Which camera is best for orchid / macro pictures?

[ChasWG]

Thanks for the correction! The funny thing is, I had it spelled correctly the first time I went through the post. I changed it to the wrong version when I was quickly scanning it for errors and read it wrong. Oops!

Thanks for the kind words! That Canon 60mm f2.8 is also a really nice lens and it'll do 1:1 magnification. Add some ET's behind it and you are above 1:1.

[Connie Star]

I currently have 4 digital cameras with a 5th on order and I do macro with all of them.
I have an older Canon EOS rebel and am awaiting my new T2xi (just had a birthday). The old one goes to my niece. I also have 2 macro lenses, the Canon 50mm and 100mm. I find the 100mm has too narrow a field of view to be useful for flowers and I use it mainly for close-ups of invertebrates which don't want me to get too close. I find that I can use the on camera flash without cut-off with the 100mm but not the 50mm. I also have an accessory macro flash that I'm a little dissapointed with.
I have the Canon S10is, which does nice closeups but it is difficult to work in macro and manual focus together, so I find it frustrating.
I have my "purse" camera, which is a Canon 780is- really tiny and does a pretty decent job.
Recently I have been using a Penax Optio W80 that I ostensibly bought for my husband It is great for close ups because it has an internal zoom, ie the lens does not move out beyond the off position, allowing you to get really close while still using the flash. It is also water-proof.
After all that, I would get an SLR and obviously I favor Canons.
One thing I've done in deciding what camera to buy is to take a memory card with me to the store, and play around with taking pictures in the store with different cameras, then comparing the results. Don't try this on a busy Saturday afternoon- it's unfair to the sales people.
And remember, it's the photographer not the camera.
Have fun.

[Duane McDowell]

Chas,
Beautiful shots and great advice! I'm a seat-of-the-pants photographer. I shoot with a Canon 30D. My main lens is a 70-200 f2.8 IS zoom telephoto. Can't get really close to blooms, but I can shoot blooms and birds at the same time when I'm out walking. If I'm just shooting orchids, I switch over to a 50mm compact macro. I use extension tubes for teeny-tinys. I've got a ring flash, but I need to read the instruction manual sometime so I can get better pictures with it. Currently I usually shoot at a bunch of different settings and delete the bad ones. I really need to get more scientific about it!
Flickr: Duane McDowell's Photostream

[ChasWG]

Duane, try bringing your extention tubes with you on walks. You can get closer using the extention tubes on the 70-200L. It works really well and you get to use a great lens in a new way! The DoF is pretty shallow, but that's just macro work!

Cool stuff on your Flickr page!!

[Lars Kurth]

Thanks for the advice: have to investigate along those lines ...

[nenella]

OK! So thanks to the OB!!!! and it inflaming my passion ...
Today, I got birthday, xmas & wedding anniversary present together.... & v. probably next years included! early present from my Hubby
a Canon EOS 5D Mark II..
with a Macro 100mm 1:2;8L IS USM and a
21-105mm L IS USM lens ...
whooooffffff!!! I think I'm going to try & signup on photography classes...... as I'm 'a point and press' photographer but here are my first attempts .. the manual contains over 200 pages of how to's..!
If anyone can give me any "simple" solutions or advice on how to improve ... will be very appreciated!
First attempts : today...

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by nenella

OK! So thanks to the OB!!!! and it inflaming my passion ...
Today, I got birthday, xmas & wedding anniversary present together.... & v. probably next years included! early present from my Hubby
a Canon EOS 5D Mark II..
with a Macro 100mm 1:2;8L IS USM and a
21-105mm L IS USM lens ...
whooooffffff!!! I think I'm going to try & signup on photography classes...... as I'm 'a point and press' photographer but here are my first attempts .. the manual contains over 200 pages of how to's..!
If anyone can give me any "simple" solutions or advice on how to improve ... will be very appreciated!
First attempts : today...

Yep...
First and foremost, congrats!
...then, you should also sign up for a Photoshop Classes as well and add $$ CS4 to your gift

[nenella]

Originally Posted by Eyebabe

Yep...
First and foremost, congrats!
...then, you should also sign up for a Photoshop Classes as well and add $$ CS4 to your gift

Thanks! I have another problem have now tried 4 times to upload but fails..... hve tried reducing pic size but still fails.............? anyone got any ideas please?
PS: format properties in JPEG-as always?

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by nenella

Thanks! I have another problem have now tried 4 times to upload but fails..... hve tried reducing pic size but still fails.............? anyone got any ideas please?
PS: format properties in JPEG-as always?

For this forum, I make my uploads 600 x 400 size which is a bit smaller than required. Otherwise, they won't upload.
Hopefully that's all it is...making sure they are "small enough".

[Connie Star]

Originally Posted by nenella

OK! So thanks to the OB!!!! and it inflaming my passion ...
Today, I got birthday, xmas & wedding anniversary present together.... & v. probably next years included! early present from my Hubby
a Canon EOS 5D Mark II..
with a Macro 100mm 1:2;8L IS USM and a
21-105mm L IS USM lens ...
whooooffffff!!! I think I'm going to try & signup on photography classes...... as I'm 'a point and press' photographer but here are my first attempts .. the manual contains over 200 pages of how to's..!
If anyone can give me any "simple" solutions or advice on how to improve ... will be very appreciated!
First attempts : today...

Wow!! That is a fabulous camera, and fantastic lenses! I have the 100mm Macro, but not in the IS version.
As far as Photoshop is concerned, you might try Photoshop Elements rather than Photoshop CS. I have both, and I use Elements for quite a bit of my editing. CS has a very steep learning curve- I've been working with Photoshop since version 4, about 12 years, and I still have a lot to learn. I do like the Photoshop Bridge program (bundled with CS) better than the Elements version for cataloging.
I got my Canon T2i just yesterday evening and am pleased so far. I'm at work today so I can't play with it yet.
Congratulations on your wonderful Hubby.