Canon 35-70 3.5-4.5 Macro or Sigma Miniwide 24/2.8 for Macro

[bhargav]

I find myself experimenting more and more with my NEX 5 and macro tubes around the garden for Macro stuff. So I thought I should look into getting a dedicated Macro lens. To begin with I only have limited budget having just bought an EP-2. The lens will be used with both the NEX and Oly.

I can get the above mentioned Canon for £20 and Sigma for £25. I already have a Canon 35-70 f4 which is a pretty good sharp lens. Anyone have any experience with it? I could find some pictures for Sigma here but none for the Canon. Or are there any other cheap (range being £30 max) alternatives?

Thanks,
Bhargav

[Excalibur]

Erm is that a typo and it should be 28mm mini wide? Anyway I've only got the mini wide II so any shots (from a film camera) are not much use to you.

[Tedat]

[Ramon]

There seems to be some confusion as to whether we are discussing the sigma 24 or 28.

If it is the first version 24 (manual focus) then watch out for cracked lens elements. I have found 2 of these each with one of the internal lenses cracked, so there seems to a design problem there. I have never tried a good one.

The first and second versions of the 28mm (both manual focus) are excellent and possibly some of the best 28s I've used but suffer with a plasticky aperture ring that distorts if you hold it too tight and this makes changing the aperture a bit stiff.

I've used the Canon 35-70 but not for macro so cannot comment on that, anyway a zoom lens is never going to get as good results as a prime lens so you would be much better off looking at primes only if you want a lens for macro.

But why 28mm, I would look at a 50mm lens which gives you a better working distance and a wide variety of low price lenses to choose from.

[bhargav]

First of all apologies for getting the name wrong. It is not mini but Super-Wide. So it is Sigma 24/2.8 Super Wide Angle Macro.

Thanks all of you for your comments. I should check that Konica out, but that means one more adapter

Ramon, I will check the 24mm for the cracked lens elements if I end up buying the 24mm. It seems a good price so might just buy it anyway even if not for Macro.

[Excalibur]

[iangreenhalgh1]

Look for a Micro-Nikkor 3.5/55, they are very common on ebay and are only about 30 quid, it's a laser-sharp lens for Macro and normal shooting.

[Tedat]

[declan]