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Modern Macro Lens

Estimated Cost: 250-800€

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Modern macro lenses with autofocusing capabilities will not gain you much in terms of image quality over some of the lenses in the previous two categories. However, they will gain you a big advantage - autofocus. This saves times if you are changing formats often, and can be good if you are using a camera with worse focusing aids. 

However, they do come at sometimes a hefty price-tag. Again - the best recommendation is to buy used equipment if you want to save money. 

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Note: Steer away from the cheaper macro-lenses, typically shorter in focal lenght such as the Sony 30mm f/3.5 macro. They are fine lenses for photographic purposes but they vignette heavily and often have poor corner performance (sharpness in the corners).

Pros

Auto-focus

This will speed up the process of setting up since you don't need to spend the extra minute it takes to focus which is sometimes tricky with lenses with a lot of focus breathing

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Modern glass

While vintage lenses are great, a lot has happened in optics manufacturing - they are typically more flawless and higher contrast than ever. This doesn't mean they are always better and sharper but it does mean you will finder fewer defects in the image. 

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Cons

Big jump in price with little increase in quality

The quality you get out of these lenses is pretty similar to that you get out of the previous, and much cheaper, categories. The gain is really in how easy they are to use.

Suggested Lenses

Which one you get will depend on which camera system you use

Sigma 70mm f2.8 DG Macro - Nikon Nikkor 60mm f2.8 AF-S  -  Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro 

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There are many other lenses. Each manufacturer typically also has a lens in the 90-150mm category - some people will claim these are the best but we have seen no tests to prove that. Likely, the conception that they are the best comes from being the best photographic macro lenses because they allow you a more comfortable working distnace (how far away from the subject you are). In scanning we don't care about working distance, and in fact, being closer means less exaggerated vibrations. 
 

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