Macro lenses

Here you will find all macro lenses. These are specially designed to bring out the small things in a big way. The macro lenses are available as Fixed focal length as a Zoom lens or Megazoom lens or as Telephoto lens.

Our advice on macros

Use macro lenses for the art of showing small objects life-sized

Have you ever seen a picture with incredibly small details, such as the fibers of a plant or the pattern of an insect? These are typical subjects in macro photography, using the macro lens as the main tool. These shots of tiny objects that would not be possible with a standard lens are both a challenge and an art. In addition, a macro lens is also an excellent tool for capturing portraits, landscapes and other subjects. In this article, you will learn all the necessary information about macro lenses and their use in photography.

What is a macro lens?

A macro lens is a special type of camera lens that allows to capture sharp images of very small objects. In this case, the magnification factor is often 1:1 or greater. This means that the size ratio of the subject on the sensor plane is equal to or greater than the actual size of the subject in reality. This allows you to use macro lenses to take super-sharp close-ups of things like flowers or insects. Small objects can therefore be made life-size or even larger. This is possible thanks to the extremely short closest focusing distance of these lenses.

How does macro photography work?

As the most important tool in macro photography, macro lenses work with very short focus distances to capture sharp images of very small objects. Because of the shorter focus distances with a macro lens as opposed to a normal lens, the photographer often has to get fairly close to the subject. A wide-angle lens or portrait lens captures an entire landscape or person, shrinking the subject to the size of a camera sensor. In contrast, a macro lens captures something like a tiny animal and enlarges the image to the size of the camera sensor. So lenses with a magnification ratio of, say, 1:1 or 2:1 are macro lenses, while magnification factors of 1:2 or 1:3 are not.

What are typical focal lengths for macro lenses?

An important consideration when choosing a macro lens is the focal length. Unlike buying regular lenses, it's not about the wide-angle or telephoto range, but the minimum focal length. Macro lenses are available in different focal lengths for different purposes. The most common focal lengths range from 50 to 180 mm. The exact values depend on the respective manufacturer and model. Generally, macro lenses with shorter focal lengths are smaller and cheaper to purchase. Macro lenses with a longer focal length have a longer minimum distance to the photo object. As a result, more distance must be maintained between them and the object to maximize magnification.

Advantages of macro lenses to close-up lenses

Often, lighter weight or cheaper cost to purchase are arguments in favor of a close-up lens. Nevertheless, macro lenses score with remarkable close-ups of tiny objects. Moreover, thanks to the versatility of these camera lenses, you can also achieve beautiful bokeh and portrait effects. Investing in a macro lens is worthwhile, not least to follow the new trend in photography. Even if the quality with a close-up lens is enough for you at first, you will quickly forget about these lenses after you have photographed close-up once with a high-quality macro lens.

Lenses that give you a glimpse into this new world are available from almost all camera manufacturers, such as Canon, Nikon, Sony, Leica or Pentax into their program. But also with manufacturers like Samyang, Laowa, Sigma and Tamron all those who want to get really close will find what they are looking for.

What are the applications for macro lenses?

Macro lenses can be used not only in macro photography, but also to capture landscapes or to create portraits. For example, close-ups can be taken of wedding rings at a wedding, or beautiful facial expressions can be captured of visitors at an event. So macro lenses are incredibly flexible to use, because not every lens will allow you to both photograph the picturesque view of the mountain landscape and focus on pretty wildflowers or tiny insects up close the next moment. With a regular lens, this versatility is not possible.

6 Tips for Macro Photography

1. Use a macro lens to capture small objects in close-up.
2. Use a tripod to keep the camera steady and avoid camera shake.
3. Experiment with depth of field by opening or closing the aperture to focus on the area you want.
4. Try ring lighting or a reflector to illuminate the subject and minimize shadows.
5. Try shooting the subject from different angles to achieve interesting perspectives.
6. Use the Live View function on your camera to accurately focus on the subject on the screen.

Focus stacking

Macro photography offers a lot of potential for very detailed shots, which are possible thanks to focus stacking. Focusstacking is the process of stitching multiple shots together to get a greater depth of field. A few examples of this are shown below: