http://www.dpreview.com/articles/238631 ... macro-lens
http://petapixel.com/2015/06/23/the-ven ... acro-lens/
Thoughts? Honestly it seems interesting, but not drastically different than what I can do with my sigma 10-20mm wide-angle lens, but definitely seems to offer some advantages when it comes to smaller subjects. There's little doubt it would be fun to play around with but I don't have the $$$ for a new lens these days.
New 1:1 wide-angle macro lens
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: New 1:1 wide-angle macro lens
Hmmmm. I'm just trying to understand this lens. I guess it just has a much smaller minimum focusing distance than a typical wide-angle, which will allow it to get down to 1:1? None of their example shots seem to be anywhere close to 1:1, and honestly I don't think you'd want to shoot this lens at 1:1 because the distortion would likely be pretty bad. But yeah, I guess if you shoot a lot of small invertebrates or something similar, and wanted "in-habitat" shots, this might be useful.
Here's a shot with my sigma 10-20, at minimum focusing distance (and probably a slight bit of cropping):
And here's a crappy shot with the same lens with an extension tube (or maybe multiple, can't remember) to reduce the minimum focusing distance:
I don't think you'd really want to use the lens at or close to 1:1 to fill the frame with your subject, but somewhere in between my two examples might be useful.
Here's a shot with my sigma 10-20, at minimum focusing distance (and probably a slight bit of cropping):
And here's a crappy shot with the same lens with an extension tube (or maybe multiple, can't remember) to reduce the minimum focusing distance:
I don't think you'd really want to use the lens at or close to 1:1 to fill the frame with your subject, but somewhere in between my two examples might be useful.
Re: New 1:1 wide-angle macro lens
I saw that lens and was kind of intrigued too until I read that it lacks auto focus and it lacks an automatic diaphragm. Seems pretty inconvenient to actually use and I too find few herp in habitat situations where my 10-24 doesn't get close enough. I was also wondering why they didn't show any examples close to 1:1. I'm wondering if the lens focuses via extension, in which case its angle of view at maximum magnification would really not be all that wide, (it would effectively be a 30mm lens at 1:1 if all the focusing was achieved with extension). Its pretty cheap though. $480 for a 15mm lens is not bad if its good optically. The Samyang/Rokinon 14mm are a little less, but don't get any closer than about a foot according to the published specs. I think they have the advantage of automatic diaphragms though.
Re: New 1:1 wide-angle macro lens
There are some shots of ants and grasshoppers on their website which look pretty close to 1:1. I am pretty impressed by it, I use a canon 16-35mm F/2.8 and find it difficult to get close enough with smaller subjects when doing in habitat shots.
It will probably be difficult using it for in habitat shots and working around the distortion and CA.
I don't think being fully manual is an issue, I always shoot manual focus and often the aperture stays around F/20 anyway. I find it is difficult to shoot in auto when trying to do a wide angle shot with a close subject that is rarely in the centre of frame.
Edit: I just realised focusing will be a pain at higher apertures without some strong lighting.
It will probably be difficult using it for in habitat shots and working around the distortion and CA.
I don't think being fully manual is an issue, I always shoot manual focus and often the aperture stays around F/20 anyway. I find it is difficult to shoot in auto when trying to do a wide angle shot with a close subject that is rarely in the centre of frame.
Edit: I just realised focusing will be a pain at higher apertures without some strong lighting.
Re: New 1:1 wide-angle macro lens
Looks great, just cant get pass the made, and engineered, in China! Personally, I love my old Nikon 28mm AIS lens on FX. The cheap "newer" Nikon 18-35mm is also very nice for wide, close shots.