What Macro Lens?

[Whittie]

Going to buy one next week. Body is a Nikon D60, so ideally I need the motor to be in the lens so I can auto focus.

I've mainly been looking at the 60mm f2.8

But also the 105mm f2.8

http://www.acecameras.co.uk/asp/web...words//recor/1/SearchFor//PT_ID/1/product.asp

I can't help but think if I got the 60mm i'd of wished I got the 105mm after a while? Which would be easier to shoot insects.

Is there any other options you would care to mention?

Thanks for any help

 

[Dogfish_magnet]

I use the Sigma 105 Macro and am very please with it - Dont worry about the auto focus you will tend to use manual focus for Macro work

 

[Woodsy]

^^^ Agreed.

 

[onefunkypenguin]

def consider a tamron 90mm f2.8 too. manual focus but its best manually focussing on macro anyways.

 

[reddeathdrinker]

I've pretty much decided on the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro, more for the internal focusing and extra reach...

 

[Gandhi]

I wouldn't get the 60mm if you want to get close to insects. Because you will be too close.

If that makes any sense?

a quick guide stolen from Potn as to working distances for different focal lengths!

non-AI 55/3.5 (56mm) at 1x, (111mm) at 0.5x (vintage 1965 Comp. Ap.)
AIS 55/2.8, 56mm(55mm) at 1x, 112mm(112mm) at 0.5x
AF 60/2.8, 72.9mm(73mm) at 1x, (124mm) at 0.5x
AF 105/2.8, 136mm at 1x
AIS 105/2.8, **182mm(172mm) at 1x, 247mm(243mm) at 0.5x
AI 200/4.0, (346mm) at 1x, 492mm(492mm) at 0.5x,

 

[Nicola.P]

Thought I may as well hijack this thread slightly since I was going to post the same question. Hope you don't mind

I have a Nikon D40X and am looking at getting a macro lens, pref under £130. It will be my first macro lens and I have only had my camera around a month and unsure which to go for?

Any recommendations in that price range?

 

[Messiah Khan]

My vote goes with the Sigma 150mm. Ive got one and I love it. Its a lens I really can't fault. If you don't go for that one, then the Nikon 105mmVR would be my second choice.

 

[brianfarrell]

Thought I may as well hijack this thread slightly since I was going to post the same question. Hope you don't mind

I have a Nikon D40X and am looking at getting a macro lens, pref under £130. It will be my first macro lens and I have only had my camera around a month and unsure which to go for?

Any recommendations in that price range?

I'm not a Nikonite, but have friends who are... From seeing their output, I'd recommend the Sigma 105mm or 150mm macro lenses... unfortunately, those don't fit into your price range so my recommendation is that you save up!

Best wishes

Brian

 

[Woodsy]

Wish I had the cash for a 150mm, but for now the 105 is still pretty good

 

[puddleduck]

You don't need auto focus for macro...

Here are some recent shots:

These are some recent shot with the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro on the D60:

​

And some with the Sigma 150mm on the D60 (I manually focused all these)

I shot these 3 yesterday:

​

As I said, I have two macro lenses, and I like both

The tripod collar on the Sigma 150mm is VERY handy, but a shorter macro like the Tokina 100mm is much easier to handhold.

HTH

 

[Nicola.P]

Could I just ask with a macro lens to get those really blurred backgrounds do I need to go as low as F2.8 or would F4.8 blur as much as the pics above?

 

[oldgit]

Whatever macro lens you go for I'd opt for at least 100mm. Longer than that and you are quickly into tripod not hand-held territory. To get any decent DOF you'll need f8 or more (f10, f16 probably), although I've occasionally got away with f5.6 on some bugglies. At f8 you are going to need a lot of light (or a flash) to get 1/100th or better at reasonable ISO's


and ...

Could I just ask with a macro lens to get those really blurred backgrounds do I need to go as low as F2.8 or would F4.8 blur as much as the pics above?

At 1:1 macro or higher (if you can achieve that) the DOF at f2.8 is about nought,nil,zippo probably <3mm of subject (not measured it myself). At f10 with a 105mm somewhere in the region of 15mm I'd guess. The rest fades rapidly to a blurr. Anything over 5cm away is just background mush.

 

[puddleduck]

Could I just ask with a macro lens to get those really blurred backgrounds do I need to go as low as F2.8 or would F4.8 blur as much as the pics above?

Because you are focusing very close to your subject and you have a very narrow depth of field, its very easy to throw a background out of focus.

Having said that its much easier with a longer macro lens.

 

[Messiah Khan]

You don't need auto focus for macro...

Agreed. However most macro lenses double up as very sharp general use prime lenses that benefit from autofocus. If your going to use it entirely for macro, then yeah there is no need for autofocus. But my Sigma 150mm f2.8 has found itself doing all sort of photography, from portaits to events to wildlife. So if you can, I would always get a macro lens that does autofocus.

Ps. Nice shots