Macro Photography

I'm a complete beginner with no photography experience but excited to get into it.

Budget: ~$500

Needs: High quality macro of all kinds (my main purpose for getting a camera in the first place). Secondary: portraits (full body / upper body). Tertiary to those is versatility for everything else as it's going to be the only lens for the foreseeable future. I'd also love for the lens to have all the latest features like autofocus and the such (if there's anything else).

I've done some research around macro RF lenses for R50 (ASP-C cropped sensor) and among the 24mm, 35mm, and 85mm it seems 35mm stands out the most for the above needs but since I'm on a tight budget, I need quality advice to make sure I'm not making a mistake here.

I know Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM is better due to 1:1, but it wouldn't be as versatile as 35mm and thus annoying to use for anything other than macro due to the effective 160mm on the crop lense, right?

I could theoretically get used lenses but it's difficult where I live. The EF to RF adapter would have to be without the ring (too expensive otherwise), and I might have real trouble finding the suggested proper older EF (or third party) lens. Plus, most used lenses here aren't much cheaper, even the really old ones, and I really doubt they'd be in good condition either. But for a really good recommendation I might consider it.

Macro Photo of some coffee beans

A meadow scorpionfly snacking on a dead caterpillar (peacock butterfly), next to (mayyyybe?) the cocoon of the parasite that killed the caterpillar.

A birch catkin bug invited itself.

I got myself extension tubes and it just happened to be THE season.

Tiny subject. No bigger than 1mm. 100 image focus stack. Essex, UK.

flickr

Fairy cups lichen with blue bloom on black sloes

Found on flickr

Found on flickr

Unfortunately the only jumper i saw on this day was a meal for this guy. As i walked up he was finishing up de-legging and de-heading the jumper =(

Found on flickr

Canon T7. Sigma 105mm F/2.8

Tiny cellar spider. Abdomen is about 2mm.

Canon T7. Sigma 105mm.

Tiny lady patrolling the apartment.

Canon T7. Sigma 105mm.

Canon T7. Sigma 105mm.

Canon T7. Sigma 105mm.

Canon T7. Sigma 105mm.

Strictly Arbitrary 141, #photography , 2023 by Joshua W Murray. : : : #photooftheday #picoftheday #bwphoto #bwphotography #blackandwhitephotography #blackandwhite #photo #minimalphotography #digitalsketchbook #sketchdaily #art #artist #artpatron #artcollector #photoart #photoaday #photosketch #modernart #postmodernart #tinyuniverses

Galaxy S22 and an add on lens.