John K
•
Veteran Member
•
Posts: 9,870
Re: Help me choose between laowa 60mm and laowa 100mm
Mech314 wrote:
Hi everyone, I recently joined you guys here on forum and I just started doing macro photography and I love it!
I'm using Nikon Z6 with SB-300 either on a hot shoe or extended via TTL cord. I'm having a hard time decided what lens to chose for my rig and I ask you guys to express your opinion. I will appreciate any input!
For flash based macro the 60mm is the better choice. Easier to get good specular highlights due to the shorter working distance. Gotta get that flash off of the camera's hot shoe and out toward the end of the lens though.
So here is some input data: a) laowa 60mm + FTZ weights the same as laowa 100mm Z mount, b) 100mm 3cm longer that 60mm+FTZ.
My problem with 60mm is that a) cannot be used non macro since it is APS-c lens, b) focusing distance is pretty low so I'm limited with the shooting angels and I have higher chance to scare insect photomodel.
What I like about 60mm: easy to get the object on focus compared to 100mm (assuming that the object wasn't scared away)
My problems with 100mm: since the lens is longer and the focusing distance is longer the camera and object shaking is more dramatic now. It seems that the angle speed of the shaking is higher so I have harder time focusing on the object.
What I like about 100mm: long enough focusing distance so the model is not disturbed, I have more freedom to experiment with angles, do not need to bend and move surrounding plants\leaves\etc.
The difference in working distance isn't helping you to get close to the subject, at least not as much as you think it is. I do all of my macro with lenses in the 60mm range and you just have to learn the habits and quirks of the subjects that you want to photograph.
Another shot taken in the heat of the day (28C/86F) and the critter was hyperactive. Fortunately this beetle was more hungry than afraid, and I'm getting better at tracking moving subjects with the camera and had several frames to choose from. I don't focus stack and it's images like this one that are one of the reasons why.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.