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My new lens – Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x macro

Taking macro photography to the next level

I got a recommendation about a lens for macro photography. So of course I had to have it and here it is! It is the Canon 65mm f/2.8 1-5x macro lens. Forget about extension tubes or close-up filters, because you only need this lens to take great macro pictures. This lens is not for amateurs, then I would suggest you first start with Tamron 90mm f/2.8 or Canon 100mm f/2.8. The Canon MP-E 65mm do not have image stabilizer and no auto focus. So what is the advantage with this lens then? Answer is 5:1 macro, it is hard to beat that with any other lens. The Tamron 90mm and Canon 100mm only have 1:1 macro.

In the box there is only the lens and a CD and warranty papers. It did not come with a bag or a lens hood, that you have to buy seperatly.

I haven’t been able to try it out yet. Pictures of what this little lens can do will come soon. For now I will just show you some picture of the lens itself.

The lens comes with the front- and back lid and a removable tripod collar. It is a pricey lens for about 1049 US dollar.

This lens needs a flash of some kind, for example a ring flash is good when you take on insects and flowers. This is because when you zoom in it will get darker then you need light to brighten the picture up. The aperture range is from f2.8 to f16. It is also possible to use Canon extender 2x to get a even larger magnification. Stacking is a good way to get sharp images from this kind of lens. It is almost necessary in order to get a whole insects face sharp using stacking. I will try stacking and then post some pictures to show the results in another article here on Expressive Photos website.

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Posted in Canon 65 mm f/2.8 1-5x

Tamron 150-600 mm lens is coming!

Feb 13

Posted by complainwall

The order is done! I am now just waiting for the Tamron 150-600 mm lens to come any day now. I have been waiting and waiting for a store to have this in their supply and yesterday it was available in a online photo store. It cost me around 11 000 Swedish kronor with shipping. I will get the lens tomorrow if everything goes according to plans.

I was first thinking of ordering it from B&H photo store in New York, but when you add the cost for customs, shipping plus 25% in tax, it does not feel worth it. I was also unsure if the warranty would be valid here in Europe since the Tamron site for Europe have been writing we need to have a warranty valid in Europe, that you will only get if you buy it from Europe.

I also read about the warranty that Tamron have for 5 years. You have to register within 2 months after purchased in order to get the warranty, otherwise you only have 1-year warranty. There are some policies that might not be so good in it. One issue as I see it is for example that the warranty is not transferable. So if you sell the lens in second hand, the person who buys it will not get the warranty.

When I was ordering the lens I was given a option of including a insurance for the lens. I was thinking about adding one because if something happens I want to be sure it will be covered by the insurance. Then I came to think about the home insurance that I have which covers everything I own. So I gave my insurance company a call and was happy to know that even my camera is covered and that even if I happen to drop the lens it will still be taken cared of. So it is a good idea to check all these things before you buy anything. Otherwise you end up signing unnecessary insurance. I saved 1000 SEK by not taking the lens insurance.

I have seen lots of nice pictures that other photographers have taken with this ultra lens, it really is a good lens. Soon it till be time for me to also try my best to take nice pictures like I have seen is possible. It will be my first ultra zoom lens so I am really excited about that. Now I feel like I do not need to buy any other super zoom lens because the Tamron 150-600 mm covers the whole range of focal length that I need. I will be using this lens for nature photography, especially for wild animals and birds.

The weight of almost 2 kg makes it possible to hand hold the lens, not like the heavy kind like Canon 600 mm lens. I predict this lens will be many peoples favorite lens, the price is also a big factor. Now most people can afford to have a ultra zoom lens without selling their car to afford a really good lens.

Are you also about to buy a Tamron 150-600 mm lens or at least thinking about it? Then click the follow button to get more information about what accessories I will use for this lens and you will get to follow the process of using the “Bigron” like some people call it. If you have any questions let me know. I will be writing about the filter I choose for this lens in another post. It will also be the time for me to start looking for a bag for this lens, as it might not fit in the bag I have now.

Posted in News, Tamron 150-600mm