Macro lense?

[Caroleen]

Does anyone know of a good Macro lense for a Nikon D80? I have bought those close-up lense and I don't really like them. Do you have to buy a lense that says "Macro"? I am really interested in taking close-ups of flowers and stuff.
I just received for Christmas a Nikkor 50 mm/f 1.8 lense and haven't really gotten the gist of it yet. Thanks everyone and had a great Christmas.:D

[lexcell]

Carol,
Nikon has three macro lenses that are excellent for photographing flowers...
AF 60mm 2.8, AF-S 105mm 2.8 VR and AF 200mm F4.
They are all 1:1 reproduction ratio which means the subject is exactly the same size on the sensor as it actually is...with the 1.5X magnification of the D80, it's even greater.

The big difference between the three is the minimum focus distance, the angle of view and the cost.


The 60mm focuses the closest and has the widest angle of view, the 200mm has the greatest focus distance and the narrowest field of view.

If you like to photograph insects as well as flowers, a greater distance is less likely to scare your subject away.

The narrower field of view gives you more control over the background.

Another option that is less costly and does a decent job is to get a Canon 52mm close up lens that threads onto the front of your 50mm lens. It allows you to get closer than the lens will normally focus. It is of a higher quality than the close up filters that you are currently using but not as good as the true macro lenses.

[clarkrj]

I shoot with the Nikor 60mm Macro. I love it. The glass is the best of all my lenses and the photos are very crisp. The only thing I was not quite ready for was the minimum focus length of about 7". I don't quite know why I didn't think this was measured from the focal plane, not the front of the lens. This puts the lens about 2-3" from the subject. not a problem with stills, but some of my subjects have been quite unhappy and have inflicted some pain.

I love the lens, might have opted for the 105mm had I thought about the focal plane issue.

[Whiplash-GT]

there are alternative manufacturers as well.
Sigma makes a nice 70-200 APO HSM Macro
if you aren't worried about the auto-focusing of HSM there is the APO 70-300

personally tho, 105 Micro would be my first choice...
tho i have taken some nice close-ups of butterflies with the 50 1.4 and 1.8 lenses :)

[Tom K]

Hi Carol,

I have the 60mm and love it , very sharp and quite fast, if there are
any problems at all it the limited depth of field but thats what you get with any macro... Tom :)

[lowbone]

The beauty of macro lenses is that they are all good. I shoot Canon and have the 100 and 180mm macros but I have seen equally good results from the Nikon lenses and the Sigma 105mm and 150mm macros. The Tamron 90mm is also an excellent macro. I used to own that one. With macro photography you are entering a whole new world of technique and learning curve. Before you buy it would be helpful to know what you will be shooting most. For flowers and general macro a lens of about 100mm will serve you well. For insects a longer lens would be beneficial although it will be heavier. Most macro lenses come with VR or IS but this would only be beneficial when the lens is used for other purposes. Most macro is done with manual settings and because you are shooting from inches and the VR-IS on these lenses is painfully slow it would be of no value.

[Chuck S.]

Lowbone, my 100 mm Canon macro is non-IS. I'm glad it is, because I usually use it on a tripod and I'd have to remember to turn IS off....:)

[lowbone]

Lowbone, my 100 mm Canon macro is non-IS. I'm glad it is, because I usually use it on a tripod and I'd have to remember to turn IS off....:)
I keep both of my macros set on manual-no IS. I only use a tripod for flower shots. When I shoot insects I use the MT 24 EX twin flash with the Camera set on Manual about f11 and 1/250 shutter speed. ISO 100 or 200 works well. The twin flash isn't really necessary though, a regular flash either on camera or held out to the side on an off camera flash cord with a diffuser can produce stunning results. I find IS to be pretty worthless iin this application.

[epaul6]

I love my Tokina 100mm. Although it is non IS it is fast f2.8, focuses at about a foot (minimum from the focal plane) and is full frame (35mm compatable). It is also built like a tank.

[craig707]

I'd go with the Nikon 105mmVR if you have the money,. 2nd choice, the Sigma 70mm macro if you have the money. Next, The Sigma 50mm macro if you have the money. I don't have the money so I'll keep using the Sigma 90mm macro that I had from my film days on my D80.

[Bob_Benner]

One of the best buys out there is the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens. This lens is SHARP. It also makes for a nice head and shoulders portrait lens. Sells for about 450.00 and right now has a $90.00 mail in rebate.

[kimh]

I too was wondering about a macro lens.
Thanks for the great information.
Kimh

[Bob_Benner]

I too was wondering about a macro lens.
Thanks for the great information.
Kimh

Hi KIM!!:)

[Grant]

First there seems to be lots of talk about favourite brands and I too have one but the fact is that the design of Macros is a pretty exacting science and most of them border on excellence to even better.

What hasn't been discussed, unless I have over looked a post, is which one is best. I am not referring to brand but reach. To make arbitrary division they come in 60 mm, 100 mm and about 180 mm ranges. As the mm moves up you do get to stand back from you subject. Everyone can see the advantage of using a 180 mm macro on a bug as you get good size images without being intrusive. On the other hand not all image are photographed at 1:1. If you want a close up of a flower but not an extreme on you may find that, with 180 mm, you have moving back to Chicago to photograph flowers in Buffalo, ok I exaggerate. I use a 105 mm macro and do lots of flower shots and sometimes I am shooting one flower bed over to get the right shot. If your macro needs are general you might what to consider more Versatile one in the 60 mm range. I am not saying that Macros in the 180 mm range are bad in fact they are very good for the job they were intended but the job is not versatility.

.

[Chuck S.]

Grant, would it be fair to say that a 180 mm macro was likely designed for a full-frame SLR and therefore the cropping factor of most DSLR's renders it less versatile on DLSR's? Of course, that could be said of 100 mm as well....

[Grant]

Grant, would it be fair to say that a 180 mm macro was likely designed for a full-frame SLR and therefore the cropping factor of most DSLR's renders it less versatile on DLSR's? Of course, that could be said of 100 mm as well....


Chuck

That is a great point. The crop factor is a wonderful thing for those that need long reach and birders are in seventh heaven but ... The fact is that for the vast majority of people the vast majority of images will be taken in the neighbourhood of the standard lens. (* don't you just like it when you can use
"vast majority" twice in a sentence. *) With this in mind it becomes very sensible to buy a really good standard lens, be it a short zoom or a fixed lens than and avoid more exotic pieces of glass until you need them.

[Chuck S.]

Grant, if only 50% of the vast majority agreed, would we call that....

....the half vast majority....?

:rolleyes:

[Grant]

Chuck we agreed may years ago "Coffee Alerts" before lines like this!

Beverage now is spewed all over my monitor.

.

[NMarti]

Chuck - love it! My mother has a sign in her kitchen:
I'm not a fast cook, I'm not a slow cook, I'm a half-fast cook. :D

I have the Canon 100mm and love it. It fits my needs very well.

[JonE]

The Nikon 105mm VR is excellent, the focal distance is good and usually doesn't scare critters away, and the VR feature is superb as is the auto-focus with manual override (use auto focus then manually fine tune it without ever switching from manual to auto). The min. focusing distance is approx. 14".

[kimh]

I have borrowed a Tamron 90mm and am anxious to try it on my D80.
I have been offered the 105mm to borrow also so may try that next and compare.
I haven't yet gotten to try the 90mm as a "macro" but ran into some friends at the beach and was impressed with the photos I got of my friends dtr. using that lens.
Kimhhttp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1bG82K1UKkMmi41Oyvi7TJIfFMuSFa0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1bG82K1UKkMmi41Oyvi7TJIfFMuSFa0)

[Rooeey]

I have the Tamron 90mm f2.8 and it has given me stellar results on my Canon 400D

[lexcell]

That brings up a good point...
Borrow or rent a macro lens in the focal length that you are interested in to see if indeed it will do the job you need it to do.
I actually have both the 105mm VR and 200mm micro lenses from Nikon. While I really love the 200mm, I find myself using the 105mm more because of it's versatility and size.
I like the compression and narrower field of view that both of these lenses produces.

[DebCam]

I have read this thread with great interest. One thing I didn't see was anything about zoom macro's. Are they pointless? I have a KM5D and am looking for a macro lens. I'm not sure what the best way to go is. I am on a budget, so spending hundreds is not an option. I did find a pretty good deal on this one Sigma 28-105mm f/3.8-5.6 Aspherical Macro Lens for Konica Minolta SLR Camera. Would this one be a good way to start. Is it a waste of money? I guess I'm looking for something versatile and economical. Shooting macro and close-ups (flowers and insects)is not my most favorite thing, although I do enjoy it when the right opportunity comes along. Therefore, I want to have that option available to me in my bag. Thanks, Deb

[lexcell]

Deb,
The difference between a zoom lens with macro and a macro lens is the reproduction ratio. A macro lens will give you 1:1 (in almost all cases) where a zoom with macro typically gets you to around 1:3 or 1:4 so you don't get in as tight. A zoom lens with macro simply means that the lens can focus closer than without macro but it won't give you the really close look of a true macro lens.
So, it depends on just how tight you want to be able to get. What you do gain with a zoom is the versatility of several focal lengths in one. it is more versatile that a fixed lens...

[charles fry]

I have and use the tamron 180mm 1:1 macro> I think this lens is great...alittle heavy but gives you the distance needed for not being so close to animals or insects. I use this lens on a nikon D-50....lens costs about $700.00 you can ck it out on line and see alot of example photos.

[Threecats]

I don't quite know why I didn't think this was measured from the focal plane, not the front of the lens. This puts the lens about 2-3" from the subject. not a problem with stills, but some of my subjects have been quite unhappy and have inflicted some pain.

I love the lens, might have opted for the 105mm had I thought about the focal plane issue.

That distance is good to know. I guess I always figured it was from the lens too.