# New macro lens - Tamron 90mm



## danielklaer

Hi guys 
Just got my new macro lens I have been hanging out for since I first got my slr. I work with spiders in my spare time so this will get used alot but for now just gave it a quick test around the yard. Very happy with first impressions.


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## Marc-Etienne

Very nice! I would say that #3 is my favorite, the composition just catch my eye. 

#4 is a little overexposed, especially on the leaf. What kind of light are you using? Any diffuser? I'm not a macro pro (just started recently to be honest), but I read a fair bit and for a shot like this one with a lot of color contrast, a gentle diffused light helps a lot to get rich contrast (in my very humble opinion )


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## jake337

A bit more DOF in #2 would be perfect


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## danielklaer

Thanks for the tips  

Just using the on board flash (D90). I'm not at all experienced so just playing around at the moment. Ill try your suggestions regarding flash, might try making something up.


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## Marc-Etienne

Love D90! It's a nice camera. Not the top of the line, but a good price for a good quality! My future plan in term of macro photography is to build my own macro ring flash 








If you get (or already have) a speedlight and a off camera cord, you should maybe think about it. It sounds like a nice way to use a speedlight for macro purpose without having to buy an expensive macro setup like the Nikon Commander kit R1C1 (sold for around 900$CAN!). It would provide you a nice diffused surrounding light.
Just a thought


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## danielklaer

Thanks Marc!
No I don't have a flash of any kind yet (other then the on board one) but it will be my next purchase. I will definitely look into this ;-)


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## TheFantasticG

Awesome images yo. I like #4 for the colors. #3 for composition.

I'm going to purchase the Tamron 90mm again next month. I loved that lens.

The Tamron 90mm SP Di is an awesome companion to the Nikon D90, which is what I happen to shoot with as well since it is such a good deal for the money.

*EDIT: Right now until 12DEC2010 Tamron is running a $50 mail-in rebate on the Tamron 90, so you can get it for $410 new. Free shipping from B&H. That rebate plus keeping the 6 year manufacture warranty has spurned on my want for the 90mm SP Di.


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## GRbenji

Marc-Etienne said:


> Love D90! It's a nice camera. Not the top of the line, but a good price for a good quality! My future plan in term of macro photography is to build my own macro ring flash
> YouTube - DIY DSLR Ring-Flash part 1 of 2
> YouTube - DIY DSLR Ring-Flash part 2 of 2
> If you get (or already have) a speedlight and a off camera cord, you should maybe think about it. It sounds like a nice way to use a speedlight for macro purpose without having to buy an expensive macro setup like the Nikon Commander kit R1C1 (sold for around 900$CAN!). It would provide you a nice diffused surrounding light.
> Just a thought


 
Interesting DIY.  But noticed 1 flaw, can't manual focus anymore.


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## Dao

Marc-Etienne said:


> Love D90! It's a nice camera. Not the top of the line, but a good price for a good quality! My future plan in term of macro photography is to build my own macro ring flash
> 
> If you get (or already have) a speedlight and a off camera cord, you should maybe think about it. It sounds like a nice way to use a speedlight for macro purpose without having to buy an expensive macro setup like the Nikon Commander kit R1C1 (sold for around 900$CAN!). It would provide you a nice diffused surrounding light.
> Just a thought



FYI:
That video/ringlight was made by a forum member here.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...news-reviews/140589-diy-ring-flash-works.html


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## NateS

That's a good start.  I'm never a fan of macro ring flashes because unless you block one side, your light is even from both sides making it look too flat for my tastes.

I use a setup with a homemade $5 diffuser that works great.  Visit the link below to see my setup (though my diffuser now is a modified version of the picture and isn't nearly as long).  It works great and a cheap flash bracket can be made for another $5 since you don't have a tripod mount on the lens like me.  I get great light using this and the directional light adds a lot of depth the the photos.

Macro Rig  Nathanael Siders Photography: A Macro World


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## icassell

Marc-Etienne said:


> Love D90! It's a nice camera. Not the top of the line, but a good price for a good quality! My future plan in term of macro photography is to build my own macro ring flash
> YouTube - DIY DSLR Ring-Flash part 1 of 2
> YouTube - DIY DSLR Ring-Flash part 2 of 2
> If you get (or already have) a speedlight and a off camera cord, you should maybe think about it. It sounds like a nice way to use a speedlight for macro purpose without having to buy an expensive macro setup like the Nikon Commander kit R1C1 (sold for around 900$CAN!). It would provide you a nice diffused surrounding light.
> Just a thought



I built one and it works great, but find that I usually just put a diffuser on my Canon 430EX and it does very well.


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## Marc-Etienne

NateS said:


> That's a good start.  I'm never a fan of macro ring flashes because unless you block one side, your light is even from both sides making it look too flat for my tastes.
> 
> I use a setup with a homemade $5 diffuser that works great.  Visit the link below to see my setup (though my diffuser now is a modified version of the picture and isn't nearly as long).  It works great and a cheap flash bracket can be made for another $5 since you don't have a tripod mount on the lens like me.  I get great light using this and the directional light adds a lot of depth the the photos.
> 
> Macro Rig  Nathanael Siders Photography: A Macro World



That's an interesting setup to consider NateS. The only issue I see come from the fact that most macro lens (unless you go focal length 150+) don't have a tripod bracket. I guess you could rig a plumber collar and rig something up. I wouldn't want to damage my lens (Sigma 105mm macro). Anybody with suggestions?


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## Overread

RAM Mount brackets are one approach you can use for a mount eg:
My very flexible Macro flashbracket: Lighting Technique Forum: Digital Photography Review

I've started using them and even with a heavy 580EX2 they hold without any wobble at all (something that the cheaper ebay flash brackets can suffer from). That combined with a softbox (either home made or a lumiquest softbox) and you'll have a good adaptable light source that will work very well for a lot of macro work. 
The linked article shows a cheap metal bracket you could make or you could easily use your cameras tripod mount - though for this you might need to add another bracket and double ball joint to get the flash into an easy above the lens position. With 2 brackets I get no wobble at all so I'd have no problem adding a 3rd to the setup. 

Also getting a regular speedlite type flash - like a Nikon or Canon own brand - means that you've not only got a light (and diffuser ) for macro, but also a flash that can be used extensively in other areas of photography. This is something that ring and macro only flashes are more restrictive with - great for the specialist use, but almost not worth using outside of their limited scope


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## NateS

Marc-Etienne said:


> NateS said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's a good start.  I'm never a fan of macro ring flashes because unless you block one side, your light is even from both sides making it look too flat for my tastes.
> 
> I use a setup with a homemade $5 diffuser that works great.  Visit the link below to see my setup (though my diffuser now is a modified version of the picture and isn't nearly as long).  It works great and a cheap flash bracket can be made for another $5 since you don't have a tripod mount on the lens like me.  I get great light using this and the directional light adds a lot of depth the the photos.
> 
> Macro Rig  Nathanael Siders Photography: A Macro World
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's an interesting setup to consider NateS. The only issue I see come from the fact that most macro lens (unless you go focal length 150+) don't have a tripod bracket. I guess you could rig a plumber collar and rig something up. I wouldn't want to damage my lens (Sigma 105mm macro). Anybody with suggestions?
Click to expand...


I would suggest something similar to what overread has linked.  I plan to get a Tamron 90mm f2.8 sometime next year  to compliment my Tamron 180mm and I will probably use a bracket setup very similar to that.



Overread said:


> RAM Mount brackets are one approach you can use for a mount eg:
> My very flexible Macro flashbracket: Lighting Technique Forum: Digital Photography Review


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