The Meike 60mm f/2.8 Macro is a true 1:1 macro lens, costing less than $200!
(Image credit: Meike)
We love a bargain, especially in these cash-strapped times, so the news that a cheap macro lens is coming - with a whopping seven mount options - couldn't be more welcome. The Meike 60mm f/2.8 Macro is a newly announced manual focus lens for APS-C cameras, including Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon EF-S, EF-M and RF-M, Nikon Z and Micro Four Thirds. And the all-important cost? A refreshingly affordable $189.99 / £157.66.
Not only is the lens light on the pocket, it's also quite light in the pocket, tipping the scales at 300g (0.66lb). Filter thread diameter is still somewhat unclear, with different product images showing 49mm and 52mm markings. A magnification ratio of 1:1 makes this a true macro lens, so a subject is reproduced at actual size on the camera's image sensor when shot at the 17.5cm minimum focus distance. Inside, the optical stack consists of 11 elements in 8 groups, though no word has yet been given on whether any special (aspherical, low dispersion, etc) elements are included. A 9-blade diaphragm should help produce smoother bokeh in out of focus areas. When fitted to an APS-C camera, the Meike 60mm f/2.8 captures a 26.6° angle of view, but when mounted on an MFT camera, the tighter crop factor of the smaller sensor inevitably reduces the lens' angle of view, to 20.4°.
Naturally, you can't have everything at this price point, so the lens does without fancy features like optical stabilization, autofocus, or indeed any electrical contacts - that's why it can be adapted so easily to suit multiple camera mounts. However, given the slower, more methodical nature of macro photography, taking a little extra time to manually focus (especially with the aid of focus peaking) really isn't a deal-breaker.
The Meike 60mm f/2.8 will be available from 10th March.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
