Beginner Nikon 60mm f2.8 AF-D Micro Lens with D3300

[adriano.nocenzi]

hi All,

after few question and my budget i have my eyes on this lens, i know the AF will not work on my camera, but i mainly going to use it for jewellery with a tripod, but i still like to ask how difficult will be to focus and it's worth to buy it or is better to use my stock 18-55 mm and save the money.
and maybe in the future buy a more modern lens?

Thank you

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•



Though the AF may not work on your camera, there is still
the focus acquisition confirmation system that will. So, if you
focus a point, the green dot will confirm the focus.

 

[alfbranch]

What are you intending to photograph with it?
For flowers and other inanimate objects it will be fine.
For live insects a longer focal length is better especially handheld.

Look here for more info
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/we-need-you-in-draft-want-to-get-into-macro.551944/
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/show-us-your-macro-rig.132158/

 

[GreenNinja67]

What are you intending to photograph with it?

but i mainly going to use it for jewellery

 

[alfbranch]

but i mainly going to use it for jewellery

Fair point should have read more carefully so yeah the 60 mm with the camera mounted on a tripod is a good solution.

 

[adriano.nocenzi]

Thank you for the reply, so how difficult is to put things in focus? And in case I can use it for insects? How difficult will be if I use hand handled?

 

[gad-westy]

A lot of macro is done using manual focus anyway so I don't think it is such a big deal. For stuff that is stationery, you can mount camera on a tripod and use live view zoomed right in to nail focus. It'll be far more accurate than AF can manage. Another technique that works well is to set lens to min focus distance and then rock slowly forward or backward to acquire focus.

I think though for jewelry the bigger challenge will be the lighting side of things. It's a notoriously tricky subject.

60mm AFD is a really nice lens by the way.

 

[Phiggys]

The 60mm AFD is a corker of a lens and gives a slightly longer working distance from the front of the lens than the newer AFS version of the 60mm lens. hence it should make it a little easier to light your subject. I'm sure with some practice you will soon master manual focusing.

 

[droj]

stuff that is stationery

Envelopes?

Sorry, Graham. Some good advice in your post, especially about lighting concerns. Ceramics equally, or anything glossy.

 

[gad-westy]

Envelopes?

Sorry, Graham. Some good advice in your post, especially about lighting concerns. Ceramics equally, or anything glossy.

Oops

 

[StewartR]

And in case I can use it for insects?

I think you might struggle because you don't have very much working distance.

The minimum focus distance (MFD) is specified as 219mm, but that's measured from the subject to the sensor. For macro work, the working distance is defined as the distance from the subject to the front of the lens. We can calculate that by starting with the MFD of 219mm, subtract the length of the lens which is 98.5mm for the 60mm f/2.8 AF-D at MFD (*), and subtract the flange focal distance which is 46.5mm for Nikon F-mount cameras. The result comes to only 74mm. This causes two potential problems: (1) difficulty of lighting the subject, and (2) risk of scaring off the insects.

If you're really interested in photographing insects, a grater working distance will be very helpful. You might want to think about stretching your budget (not very much) to get a 105mm macro. For example the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF-D offers a working distance of 136mm, which is almost twice as much.

(*) The official specifications say 74.5mm, but that's measures with the lens focused at infinity. Unfortunately, when you focus closer, this lens extends, and the maximum extension is 24mm. So when focused at MFD the length of the lens is 98.5mm.