Focal range camera help?

Macro photography is best done with an SLR, whether digital or film. Specialty macro lenses made for SLR cameras range in focal length from 35mm special application, and 50mm to 200mm [depending on the manufacturer] with both fast and standard apertures for normal application. Your choice depends on what kind of macro photography you want to do and how far away from what you are photographing you want to be. The longer the focal length, the farther away from your subject you can be and the greater the magnification will be along with a shallow depth of field. Typically, nature photographers prefer a longer macro lens so that they do not disturb what they photograph. Then there are lenses meant for special applications, for example laboratory or medical photography typcially use the shorter focal lengths from 35mm to 60mm. Macro lenses can also be used for portraiture due to a usually shallow depth of field and magnification factor when a macro of portrait length is used (from 85mm to 150mm), again allowing for adequate distance from your subject. A point and shoot digicam can be used, but not with very good results. Sure it is possible, but the best you could get would be from some "X" strength diopter filter mounted attachment. But that would not provide a true 1:1 macro magnification. So, my suggestion would be to use an SLR, with a 90mm to105mm range fast aperture 'macro' lens, and only as a prime length. I know you can't afford an SLR [thus, you will likely not afford the lenses either], but that is what will be best if you were interested in macro photography. I don't specialize in macro photography, so most of what I have wrote is my opinion and comes from what I do know of it. Along with a few lenses I would recommend, I have also posted a link to an article on photo.net that will give a better explaination, if interested. Maybe not what you were looking to get, but I hope it helps.

Peace

The focal length does no longer exchange. the attitude of view on smaller sensors will become smaller while utilising the comparable focal length lens. working example my 210 mm lens is a "widespread" lens while used on a 4x5 inch digital camera. an entire physique sensor or piece of action picture (36 x 24 mm) a 210 mm lens would be a telephoto lens and on a 8x10 inch piece of action picture, it would be a great attitude lens. so which you notice the focal length has no longer replaced, however the component of sensor or action picture differences. That suggested, digital sensors very up and down form the sizes of the old customary, 35 mm SLR. finished physique has a 1x Focal length multiplier, Nikon, Pantex and Sony APS-C sensors a a million.5x focal length multiplier, Canon a million.6x and Olympus a 2x focal length multiplier. it fairly is a fashion for knowledgeable photographers can understand the relationships between their digital camera bodies and the lenses they are utilising. it fairly is in basic terms a device.

You can't really answer this with a specific focal length. Here are two shots of the same flowers taken using the same focal length, but from different distances:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/87364553...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/87273275...

In fact here's a third, showing a different rose, but still with the same focal length:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/51685539...

Here are some pansies using the same focal length:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/63658906...

You need to look for a camera with a "macro" function - which means pretty much ANY half-decent digital point and shoot camera made and sold today - and learn how to use it to your best advantage.

You said that you are not looking for a specific camera, but might I suggest that you can spend less than $200 and get either a Canon Powershot A570-IS or SD1000 and you will be able to get the same results as seen in my examples.

Hi

No one's mentioned this, so hope I'm not showing my age .. !

The SLR as mentioned by other contributors is the best way to understand image capture. Most of them come with a 50mm focal length. To get the best macro pix, you buy extension rings (or some of them come with these). You add these to the lens and suddenly you can focus on close objects like flowers, insects and other small details.

I hope this is what you meant. Apologies if I've got the wrong idea.

50-85mm will suit you if you are dealing with stationary subjects, you need to go longer to deal with skiddish insects.

Your question is odd however, your buying a new camera, most point and shoots don't have true macro capabilities, or a 1:1 reproduction ratio, so you will most likely be disappointed with results you'll get from them. Ace is right, you can get a smoking deal on a used SLR on craigslist or KEH.com, along with a macro lens. I think you'll be much happier going that route.

G'Luck, keep shooting

You can get a used Nikon N90 and a MF 105MM for right around $200. You will be glad you did.

You can get a Minolta XD-11 and a MD Macro 100mm for around $125. Stunning outfit.

Most point and shoots do not offer a true macro mode.

For focal lengths, the average is usually 50mm or 60mm. I find this not so good. I like the 105mm VR from Nikon. It's able to get me very very close to the subject. Sigma makes a 105mm as well, but it's not VR.

Hope this helps.

I got a Olympus C460z digital camera with Super Macro mode on ebay for £50:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2071/1814288879_11a...

..this tiny insect is sitting on my jeans!