Instruction: Extract information from the supporting document to answer the given question.

Input:
Question: How close do I need to get to an insect for a good photo and is a tripod a must?
Document: Copying 8.5by11" documents at 5 ft--good results. Tried on 1" flowers at about 1 ft--too close, unsharp (my Canon 18-55mm can handle that).Have done merged panoramas with excellent results: tripod, 2 sec.release delay,  manual exposure on same setting, of Lower Calf Creek Falls, Escalante Utah; height of falls and pool 150 ft, from about 150 ft. Combined a number of photos to get composite on Photoshop Elements 4.0, seamlessly for a great photo!Still learning!
I have had this lens a few days now and it is awesome. quiet, fast (hunts a bit at full macro, normal) like that it zooms internal. need to use remote cable at max and tripod to get super sharp, but hand held it is very good. have 3 canon lens other that kit lens and all are great! was a minolta user, junk!
I paid a little over 300 for this new a few years ago and I still like it which says alot because I have had so many different lenses. This is a great lense for the lower-mid level digital canons. If you get into studio work this is not a bad prime lens to start with.Does not open as wide as the 1.4 50 mm so think about that before you purchase. you may not need to go that wide that often, but i am sure you can find some situation where you must have it.
In decent lighting I have little need for a ring flash or a tripod, but they are both important tools for getting the most out of the lens. For a flash, I recommendBower SFD14C Canon E-TTL I/II  Macro Ring Flash, for a tripod, Manfrotto is my choice but there are a lot of options. * Light weight and easy to hold. Some of the other macro lenses are very long and heavy. Those lenses require a good tripod and flash, which makes them harder to use while out and about.
It is excellent for macro and portrait photography, but it's also just a good all around lens.Picture quality is very sharp, and I never need a flash outdoors. A tripod is recommended for sharp macro results, though I've gotten some great ones without. Shooting indoors, on overcast days, without a tripod is tough, but that's totally reasonable! (Perhaps someday I'll pick up the 50 so I can perform this miracle. )I've got nothing bad to say about this lens. Highly recommended.
Samples here: [...]Cons: Even @ 60mm you'll still need a tripod for those close up shots is average light, not the lens' fault just the nature of the beast!Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR CamerasCanon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
This lens was all that was expected for Macro with very clear shots. Then used as if standard lens to do general photo shooting. Was surprised how well this lens worked when used as standard lens. The lens is more compact and easier to cary on hikes than a zoom lens. The only thing missing was the ability to do long range close ups or telephoto shots. The rest it did very good in all applications.
And that's okay because I'm growing in knowledge and photo skills. The camera equipment I already own is good enough to get good pictures until my skills warrant the more expensive camera and lens. In the meantime I'm feeling pleasure and happiness as my eyes gradually open to backgrounds, colors, textures, shapes, composition, lighting, movement, and sharpen my timing,  I'm an old man and this feels like being born again.
When shooting at 1:1 or close to it, the "1/focal length rule" does not eliminate camera shake for me, I have to break out the tripod.At high magnification, youre in close. Like, within a few inches at 1:1.Other note:Vignetting is prominent wide open. Sometimes it helps, sometimes not.Overall, this is an excellent, good-value lens. However, I would recommend the 100mm macro over this lens.
I took a few pictures as soon as I received this lens and was immediately impressed. I has always loved taking close up photos and intimate portraits and this is the lens to do that with. It is no Canon L lens but it is just fine for what I need it for. I highly recommend this lens for someone who wants to get into macro photography, take  amazing portraits or use it as a general everyday lens.
Answer: I can get within 12 inches with that lens and a tripod is NOT a must if you have a steady hand or somewhere else to rest your camera on while focusing.