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budget macro set-up done cheap

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Lowsidr

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Hi all,

I am a total photography noob that is starting a food blog, pictures posted won't be larger than 1280x1024. I need advice on the best and most affordable macro set-up. I'm thinking used from E-bay or Craigslist, 30d, 40d, maybe d80, E-1? Is there an affordable 100mm lens, could I get by with a 50mm? My budget is $1k or less. Any advice would be most appreciated!
 
The issue really isn't some much camera/lens as lighting. Almost any DSLR will work, all camera makers have macro primes in their lens line-ups and Sigma has several macros for most of the DSLRs on the market. I would expect that some would be available on the used market but I'm not really in that market as I tend to buy new and keep forever.

What you really haven't said is were are you going to be taking the food photos, at home, in restaurants, kitchens, or in a studio of some sort? Will the food be as served or during preparation?

In restaurants I suspect you'll want shorter focal lengths and larger aperture lenses. Available light suggest larger apertures and you'll want to look at the high ISO performance of whatever camera you choose. Food preparation also suggest longer focal lengths unless the preparer is also to be the subject.

Studio suggests longer focal lengths to simplify lighting.

You really need to think through the location and lighting, put that into your budget and then camera and lens will fall into place.

A. C.

--
I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me send money.
 
I was going to suggest something (ultra reasonable) giving you a flexibility of macro 1:2 and normal zoom lens....in one package. However, it would be a manual lens.
If you're annoyed w/manual....there is no point to go further.

Leswick
 
Lowsidr said:
Hi all,

I am a total photography noob that is starting a food blog, pictures posted won't be larger than 1280x1024. I need advice on the best and most affordable macro set-up. I'm thinking used from E-bay or Craigslist, 30d, 40d, maybe d80, E-1? Is there an affordable 100mm lens, could I get by with a 50mm? My budget is $1k or less. Any advice would be most appreciated!
Click to expand...
At that size, any dSLR will work. Get an old one with low mileage (low shutter count) and an old 50-60mm macro lens.

--
Charlie Davis
Nikon 5700, Sony R1, Nikon D50, Nikon D300
HomePage: http://www.1derful.info
"The voices in my head may be crazy, but they have good ideas!"
 
Lowsidr wrote:
I'm thinking used from E-bay or Craigslist, 30d, 40d, maybe d80, E-1?

Also check out KEH. Their rating system is pretty accurate so you know the condition of the used camera.

http://www.keh.com/camera?s=1
--
Norm
 
Lowsidr said:
Hi all,

I am a total photography noob that is starting a food blog, pictures posted won't be larger than 1280x1024. I need advice on the best and most affordable macro set-up. I'm thinking used from E-bay or Craigslist, 30d, 40d, maybe d80, E-1? Is there an affordable 100mm lens, could I get by with a 50mm? My budget is $1k or less. Any advice would be most appreciated!
Click to expand...
My hunch is that you don't need a DSLR or macro lens. True macro is 1:1 (life size on the sensor) which is probably more magnification than you want. Do you think you'll be routinely shooting things the size of a U.S. quarter or so (about an inch diameter, 24mm)? Many point and shoots focus reasonably close (and even macro) but as pointed out, lighting becomes an issue. If you're only going 1280x1024 you might find them quite acceptable, more pocketable, and more affordable.
--
Gear listed in profile under "plan."

Someone stop me before I buy again, please!
Dave
 
Hi A.C.,

Great points. I am currently shooting at home, a combination of inside and outside using available light, no studio, in the kitchen. I have been using a Canon SD990IS but have been having a very difficult time getting a nice shot with Bokeh. Every recipe I make is fully documented via pictures with a final "as served shot". I'm having to take 100's of shots to get a handful I can use. Poor indoor lighting has exacerbated the issue. I will be shooting in restaurants and outdoor markets but have not done so yet We will also be shooting some HDV, we have HDV camcorders for that but it might be handy at times to have it incorporated into the DSLR.
 
Thanks for the input. Would a quality 100mm be better than say a 50 or 60? It's confusing, I thought the 50-60's were for portraits?
 
Leswick, I was thinking manual would save me a bunch of aggravation. What do you have up your sleeve?
 
Any DSLR will do, so there's no reason to go above entry level. You don't need a macro lens either, the standard kit lens should be fine for what you're shooting. You would have to bump up the ISO when shooting in a place where you have no control over lighting, but since the viewed images will be relatively small, image noise won't be much of a problem. For home use, investing in lighting would be more important than any camera or lens.
 
My SD950IS has given some nice results.....lighting has been the big issue, that and my poor photography skills I'm sure.











 
So a kit lens will work for macro? Say any 18-55mm? I don't necessarily need a 100mm?
 
You probably won't need macro unless you really want to show off a tiny portion of the food (to show texture, it'd be quite hard to tell what you're picture was at macro scale).

Just about any camera with a hot shoe will work. Either get an older used one or a new entry level one.

There are a bunch of lenses that do a good job of focusing close, a 50mm prime or a just about any normal zoom (make sure it focuses closer than about 1-2 feet ideally). I'd lean toward Nikon or Pentax because they'll have the most options to use older manual focusing lenses. If you go used Nikon you'll probably want a body mounted motor model (D50, D70, or D80).

Aside from that, you're gonna have to get some lighting. If you get a used camera get a wireless flash controller system or optical slaves and some cheap manual flashes (just make sure they use a voltage that's low enough not to bust your triggers).

You could conceivably be good to go for $500 or so including 2-3 flashes, a knock off wireless kit, a D50 or D70 and an old film kit lens like the 28-80 or the DX kit 18-55. I think you'd see very nice results from such a set up.
 
Macro technically means will reproduce an object at actual size on the sensor/film. In your ravioli picture think a photo where a single noodle fills almost all of the frame. Remember that at the smallest printing size a 24x36mm full frame/film sized sensor makes a 3x4 print (and likely something more like 8x10), so means much larger than life when printed. Viewed on a computer screen it'll be many, many times larger than life. True macro is for taking photos of bugs, coins, stamps and wanting them to fill the fram.

Unless you're trying to see the mean grain only or something, you'll probably be fine with a relatively close focusing kit lens (in macro terms something that produces a 1:8 or so magnification. Meaning the image on the sensor is 1/8th of the actual object--so it'll still be larger than life size on a computer screen (especially with a high resolution sensor). Rather than look for a macro lens (you'll be paying quite a bit for something you probably don't need), look for a lens that will focus closer than 2 feet (0.5m), which should work very well for food.
 
OK, now it's getting interesting! I now know I MUST get some lighting, important.

I really don't "need" a specific macro lens, that saves a TON.

What does a 50mm prime lens cost? Why a "film" lens (cheaper?)?

Lastly, 28-80.....I assume there must be a reason that is better than a 18-55/ 18/135?

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
 
Nelsonal,

You are so VERY helpful. I was prepared to pay $500 for a 100mm macro! Your right, I would never blow up a single noodle! That savings alone could go a long way towards some lighting and other tools you outlined above.
 
The 28-80 is very, very cheap on the used market. It's not the most useful lens anymore on smaller sensors (it's focal lengths are designed to be wide on a film sized sensor) but would probably be fine on yours (product shoots don't generally need wide angles), it's also a very nice lens for it's price (it's generally under $50 used in good condition). The 18-55 would be a fine choice as well (though I usually see them going for $70 or so. Both are nice and sharp, and plenty fast if you're using supplimental lighting.
 
A 50mm prime is generally $120 (amazon) to $140 (full retail) or so new and $80-100 used. They'd be handy if you wanted or needed to use ambient lighting, but to do that the whole plate probably won't be in perfect focus.

Don't feel tied into those models, I don' t know the Pentax line up but I know they have models that would meet your needs, and I think it's pretty easy to adapt modern Olympus digitals to older lenses. Canon is the big one that isn't as backwards compatable.
 
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