My experience is that this is the kind of thing you expect to be a problem, and then discover is an advantage. A DSLR is unfamiliar at first, but with experience faster.
(If I didn’t already have various equipment, I’d probably be deciding between a DSLR and mirrorless. I expect I’d end up at mirrorless, but I’m not sure. I don’t think I’d even consider other options.)
Depends a lot on your preferred subject size ‘range’, but a versatile zoom on a decent DSLR with a Raynox 250 in your vest pocket will go a long way in covering nearly all the bases and there’s no need to remove the lens from the camera in the field. Save the lens changing for much safer locales.
Well, you’re right, but when you search for lenses you can use “macro” and you will get results of things that fit it, then you check what people are getting with that lens, or open gear forums and read there, you’re right that stacked-up super macro shots aren’t needed for a good id shot, it’s pretty much useless if you need to take 20 shots of a moving insect in one position to get a shot, so sleeping, dead or extremely lazy insects are good objects for such set ups. Personally I got insect obsession when I only had 24-120mm nikkor lense and started rethinking my words to my husband that I didn’t need macro when we decided on buying it, so we had to spend more on 105mm which is 1:1 and more than enough for most insects and with ok camera shots are easily cropped still looking fine.
Just read about the new 58mm 2X macro lens that Laowa just announced.
First, you have to be okay with a manual lens, but it seems squarely aimed at the macro market, both in design and pricing.
If interested, check out:
https://www.dpreview.com/news/5708033182/venus-optics-announces-499-laowa-58mm-f2-8-2x-ultra-macro-apo-for-four-mirrorless-mounts
And YouTube: https://youtu.be/VqpjAK2Cvro
Hmm. Looks like I might have to get off the naughty list in time for Christmas.
But, I don’t know. Right now I’ve been really enjoying playing with the used Powershot SX-540/Raynox 250 combo. The working distance is much better than I expected for macro. At least 8 inches for most of the range. Plus, you still have autoexposure/focus (though I shut that off for most macro stuff). I also have discovered it’s best to use step up or down filter adapter to attach the Raynox, rather than the clip-on. I’ve already had nearly one disaster with it falling off to a rock after being clipped by a branch. It survived, but it made me switch.
This combo gets some real magnification with full zoom pushing it close to 1.5x. Anything higher than 1 is for field purposes, tripod only. So it’s working quite well.
I have that same Sony camera. It can be very frustrating because it takes 5 seconds to turn on, 5 seconds to change modes (I only use “P” stopped down a full stop and the green camera icon), 5 seconds between shots and 5 seconds to focus. Five seconds is forever when a dragonfly perches in front of you.
I have learned to work with its shortcomings. I do miss shots because of the camera’s shortcomings.
I would really like a manual focus mode because the camera sometimes cannot focus on small things like a damselfly on a blade of grass. But, I have learned to try to find an object about the same distance away and the blade of grass. I focus on it, hold the shutter button down and move the camera back to the damselfly. It works.
The camera really drains the batteries if I shoot videos. But, I have two sets of Duracell rechargeable batteries. So, I am ready for that.
I just dove into medium format because I’m thinking about playing with film again, and it would be something Different than my dSLR gives me. Seeing medium format film cameras starting around $500 give or take, I was like woah well let’s see about digital offerings.
…mistake
I now really want this Pentax dSLR medium format camera, hey it’s over half off!! (But there is no way in heck I could afford that) (but I have pentax dSLR so I could use my lenses…so I wouldn’t have to buy all new lenses…)
The Pentax uses 645 lenses, which is presumably not compatible with 35 mm lenses. It is probably possible to get an adapter for other lenses, other than Pentax, but you will lose AF.
The link has a 35mm lens with it paired so I just assumed. There is a note about it being not 70mm but actually 59mm equiv.
“645Z is compatible with new D FA autofocus lenses as well as older 645 lenses as well as Pentax 67 lenses via an optional adapter.”
As I have some D FA lenses i just assumed it would work based on that.
Of course this is moot as I dont have $3800 much les $8000 it would be not on sale.
I ended up getting one of the lenses on sale instead as it replaces basically three of mine but with much higher quality glass. 
And its min focus distance isnt bad (10” ish) so with cropping after fact i can get some faux macro for the occasional small invert when I’m not looking for them. I have a feeling it will have a pretty permanent place on my camera :)
I plan to keep eye for medium format film at thrift stores where they just see film and toss a $5 price tag on it. Maybe ill get lucky. Ebay and camera groups everyone knows what its worth xD my in laws love to estate sale too so ill give them a list probably too. Last year they found a Pentax & Cannon shooter that had like 20 lenses and four different film camera bodies as a bundle for like $100. Maybe I missed my chance xD but many times people dont research prices for estate sales either.
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