Does any one use them?

The price seems right for something that I will barley ever use at this point and I just don't know how much I would use a macro lens.

I've only tried one brand and it worked pretty decent.  The nice thing is being able to use different focal length lenses with the same macro lens.  

The brand I used was a Raynox 150.  It works great.

Here's a shot of it on an old Sigma 150-300mm lens

zombie bug2 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

9_29_11 macro2 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

macro5  9_18_11 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr


Another idea is to get an adapter ring.  You can get an adapter to mount one lens backwards in front of another lens using the filter threads.

I did this with two manual lenses, a 55mm Takumar and a 50mm Takumar.  It works pretty well and made for some nice photos.  Here's a couple taken with this setup.

fly by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

Your last cheap option is to get a set of extension rings and use something like a  50mm lens.  The extension rings are just a set of open tubes that go between your lens and your camera to let you macro focus.  This is probably my favorite cheap setup.  Here's a couple of shots using extension rings and a 55mm Takumar lens.

Peeka Boo by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

fruit fly by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

The best though is to get a decent, yet cheap Macro lens (should do 1:1).  They are useful for more than macro as well as they are usually very sharp and have a flat focal plane.  I use an old Macro-Takumar 50mm F4 I bought on Ebay for around $100.00 in like new condition.

It does 1:1 Macro and is an excellent all around lens.  One photo shot with this lens (the spider was smaller than a grain of rice)

pekaboo by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

my 105mm macro has a 62mm thread so I just use a 62mm to 77mm step up ring for my 77mm filters that fit my 24-70 and 70-200.

Once you start playing around with macro it opens up a whole new world..literally !

Close up filters are split up into two groups.  The single element ones ( stick with B+W , Hoya )  . They are about $50 for set

The best are the achromatic element ( to correct chromatic aberrations ) . Most common are the Canon 500D and 250D

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Brand_Canon&ci=158&N=4026728331+4291570227

I use the 500D when travelling so I don't have to lug another lens

Plan B is look for a old manual focus macro lens off ebay. You are most likely going to use manual focus anyways

If you are nikon shooter, the venerable Nikon 105 Micro can be had for less than $150 in mint shape

Do tell... Were can one buy mint shape used lens..

Lots of perfect shape lenses out there that people get rid off

I have bought and sold quite a few mint shape lenses that seems like they were never used by previous owner ( especially specialty lenses )

I picked up both my Nikon 105 DC ( pretty specialty lens ) that the guy had for 5 years and hardly used

Hasselblad 50mm FLE not a spec of dust inside . Estate sale . They had no idea what it was !

Hasselblad 120 Makro ...hardly every used. I watched a guy have it periodically on CL over a span of 6 months slowly creeping down in price

Sigma Macro 150 . One of the sharpest lenses I have bought of EBAY absolute mint....seemed like he never used it

I personally have in my collection 3 lenses that I perhaps used once in the past 2 years. If I sold them, buyer would be getting mint shape

I recently sold Nikon 28-300 I had which was only used for 2 weeks twice as a holiday lens . Mint shape

Specialty lenses ( like Macros ) for many photographers only see the light of day on rare occasions

Obviously its harder to find mint / perfect used general purpose lenses since they are often the main go to lens and hence see lots of use

KEH is a good place to  start..their rating system is conservative and you always can send it back

CL is better than EBAY since you can look at it first