Macro on a budget
Amateur Photographer|July 25, 2023
Starting out in macro photography needn't break the bank. Tracy Calder asks three top photographers to share their best buys, and looks at lenses and accessories that will help you to create captivating close-ups
Tracy Calder
Macro on a budget

Best current affordable macro lens

  • Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
  • £1,089
  • www.canon.co.uk

Javier Lafuente 

It was a passion for wildlife, and a desire to go out and capture what he found in the countryside, that led Javier to nature photography.

He was drawn to close-up photography due to its endless creative possibilities and the fact that you can practise it close to home, in any season of the year. Most of his photography takes place in Spain. See Instagram @javierlafuentephoto

What are your favourite subjects to photograph?

I enjoy photographing plants, flowers, fungi and intimate landscapes, but if I had to choose, I would say my favourite subjects are insects. Working with insects is not always easy, but it can be very satisfying. It's also an excellent way to gain a better understanding of this animal class.

What is your favourite lens/camera combination for macro work? 

My favourite lens for close-up photography is the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM. I've been using this lens for more than ten years and I'm still happy with it. I have used it with reflex cameras and I now team it with mirrorless cameras - mainly my Canon EOS R6. I also have a small collection of vintage lenses that I love to use for close-up photography.

Why did you choose the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM in particular? 

Relatively speaking, it's not an expensive lens. It's also quite lightweight and portable - even for long walks. The image quality is fantastic: sharpness, definition and bokeh are excellent. The image stabilisation works well too, which is handy when you are shooting handheld.

What do you like/dislike about this lens?

This story is from the July 25, 2023 edition of Amateur Photographer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 25, 2023 edition of Amateur Photographer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERView All
Canon finally opens up RF mount
Amateur Photographer

Canon finally opens up RF mount

SIGMA is releasing six APS-C lenses for Canon EOS RF mount, thus widening the choice of glass for Canon’s previously ‘closed’ RF system.

time-read
1 min  |
April 30, 2024
Tony Kemplen on the.Leidolf Lordomat
Amateur Photographer

Tony Kemplen on the.Leidolf Lordomat

A camera made in Germany in the early 1950s and discovered at a charity shop

time-read
2 mins  |
April 30, 2024
Stories from the heart
Amateur Photographer

Stories from the heart

Kenyan fine art photographer Thandiwe Muriu has a gift that she was encouraged by her parents to explore from a young age.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 30, 2024
Cameras big in Japan again
Amateur Photographer

Cameras big in Japan again

AFTER over a decade of bleak news about the key Japanese camera market, domestic research firm GfK Japan has reported positive growth for the first time in 13 years.

time-read
1 min  |
April 30, 2024
Shooting Shogun
Amateur Photographer

Shooting Shogun

What's it like to be the stills photographer on one of the biggest and best historical dramas on TV?

time-read
5 mins  |
April 30, 2024
Handle with care
Amateur Photographer

Handle with care

For his latest book, Fragile, Paul Hart has stepped away from the documentary approach of his previous projects into something more personal. Ailsa McWhinnie finds out more

time-read
6 mins  |
April 30, 2024
Leica SL3
Amateur Photographer

Leica SL3

Leica's top-end mirrorless model gains a 60MP sensor, tilting screen, and significantly improved autofocus. Andy Westlake takes a detailed look

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 30, 2024
More DxO updates
Amateur Photographer

More DxO updates

EVER-INDUSTRIOUS French photo-editing specialist DxO has announced its latest batch of updates.

time-read
1 min  |
April 23, 2024
Budget Honor phone with 108MP camera
Amateur Photographer

Budget Honor phone with 108MP camera

WITH the UK phone market dominated by Apple, Samsung and Google, other makers, notably from China, are jostling for a remaining slice of the pie.

time-read
1 min  |
April 23, 2024
Google AI editing tools free for more phones
Amateur Photographer

Google AI editing tools free for more phones

MORE AI-based photo-editing tools will become available from 15 May, with Google announcing that its Magic Editor will be free to use on Android and iPhone handsets and many Chromebook laptops.

time-read
1 min  |
April 23, 2024