A quick tech, thoroughly-non model question;

I want to shoot some macro stuff but don't want to shell out big bucks on some modern lens with AF if possible, and was wondering if anyone with more tech savvy than me would know of an older MF lens that I could use on a Canon 5D II, that could be found pretty cheaply on eBay or some such site.

(I apologise for the non-model query, but this forum is pretty good with answering such questions, so hopefully someone can help me out.)

Thanks in advance,

Scott.

Have you considered extension tubes?

The set made by Kenko has the electrical contacts in them.

You could reverse mount a 50mm lens. Adaptors are not very expensive and widely available.
Otherwise you could pick up a lens to adapt:
Tamron Adaptall-2 SP90mm 2.5 (52BB or 52B)
OM Zuiko 50/3.5
OM Zuiko 80/4
OM auto bellows or 65-116 extension tube
SMC Macro Takumar 50/4

All those should be relatively cheap.

Thanks everyone! I'll definitely try the extension tubes, and if I want to take it further that's a great list of lens to look into.

There's a few ways to do poor man's macro.  I think you can actually google that term.  What produces the most magnification is reversing a lens; the wider the more magnification.  They sell cheap adapters to attach the lens to your body the wrong way.  You could also reverse a lens onto a standard mounted lens.  If you've got a couple of old filters you could remove the glass and glue them together if you're really looking to go cheap.  I think you run into problems with focus to infinity with lenses with adapters.  I couldn't say, I shoot nikon and you can't attach anything but f-mount to them but I'd bet you could find a pentax, olympus, minolta to work on your Canon.  Fwiw, I hear the Canon 100mm is a great deal at around $400.