New Sigma Macro lens for Sony and L-mount

Finally we get an auto-focus Macro lens that is a little longer than the standard 90mm Macros.  Sigma introduced a 105 Art 1:1 Macro lens:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/ph ... o-art-lens
 

I'd love to see a 180-200mm 1:1 macro lens for Sony come along....followed by an announcement of a firmware update giving built-in focus stacking.

Scott Fairbairn wrote:I'd love to see a 180-200mm 1:1 macro lens for Sony come along....followed by an announcement of a firmware update giving built-in focus stacking.

Me too but it seems like the era of the long macro lens is over.  The longest macro lens currently in production by anyone now is the Voigtlander 110mm.  Even the Canon 180 seems to not be in production anymore.  But if you think shout it, with an a7R4 in crop mode or crop to APS-C on a full-frame shot, you get a 26 megapixel image with an effective focal length of about 150mm.  Depending on resolution tests from third party sites, I may actually get this one.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

Scott Fairbairn wrote:I'd love to see a 180-200mm 1:1 macro lens for Sony come along....followed by an announcement of a firmware update giving built-in focus stacking.

Me too but it seems like the era of the long macro lens is over.  The longest macro lens currently in production by anyone now is the Voigtlander 110mm.........

The Nikon 200 f4 is still available, although older technology:

Nikon 200 f4 micro

Adorama

Joe

canon 180 macro still available B&H.  I scarfed up a couple of used sigma 150mm macros for IS.  Do a lot of hikes with Native Plant society and it works better for quick snap shots.  Most of the time for the last 25 years, I've used a 90mm t/s with a 2x converter.  Trying to move to 135 ts with 1.4x   Sufficient magnification (half life size and better) for what I'm doing.  The reasons I've used a 200 +/- for flower and insect photography remain as valid today as they were when I was converted to these longer lenses by Larry West 30 years ago.  I've tried them all.  50mm great for copy work.  I used 100mm for a long time but for me not as good after being in introduced to 200mm. FD 200mm lens was great and more compact than the EF 180 f3.5.  Bellows (Nikon pb-4) with Schneider 150mm enlarging lens was better because of t/s and image circle even though I was giving up 50mm.  It is the sharpest of them all including what I use now but what a chore to carry in the field. 

I've still got my 200mm FD macro lens I have adapters to use it on EOS and on my Olympus EM-1MkII. It would be great to have a native lens of that focal length that did 1:1! I see even the 180mm Sigma macro is marked discontinued. For certain types of photography the long macro in unbeatable.

SantaFeJoe wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:

Scott Fairbairn wrote:I'd love to see a 180-200mm 1:1 macro lens for Sony come along....followed by an announcement of a firmware update giving built-in focus stacking.

Me too but it seems like the era of the long macro lens is over.  The longest macro lens currently in production by anyone now is the Voigtlander 110mm.........

The Nikon 200 f4 is still available, although older technology:

Nikon 200 f4 micro

Adorama

Joe

I have that lens for my Nikon gear. It's still a great lens, unfortunately, I don't own a Nikon that has focus stacking capability with that lens(I believe the D850 will focus stack with it?). I primarily shoot Sony, but I'm reluctant to buy any more Nikon gear given their current state. I may even sell my Nikon gear soon, although it will be hard to part with the 500PF lens.

That's a problem. To use the auto stacking systems provided by the cameras or the helicon focus tube, you need auto focus. The only solution is motorized focusing rails like StackShot that cognisys makes.

I'm using my Canon 180mm via Fringer adapter with my Fuji X-T2 and X-T3 which do focus stacking. No problems with the focus stacking. The continuous auto focusing is quirky but doable and a lot of macro photographers use manual focus only which is so smooth with the Canon 180. I would love a long macro lens in native mount but not holding my breath at present. 
 

Yes I know those two are still available, I chose my words carefully, I said they are no longer in production

E.J. Peiker wrote:Yes I know those two are still available, I chose my words carefully, I said they are no longer in production

That is what I was afraid you meant.  I hope they or a replacement will go back into production when the inventory runs out.

Wildflower-nut wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:Yes I know those two are still available, I chose my words carefully, I said they are no longer in production

That is what I was afraid you meant.  I hope they or a replacement will go back into production when the inventory runs out.

With almost every manufacturer switching to mirrorless at this point, I think it's unlikely that Nikon, Canon, Sony or Sigma will produce a 150mm or a 180mm macro lens.  Among the reasons many people choose mirrorless is it's smaller size.  Producing a large heavy macro lens seems to go against the grain and I doubt there would be enough takers of a lens this size to make it worthwhile to undertake the cost to design and manufacture a lens that is unlikely to pay off its ROI.  I also think cost would be a deal breaker as a quality lens this size is likely to cost at least $1,600 (Sigma 150mm) to $2,500 (for the big three for a 150mm).

Don't get me wrong I'd love to see Sigma offer a 150mm f/2.8 with AF but no IS to keep cost and weight down.  I still have a Sigma 150mm f/2.8 ver.1 that I still use when I don't have to carry it too far but the down side is that the AF is hit and miss using an adapter.  But when I'm doing stacked images at home I use a focusing rail with the 150mm and the results are very good but I imagine that the results would better using my Sony a7R IV if I had a newly designed mirrorless macro lens. 

signgrap wrote:

Wildflower-nut wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:Yes I know those two are still available, I chose my words carefully, I said they are no longer in production

That is what I was afraid you meant.  I hope they or a replacement will go back into production when the inventory runs out.

With almost every manufacturer switching to mirrorless at this point, I think it's unlikely that Nikon, Canon, Sony or Sigma will produce a 150mm or a 180mm macro lens.  Among the reasons many people choose mirrorless is it's smaller size.  Producing a large heavy macro lens seems to go against the grain and I doubt there would be enough takers of a lens this size to make it worthwhile to undertake the cost to design and manufacture a lens that is unlikely to pay off its ROI.  I also think cost would be a deal breaker as a quality lens this size is likely to cost at least $1,600 (Sigma 150mm) to $2,500 (for the big three for a 150mm).

Don't get me wrong I'd love to see Sigma offer a 150mm f/2.8 with AF but no IS to keep cost and weight down.  I still have a Sigma 150mm f/2.8 ver.1 that I still use when I don't have to carry it too far but the down side is that the AF is hit and miss using an adapter.  But when I'm doing stacked images at home I use a focusing rail with the 150mm and the results are very good but I imagine that the results would better using my Sony a7R IV if I had a newly designed mirrorless macro lens. 

True but I think something like a 150mm f/4 would be reasonably small and pair well with a mirrorless body.  Most macro shooters do not need f/2.8.

For background control, working off a tripod, allowing camera to be higher up for same angle of view, skittish insects, working distance to create space for light modification equipment, ease of positioning, the long focal length I've found for me is the way to go.  Would prefer 180-200mm.  I liked the FD version f4 over the 180 f3.5 for weight and I don't need auto focus.  My bellows set up was 5.6 and I didn't mind.  

I must admit I got the 150 sigma rather than the longer one but that was because of weight, TDP reviews and my need for something quick (hand held image stabilized) and light for "snap shots" on hikes with the native plant society at high altitude.  Kind of like birders, Most want to check it off and keep moving.  Not much time for me and serious photography.

Canon apparently got rid of their diopters the 500D and 250D,  I hate to think they are getting out of long macro lenses too.

Hopefully someone will make them.  Laowa help!!