closest focus comparisons

lenses for macrophotography

closest focus comparisons

1:1 in the first table is not the lens magnification but the system magnification and means it covers a subject area of 36x24mm on the sensor
adding a 2x teleconverter doubles the magnification whilst keeping the working distance the same
adding a 25mm extension tube allows closest focus to be shorter (eg.halved on a 50mm macro) and this working distance is reduced in order to gain increased magnification (double when using a 50mm macro lens)
IF = internal focus (ie. lens does not change in length as one focuses closer)
Mag = lens magnification (one needs to multiply this by the sensor crop factor to get effective system magnification)
MFD = minimum focus distance
MWD = working distance at closest focus
TC = compatible with teleconverter
12mm ET = lens magnification when used with a 12mm extension tube
25mm ET = lens magnification when used with a 25mm extension tube
prices are for new prices quoted on amazon.com mid-2011
MTF at f/8 - MTF (sharpness)
CA at f/8 - chromatic aberation

effect of sensor size

Lens	Working distance	full frame	APS-H	DX	APS-C	MicroFourThirds
crop factor		1.0x	1.3x	1.5x	1.6x	2.0x
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro	~10cm	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	1:1
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 + EC20	~10cm	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	2:1
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 + 25mm ext.	~5cm	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	2:1
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro	~10cm	N/A	N/A	N/A	1:1	N/A
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro	~12cm	1:2	1:1.5	N/A	1:1.25	1:1
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS macro	~18cm	1:1	1.3:1	N/A	1.6:1	2:1
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro	~24cm	1:1	1.3:1	N/A	1.6:1	2:1

modern lenses

Lens	weight	length	filter	MFD	MWD	IF	Mag	TC	12mm ET	25mm ET	$US price	MTF f/8	CA f/8
Pan. 30mm f/2.8 OIS macro	g	mm	mm		cm	No					$
Olympus ZD 35mm f/3.5 macro	165g	71mm	52mm		5cm	No	1:1	Yes		2.0x	$289	good	low
Olympus ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro	300g	62mm	52mm	20cm	10cm	No	1:2	Yes		1.0x	$599	exc	v.low
Leica-D 45mm f/2.8 macro MFT	225g	63mm	46mm		15cm	Yes	1:1	N/A	N/A	N/A	$696	v.good	v.low
Olympus mZD 60mm f/2.8 macro MFT	g	mm	46mm	19cm	7-8cm	Yes	1:1	N/A	N/A	N/A	$599	excellent	v.low
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro	269g	63mm	52mm	25cm	10.5cm	No	1:2	LC			$299	good
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro	335g	70mm	52mm	20cm	9cm	Yes	1:1	No	1.28x	1.61x	$449
Olympus m.ZD 60mm f/2.8 macro							1:1
Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x macro	730g	98mm	58mm		10cm at 1x, 4cm at 5x	No	5:1	No	N/A	N/A	$1019	v.good
Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/3.5G DX VR	352g	99mm	52mm	29cm		Yes	1:1				$549	good	v.low
PC Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D tilt-shift	775g	110mm	77mm	39cm		No	1:2	Yes			$1899
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 tilt-shift	565g		58mm	50cm		No	1:3.4	Yes	0.42x	0.60x	$1329	v.good
Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP macro	405g	97mm	55mm	29cm	10cm		1:1	Yes			$1023
Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro macro	513g	95mm	55mm		11.5cm	No	1:1	No	1.17x	1.37x	$400	v.good
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 nonIS macro	600g	119mm	58mm	31cm	cm	Yes	1:1	No	1.17x	1.37x	$569	good+	low
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS macro	625g	123mm	67mm	30cm	14.6cm	No	1:1	No	1.17x	1.37x	$999	exc.	v.low
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G VR macro	790g	116mm	62mm	31cm	15cm	Yes	1:1	No	1.17x	1.37x	$1249	exc.	mod.
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro	450g	95mm	58mm	31cm	12cm		1:1	N			$969 discont.
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM OS Macro	725g	126mm	62mm	31cm			1:1				$1400
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro	895g	137mm	72mm	38cm	19cm		1:1	Y			$1099 discont.
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM OS Macro	1150g	150mm	72mm	38cm	19cm		1:1	Y			$1600
Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM Macro	g	204mm	86mm	47cm		Y	1:1	Y			$1699
Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP macro	920g	166mm	72mm	47cm		Yes	1:1	Yes			$1534
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L macro	1090g	187mm	72mm	48cm	24cm	Yes	1:1	Yes	1.09x	1.21x	$2500	v.good

legacy MF lenses no bellows needed

see also macrophotography with Olympus OM lenses
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-macro 50mm f/3.5 1:2
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-macro 50mm f/2.0 1:2
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-macro 90mm f/2.0 1:2
Canon FD macro lenses:
- Canon FD 50mm f/3.5 1:2
- Canon FD 100mm f/4 1:2
- Canon FD 200mm f/4 1:2
Nikon MF macro lenses:
- Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 1:2
- Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 1:2
- Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4.0 1:2
- Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 1:2
Yasuhara Nanoha x5 Macro Lens:
- f/11-32 up to 5x macro with built-on USB-powered LED lights
- working distance 11mm
- only in Micro Four Thirds system or Sony NEX E-mount camera system mounts
- see:

MF lenses for use on bellows

see also macrophotography with Olympus OM lenses
- Olympus Zuiko 20mm f/3.5 OM preset objective lens 4.3-12.4x micro
- Olympus Zuiko 38mm f/3.5 OM preset objective lens 1.8-6x micro
- Olympus Zuiko 80mm f/4 OM preset lens 0.26-2.3x macro
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 20mm f/2 5.3-13.5x micro
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 38mm f/2.8 2.3-6.7x micro
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 80mm f/4 0.2-2.2x macro
- Olympus Zuiko Auto-Macro 135mm f/4.5 0.2-1.0x macro

Table of Contents

lenses for macrophotography

closest focus comparisons

effect of sensor size

modern lenses

legacy MF lenses no bellows needed

MF lenses for use on bellows