These are the best macro prime lenses when you want true 1:1 detail, beautiful contrast, and reliable handling for products, food, flowers, jewelry, and insects—and here’s what to look for as you buy: prioritize native 1:1 magnification (2:1 if you crave extreme detail), comfortable working distance (90–105mm keeps shy subjects calm; 50–70mm excels on tabletops), internal focusing with a limiter (faster AF and no length creep), strong axial/lateral CA control (crisp edges on metallic textures), and optional stabilization if you handhold; smooth, long-throw manual rings help for precision, and weather sealing is a plus outdoors. Full-frame heroes: Sony FE 90mm ƒ2.8 Macro G OSS (the benchmark for sharpness, OSS, and AF), Canon RF 100mm ƒ2.8L Macro IS USM (1.4× magnification, hybrid IS, creamy bokeh), Canon EF 100mm ƒ2.8L IS (still a stellar value), Nikon Z MC 105mm ƒ2.8 VR S (razor detail, low CA, VR), Sigma 105mm ƒ2.8 DG DN Macro Art (mirrorless-tuned optics, great price), Tamron 90mm ƒ2.8 Macro (various mounts; classic rendering with modern sharpness), Laowa 100mm ƒ2.8 2× APO (manual, apochromatic, insane 2× reach), Laowa 85mm ƒ5.6 2× Macro APO (featherweight full-frame specialist), and Pentax D FA 100mm ƒ2.8 WR (compact, weather-resistant). APS-C standouts: Sony FE 50mm ƒ2.8 Macro (works great on A6xxx/FX30), Sigma 70mm ƒ2.8 Art (E/L; luxurious focus feel and optics), Laowa 65mm ƒ2.8 2× APO (manual, zero-CA look, perfect scale for bugs), Nikon Z MC 50mm ƒ2.8 (tiny all-rounder). For Fuji X: XF 80mm ƒ2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro (flagship stabilized 1:1) and XF 60mm ƒ2.4 Macro (0.5× portrait/product hybrid). For Micro Four Thirds: M.Zuiko 60mm ƒ2.8 Macro (beloved 1:1 with focus scale), OM SYSTEM 90mm ƒ3.5 Macro IS PRO (2:1 native, stacked IBIS/IS for handhelds), and Panasonic Leica 45mm ƒ2.8 Macro-Elmarit (compact, stabilized). Practical buyer tips: pick focal length by distance—~100mm for insects and shy subjects, ~60–70mm for food/objects, ~45–50mm for copy stand work; if you also shoot portraits, a 90–105mm macro doubles as a flattering headshot lens; AF matters for hybrid use and focus limiters are your friend; if you’re comfortable manual-only, Laowa’s 2× primes deliver unmatched magnification per dollar; add a ring flash or diffused speedlight before chasing faster apertures—light trumps IS at macro scales. Macro shooting tips: stabilize the light, not just the camera (a small softbox close to subject gives depth and sparkle), stop to ƒ5.6–ƒ11 for depth (watch diffraction past ƒ16 on smaller sensors), set the limiter and “rock” your body to nail the plane of focus, use burst mode to beat micro-shake, angle light for texture without harsh glare, and for live subjects go early/cool when they’re slow; for ultra-close 1–2×, consider a macro rail and focus stacking. Whether you’re documenting gemstones, plating, botanicals, or butterflies, the best macro prime lenses combine true magnification, clean aberration control, and confident handling—so tiny subjects look big, sharp, and beautifully lit.