seekng info on using macro lens

[lblongs]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, but have seen quite a few posts from people who use macro lenses for photography that isn't what I would think a macro lens would be used for. It seems to create beautiful portraits. Can someone please explain the macro vs. (nonmacro) lenses and how it would be beneficial to use in everyday photography? I have always thoguht macro = close ups of bugs, ants, flowers, etc. It seems to be more versatile than that so someone please explain.

[OsmosisStudios]

Macro is use for getting extremely close to things. Macro lenses focus closer than normal lenses and allow one to get to extremely detailed levels of magnification.

Most macro lenses are also intensely sharp, which is why some people like them for portraits.

[Benji]

A 1 to 1 ratio macro lens is a lens that is capable of being focused at a closer focusing distance than a non macro lens. Most normal non macro lenses will not be able to render an object in focus any closer than about 18 inches (which is about the same focusing distance as the naked human eye.) A telephoto lens has an even larger distance than 18 inches, sometimes as much as several feet. A 1 to 1 macro lens can capture the object focused on at the same size as it actually is on the sensor. This is usually something like a coin or a stamp or other small object. Macro lenses are usually at their sharpest at macro focus distances and are not quite as sharp at other focus distances.

Benji