Super Test: Macro lenses

Make teeny-tiny things look flippin’ ginormous with these super-close-up optics

Whether you’re photographing a bug’s life or your collection of rare postage stamps, a macro lens can resolve incredible levels of minute detail. Unlike some ‘macro’ lenses, all of the ones we’ve selected for this group test are capable of reproducing small objects at full life size on the image sensor. Bearing in mind that the sensor is the electronic equivalent of a frame of film, this enables eye-popping enlargement when viewing the resulting images on screen or in print. Indeed, it can reveal levels of detail that are all but invisible to the naked eye.

Most macro prime lenses are full-frame compatible and can therefore be used on both APS-C format and full-frame cameras. Two exceptions in our test group are the Canon and Tamron 60mm lenses, which are designed specifically for APS-C bodies such as the 750D and 80D. As such, they have an effective focal length of nearly 100mm, which is often the preferred value for macro photography. However, the minimum focus distance at which full 1.0x magnification becomes available is somewhat shorter than with a 100mm lens.

More than just ‘close-up’ lenses, all of the optics on test can focus to infinity and are equally useful as fairly fast, short telephoto lenses. The widest available aperture is typically f/2.8, although the Tamron 60mm is in a minority of one, with its wider f/2 aperture rating. Even so, close-up shooting is the main attraction of all these lenses, so let’s discover which is the best tool for the job.