I just purchased a 100mm canon macro lens. What other equipment is essintial in taking good macro shots?? I'm new to macro and would like some helpful hints!

-- mike hintz (sunny3@famvid.com), May 11, 2002

Answers

A good sturdy tripod and a lot of patience? :)

-- NK Guy (tela@tela.bc.ca), May 11, 2002.

You might consider adding a macro focusing rail and a ringlight. http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl? op=details&sid=102110211225423666&sku=PXMFR3

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/canon_macro.htm

-- Peter Phan (pphan01@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Let's try that again: macro focusing rail and ringlight.

-- Peter Phan (pphan01@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

I also love to take macro photos, and more than 10,000 shots so far. Other than macro lens, I use :

Tripod - almost all the time I use. Need low position capability. Remote cable - almost all the time I use. Angle finder - frequently I use, which enable me to take photos from very low angle. Macro focusing rail - rarely I use, but essential for high magnification photography. Macro ring lite - rarely I use, depends on subjects. Speedlite (550EX, etc.) and off camera shoe code - sometimes I use, more useful than macro ring lite. I usually light a subject from it's side or back, not from the camera position, to make photos fantastic. C-PL filter - frequently I use. This eliminates reflections on flowers or leaves and make their color beautiful. EOS 1N or 1V if you can afford. High end camera has much better focusing screen for manual focusing.

-- Ken Itoh (KEN@clara.oc-to.net), May 11, 2002.

Good guide book and/or mentor of Macro Photography should be most essential for "good macro shots" rather than equipments. Macro photography is not so easy.

Cheers,

Ken

-- Ken Itoh (KEN@clara.oc-to.net), May 11, 2002.