>>3439014Now for lenses, and focal lengths. Auto focus performance is nearly irrelevant, you're usually in MF and then move forward and backwards with your cam/body to get bug in focus. Or you're on tripod and can carefully set it. Huge benefit about this is that older manual macro lenses are still a very valid option for shooting macro. Max aperture size is also somewhat irrelevant, you're often shooting at higher f's for more depth and sharper results. And when you need light, you bring ring flash anyway. Focal length, on other hand, is extremely important. Wideness of the lens will change how the subject will appear. Even more important is disturbance factor. For twitchy bugs like butterflies, you'll never be able to get close enough with shorter lengths. Very popular with butterfly shooters are mid telephoto lenses with extension tubes. They allow you to be quite far and still get good results. It's a complicated topic with careful math and testing needed for each specific lens to see what magnification it will give you. For twitch bugs, at least 100mm ff equivalent will make ones life more plesant. That would be 50mm and up on m43, 66mm on apsc. Anything lower, and you'll be scaring them up with the lens, not to mention, you'll start introducing lens shadows too often to the pic. Still, don't neglect wider lenses, they are harder to use, but can often provide unique vantage points and compositions. As for extreme macro. Higher magnifications than 1:1... Studio, bellows, focussing rack and dead bugs.
