I used my brand-new Canon 100mm/2.8 L IS macro on a 5d2. This was its first outing and I certainly don't regret the purchase. I bought it after playing with a friend's older, unstabilised version and realising that my formerly steady hands now had quite a tremor. The merits of stabilisation in this lens have been extensively discussed in another thread recently: on this occasion it was irrelevant to the actual exposure (1/1000) but it certainly helped me to frame the shot. I had wondered about getting the 180mm macro but I'm quite sure that I wouldn't be able to use it hand-held!
As to technique, I don't really have one. It was a lovely warm October day in Cheshire and I was with my family visiting Arley Hall, a country manor near where I live which has very beautiful gardens. There were some flowers near a wall; I just waited for a while. The only "tricks" I learned in those few minutes was not to cast shadows, which faze butterflies in particular, to approach slowly and to be a little patient (my wife will happily tell you that "a little" is about as patient as I get). The crop here is about 1/3 of the frame.
Jeremy
Welcome to the world of macro
The real trick is to frame in such a way as
not to have to crop. The other trick is to learn the patience that will get you into such a position, especially when you finally get the @#%$er to sit still, get your perfect angle ... and then the wind blows, or the subject flies-off (take your pick)
Also, it's very hard to get very bright whites and stark yellows like that to come out right sometimes, especially in the mid-day light.
Jack
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