MACRO Lens Guide
Macro is one of the more challenging types of photography from a technical perspective, and choosing the right lens for macro work can be similarly perplexing.
The word macro is often (and incorrectly) used interchangeably with “close-up.” The two aren’t synonymous. While a macro image may indeed be made at a close distance to the subject, it’s the magnification of the subject, and not its proximity to the lens, that defines macro photography.
Macro is the photo opportunity that’s always available. You can find good close-up subjects just about anywhere. All you need is a way to make your camera focus close enough. Dedicated macro lenses are the best option because they can focus from infinity down to close enough to produce a life-size (1:1) magnification at the image plane. Macro lenses are also optically optimized for close focusing distances, so they produce better results at such close range than non-macro lenses used with extension tubes (and lenses with extension tubes attached can no longer focus out to infinity).
