends on whether you think the price difference between third-party brands and major brands is justified. You can also watch tests and comparisons, especially on DXO.
Buy cheap macro lens for mirrorless camera?
For those who don’t have the budget to spend 600$, 800$ or more in a macro lens, there are some affordable macro lenses to get you started in the field. Regarding mirrorless camera brands, I would recommend the following:
- At Fuji X: Both references remain expensive, especially the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro at around 1000$. That’s quite a budget to get started. The other alternatives are necessarily with manual focus. The Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO is still quite expensive and is around 400$. With a smaller budget, you can look at the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 Macro ED UMC (about 350$) or the Meike 85mm f/2.8 Macro (about 300$). The cheapest option for macro photography at Fuji is the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 which you can find between 150 and 200$,
- At Canon RF: as mentioned above, you will have to look at the same third-party brands. Laowa offers between 400 and 500$ the 25mm f/2.8 and 100mm f/2.8 and the Meike the 85mm f/2.8 (for about 200$). 7Artisans once again offers the cheapest lens, a 60mm f/2.8, to experiment with macro photography for around 150$,
- At Nikon Z: it’s exactly the same choices for now as with Canon RF (in the cheap options). The 60mm f/2.8 from 7Artisans remains the most economical option to try out real macro on a Nikon Z camera,
- For Sony :
- In APS-C format: the Sony E 30mm f/3.5 is for about 300$ which is still more than correct (and you still have an autofocus). Only the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro remains a little cheaper (less than 200$) ,
- Full Frame format : the two Sony FE lenses for full frame (the 50mm and the 90mm) are very expensive, respectively around 500 and 1000$. Except for the Meike 85mm f/2.8 (about 250$) or the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 MF (about 500$), there are no cheap macro lenses for the Sony FE mount.
- For M 4/3 cameras (Panasonic / Olympus) : I am still evaluating the possibilities. I’ll update this article as soon as I’m done with the lenses.
All about macrophotography / Close-up
1 – How to choose your DSLR for macro photography?
I could also have asked the question the other way around, how to choose your macro lens in relation to your camera? Indeed, some macro lenses are only compatible for an APS-C sensor. Macro lenses for Full-Frame (Canon EF) will not be a problem, no matter what your camera sensor is. Choose carefully then. If you are a beginner and have a limited budget, you will be more likely to have an APS-C sensor. By the way, do you want to know how to choose your DSLR camera?
What you really need to understand is that there is, what we call a conversion factor between an APS-C and a Full-Frame body. In itself, it’s not complicated (I explain this in detail in the article linked above), but it is important to understand the nuance. The focal length given on your macro lens refers to the focal length on a Full Frame sensor. So if you buy a 100mm lens and place it on an APS-C camera, you get the equivalent of a 150mm focal length (x1.5 conversion factor), which is a game changer…
In concrete terms, it is still something to think about. On an APS-C, a 100mm will already allow you to take pictures of butterflies or dragonflies for example. On a Canon 6D Full frame camera like mine, a 100mm remains a 100mm, so my focal length is “shorter” than on an APS-C. Indeed, if I had to buy a macro lens (which I expect to do), I would really hesitate whether or not to go straight for a 150mm.

The 6D Mark II, a Full frame DSLR with perfect ISO management. My next purchase? – More details on Amazon


I can’t re-explain all the information in the article on how to choose your DSLR.
However, here are some important points for choosing a DSLR body at the same time as a macro lens
- Try to choose a camera with the best possible ISO management: indeed, in order to keep the highest possible shutter speed, you will often have to choose a high ISO on your camera. Having a body that handles high ISO and manages it very well without making too much noise will therefore be a plus,
- A maximum of focusing points well-spaced out on the screen and of better quality: the more AF focus points you have on your screen, the more easily you will be able to focus on your subject according to the composition you want. With only 11 AF focusing points (which are quite centered), I pulled my hair out quite a bit on my 6D. Having a large number of AF focusing points of great quality will therefore be very important in my opinion,
- Be careful with the lenses. If you are considering buying a 60mm Tamron to start in macro photography, do not use it on a Full Frame camera because it will not be compatible,
- The burst mode can be very useful in macro too. This is a point to look at if you are hesitating between 2 cameras.
Obviously, in the vast majority of cases (if not all the time), the Full-Frame will be better than the APS-C sensor, but the purchase cost and the associated lenses are not the same… Therefore, it is a matter of choice and especially of budget I would say.
2 - Accessories for macro photography
I will not go into details on all the macro accessories mentioned below, knowing that I am not an expert in the field. If you are an expert in macro photography and would like to help me in writing a full article on one of the accessories bellow, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Everyone agrees that a macro lens is the best way to start in the field. However, it is often the budget that slows you down when starting off, even though starting with a 90mm Tamron doesn’t cost that much in the end…
Here, I present four essential accessories for all those who wish to have a good overview of macro photography at a low price.
Reversing rings
Let’s be honest, this is the cheapest technique to start out in macro photography without having to buy a lens. You may not know this, but it is possible to screw your lens onto the body of your camera via a reversing ring. This is called reverse macro photography. It is said that a 50mm fixed focal length lens will be the ideal lens for this technique, approaching the 1:1 reproduction ratio I mentioned at the beginning of this article. You can use other focal lengths, but keep in mind that the shorter the focal length, the higher the reproduction ratio (and therefore more difficult to start with). You can find reversing rings here.
The principle is simple: take your lens, turn it around and place it on your reversing ring, which is screwed between your lens and your DSLR. However, there are two disadvantages to be aware of:
- You lose your automatisms, so you can no longer focus automatically or change the aperture of your diaphragm (although there is a technique by leaving the depth of field tester (button) pressed while disassembling the lens and screwing it back on the reversal ring). You will therefore need to master manual focusing,
- All your lens’ other connections are exposed (since it is inverted) and the risk of dropping it or of causing dust to enter the sensor is high!
It’s clearly a good way to get started in macro without breaking the bank (less than 15€). If possible, try to use a metal reversal ring rather than a plastic one. There is no loss of quality in the images (or almost).
Conversion lenses
This is another very practical macro accessory at a lower cost (although it is more expensive than the reversing ring). They are simply converging lenses that attach to the front of your lens. They work like a magnifying glass and reduce the minimum focusing distance, allowing the subject to be magnified. Note that you can stack the close-up lenses to increase the “zoom level”. It will be necessary to adapt the choice of your conversion lens to the diameter of your lens.
Also known as close-up filters, they are easy to use, lightweight and space saving. However, it is very often advised to invest in a good quality conversion lens. There are indeed many unknown brands that offer these accessories but the quality is likely to be very disappointing. One of the leading brands in the field: Raynox.
Extension tube
Extension tubes are simply hollow tubes (therefore without lenses) that reduce the focusing distance to your subject (and thus increase the magnification factor). They are generally sold in packs of three. Prices and quality vary a lot, from 15€ to over a hundred euros for good quality extension rings. It should be noted that the low-end models do not allow for the automatisms to be kept (autofocus and aperture adjustment), unlike the more expensive models.
The main advantage of this cheap solution is that the image quality does not change (since it is a hollow tube). On the other hand, the main disadvantage remains the loss of light as you stack more and more tubes. The further away your lens is from the sensor of your camera, the less easily the light will be able to come in and you will often have to compensate by using a high ISO. For those looking for a good quality model of extension rings, the Kenko brand is a good reference.
Macro bellows
Like the extension tubes mentioned above, the macro bellows have the same advantage, i. e. to reduce the focusing distance with your subject. The main difference being that the accessory is composed of a central accordion mounted on a rack, allowing you to get as close as you wish and still be able to focus very precisely.
There is still no loss of image quality since no optical elements are present in the bellows. However, the loss of light is more important and it is impossible to use a bellows without a tripod. To compensate for this lack of brightness, many photographers will use macro flashes. This is why I would often advise for extension rings or a conversion lenses to be used in the beginning rather than a bellows that should be reserved for indoor photos.


Macro flashes
There is a big debate about whether or not it is worth using a flash. Some people love it, others don’t. The same applies for tripods (see paragraph below). There are specialized flashes for macro, especially ring flashes and multi-reflector flashes. As a general rule, macro photography flashes are found on the front of your lens and even on the sides. A classic cobra flash is not suitable for macro photography. Indeed, the working distance in macro photography is so short that part of your lens obscures the flash’s flash.
To sum it up simply, the round ring flash is attached to the front of your lens. The multi-reflector flashes are composed of two flash heads, surrounding the side of your lens and placed aside. I won’t say any more about this because it’s not the purpose of the article, and I hope to be able to write more precisely on the subject soon.
Tripods
The last accessory dedicated to macro photography: tripods. As I said, some professional and even amateur photographers like them, others prefer to use just their hands at all times. However, depending on the light and shooting conditions, using a tripod can be very helpful.
I have already written a detailed article on tripods in photography, so I won’t repeat everything here. There are some points to look at more precisely when you are interested in buying a tripod, especially for macro (but not only):
- The minimum height of the tripod seems to be a determining factor in macro photography, knowing that you will often find yourself quite low or even on the ground. You will therefore need to look at the maximum leg opening angle,
- The central column of the tripod is the other point to look at closely. Some tripods have an invertible center column, which can be very useful for placing your camera upside down, for example, flush with the ground.
If you are considering such a purchase, think twice anyway, considering some of the prices….
That’s it, I’ve reached the end of everything I wanted to say about choosing a macro lens and its associated accessories. You should be able to make your choice more easily now. Not all the accessories were reviewed in detail, but I briefly mentioned all the possibilities!
On your side, how did you start macro photography? With what accessories? Did you find this field difficult? In my case, I am more and more interested in buying a macro lens because it opens up almost infinite possibilities in the world of the infinitely small, a world that we cannot see in everyday life. That’s why I have done lot of research and wrote this post. It opens up perspectives, don’t you think? So, what macro lens do you think you should buy? You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have the best camera of the year to enjoy macrophotography. By the way, are you looking for information on wide-angle lenses for photography?
See you soon,
Sylvain
Excellent Article!
Merci 🙂
Article vraiment très bien fichu. Un grand merci !!!
Merci beaucoup, content que l’article plaise 🙂
In choosing a macro lens, my primary criterion is the image quality (sharpness, barrel, chromatic distortion …). Qualitative features come second. Then I choose the camera/ adapter that it can be fitted to.
Yet this review does not even think that image quality is an important criterion.
There is no ranking of quality, or features that others might consider of relevance, by which the reader can make an informed choice.
Hello,
The purpose of this article was not to offer a ranking of the best macro lenses. Generally speaking, all macro lenses have a superb image quality. Therefore, this is not for me the criterion to consider, but rather those mentioned in the article (reproduction ratio, focal length, stabilization, autofocus).
Moreover, for each type of macro lens, I give what I consider to be the best in each brand.
In my opinion, the essential is there 🙂
Sylvain