Before you sign a blank check for your soul to Canon it's worth considering Sigma lenses, great quality and a you might even get to keep one of the Grandkids.

You are probably looking at spending around £400 for a half decent macro lens that gives you 1:1 mag, the Sigma 105mm Macro for instance, much cheaper than the Canon 100mm Macro.

Cakey :

“Close-up” photography will be used for anything up close up to life-size reproductions (i.e. from about 1:10 down to 1:1 magnification ratio) and the term “Macro” photography will refer to reproductions beyond life-size reproductions (i.e. from 1:1 up to 22:1 magnification ratio) with the use of cameras, lenses and associated close-up attachments lenses mounted on them.

It's the Sigma 105mm that I have been looking at for a while Dave..gets some good reviews and am so happy with my Sigma wide angle that I am comfortable going with Sigma again.

I just don't know if I would get as much use out of a macro as I think I would. :/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-105mm-.../ref=de_a_smtd

As well as Extension Tubes - another 'budget' solution is a Raynox lens.

Unlike a lot of the screw on magnification lens 'add ons' - these are capable of producing some fantastic results and are used by a lot of macro photographers.

There's two models:

The Raynox DCR-150 Macro & the more powerful Raynox DCR-250 Super Macro and can be added to any lens with a front thread diameter of 52-67mm.

If you google 'Raynox' or search 'Raynox' in Flickr - you'll find plenty of info and image examples.

Some pretty impressive stuff on Raynox out there..I feel an Amazon raid coming on.

Thanks for that Phil.

Hells Bells!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glenespn/5722357567/

I already did my amazon raid for today Always find myself spoiled for choice though, so much to choose from, just hoping a couple of my purchases fill my needs at the moment

What!! What!!

Nifty 50?

lol didnt see the link....now thats a cracking image