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Macro lens for Nikon D200

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Mezza1

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Hey Guys

I am an amateur currently learning photography, I have a D200 and I am keen on learning more about macro (bugs, flowers,etc) and I am trying to work out what would be a good macro lens.

I have looked at the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro for Nikon but not sure if this is over the top for me or is there something else I should be looking at.

Appreciate any advice and thoughts.

Thank you :)

Mez
 
Mez,

take a good look at the Tamron 90 mm macro. It's considered a VERY nice lens, sharp, and decent working distance. And, since Tamron just announced a replacement, I saw the current lens listed for something $250 savings, in the U.S. Probably the only problem is it might not be quite long enough for some skittish insects. Something in the 150-200 mm range is better, in that regard. However, unless you buy used, you're not going to touch the price of that excellent Tamron.

Good luck, enjoy, and share some photos when you get the lens!

Sam
 
Pretty much every macro lens made in the last 20-30 years should be excellent and sharp enough. There are certainly a lot of good ones out there. You don't need to eliminate manual focus lenses if doing real macro - you typically manually focus anyway at extreme ranges. And it's easiest to do the focus using a focus rail instead of the lens.

You can narrow the field by deciding how much (really, how little) working distance you must have. 60mm may be ok for copy work and photographing stamps, but it leaves almost no space for lighting other than very edgewise. 200mm gives the most working room, but most expense as well. 90-105 is a pretty good compromise, plus tends to be nice for bugs and near-macro as well. Get up to 150mm or so and you start getting tripod collars on the lens, which would help balance on the tripod. Basically the longer the focal length, the more convenient (and perhaps versatile) it is.

The Tamron 90 (various versions back at least 10 years) has been highly recommended for a long time. The Sigma macro primes have an excellent reputation. The Nikon 105vr is a good macro lens and a decent non-macro lens, what with VR and autofocus.

The ones I hear most about (and generally good stuff) are the Tamron 90, the Nikon 105vr, and the Sigma 150 and 180 models.

If the price is right, you should be good to go.
 
Thanks guys! That's awesome.

As an amateur just starting out sometimes it's hard to know and you can read and read but sometimes it doesn't make sense.

Your responses have been a great help. I will definitely look at the Tamaron this morning.

i will share my pics too 😊
 
Just so you know, if you don't know this already. Shooting in true macro mode (not closeups of flowers), one generally finds that it's not really a handheld, autofocus, VR experience. Quite the opposite.

If you are like me, you start out with a macro lens (in my case 105vr) and you try handholding it, focusing on something easy, like a coin or dollar bill. You realize instantly that you can't handhold it steady enough, with or without VR, and you also see less depth of field than you ever dreamed of.

Fighting for depth of field, you crank up the aperture to a ridiculous F16. And realize it's only ridiculous that you didn't stop down nearly enough. Crank it up to F32-45. Now you wonder where the light went, plus realize that depth of field went from paper-thin to 3-sheets-of-paper thin.

Since your F-stop dropped your shutter speed down into the 1 second range, you finally mount the camera on a tripod.

Now you find that the tripod is in the way and it's difficult to position the lens where you need it. But you get something rigged up. If you have no center post on your tripod, you start wishing for one for the first time. If you are shooting from a ballhead, you start cursing it as you try to position the tripod legs, height, and camera angle all while dropped into a stupid notch in the ballhead. (Ah, so that's what the notch is for! Making you realize what L-plates are for, or rotating tripod collars on lenses.)

At least you have some room to add a speedlite on the side, with 90-105mm. You breathe a sigh of relief that you didn't settle for the 60mm, which catches flies trying to fit through the narrow crack between lens and subject. You start thinking about the SB-R1C1 speedlite rig.

After a few struggling attempts to get several macro shots, some of which are successful, you hear about macro rails, to do finely-tuned focus adjustments. And you realize you need two of them, one mounted crosswise on the other, to do fine left-right adjustments as well as fore-aft. And you hear about focus stacking software.

Perhaps you buy yourself a nice RRS macro rail - and then realize you really do need that geared center column to do vertical adjustments along with the two macro rails doing front/rear and left/right adjustments.

And then there are the diopters...
 
Mezza1 said:
Thanks guys! That's awesome.

As an amateur just starting out sometimes it's hard to know and you can read and read but sometimes it doesn't make sense.

Your responses have been a great help. I will definitely look at the Tamaron this morning.

i will share my pics too 😊
Click to expand...
The new version of the Tamron 90 was announced so the older one might drop some in price.
 
Thanks Craig - that is priceless and you probably summed it up in 'advance' for me so I know what I am in for. This could get expensive right? :)

So....focus rail or not?

Now I am going to go home and check my tripod functions - I do have two tripods - one was for the camera and I have one for my archery scope...so at least I have two work with.

I am going to have a look at the Tamaron 90.
 
StillLearning said:
Mezza1 said:
Thanks guys! That's awesome.

As an amateur just starting out sometimes it's hard to know and you can read and read but sometimes it doesn't make sense.

Your responses have been a great help. I will definitely look at the Tamaron this morning.

i will share my pics too 😊
Click to expand...
The new version of the Tamron 90 was announced so the older one might drop some in price.
Click to expand...
Still Learning,

Indeed, I saw it within a day or two for $250 off. And I recommended that to the OP, as well. Great minds, and all that! :-D

Sam
 
greenmanphoto said:
StillLearning said:
Mezza1 said:
Thanks guys! That's awesome.

As an amateur just starting out sometimes it's hard to know and you can read and read but sometimes it doesn't make sense.

Your responses have been a great help. I will definitely look at the Tamaron this morning.

i will share my pics too 😊
Click to expand...
The new version of the Tamron 90 was announced so the older one might drop some in price.
Click to expand...
Still Learning,

Indeed, I saw it within a day or two for $250 off. And I recommended that to the OP, as well. Great minds, and all that! :-D

Sam
Click to expand...
 
I have to be honest here. My RRS macro rail may be the only photographic-related piece of equipment I bought but have yet to use, after 3 years. Once I discovered what it takes to do macro, I lost some interest in it. But it was never something I was really into to start with. I may get into it more underwater, which is even trickier. (I only recently got equipment to use my D810 and 105vr underwater. There are lots of interesting macro subjects there.)

What it comes down to is fine movements of the entire camera (in some cases the subject) to frame and focus properly. Geared tripod columns and dual macro rails make that a whole lot easier. Macro rails are even more useful (perhaps) for focus stacking.

I've backed off to closeups-of-flowers mode, mostly.

--
Craig
www.cjcphoto.net
 
Last edited:
PHXAZCRAIG said:
I have to be honest here. My RRS macro rail may be the only photographic-related piece of equipment I bought but have yet to use, after 3 years. Once I discovered what it takes to do macro, I lost some interest in it. But it was never something I was really into to start with. I may get into it more underwater, which is even trickier. (I only recently got equipment to use my D810 and 105vr underwater. There are lots of interesting macro subjects there.)

What it comes down to is fine movements of the entire camera (in some cases the subject) to frame and focus properly. Geared tripod columns and dual macro rails make that a whole lot easier. Macro rails are even more useful (perhaps) for focus stacking.

I've backed off to closeups-of-flowers mode, mostly.
Click to expand...
 
Mezza1 said:
greenmanphoto said:
StillLearning said:
Mezza1 said:
Thanks guys! That's awesome.

As an amateur just starting out sometimes it's hard to know and you can read and read but sometimes it doesn't make sense.

Your responses have been a great help. I will definitely look at the Tamaron this morning.

i will share my pics too 😊
Click to expand...
The new version of the Tamron 90 was announced so the older one might drop some in price.
Click to expand...
Still Learning,

Indeed, I saw it within a day or two for $250 off. And I recommended that to the OP, as well. Great minds, and all that! :-D

Sam
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thank you Sam - I think i will go with the stabilizer one - every bit will help me too. I just went and had a look at them and had a play with them both on one of their cameras. WOW! I think i could have fun with this. :)
 
Mezza1 said:
Underwater would be awesome - and the colour sprectum would be amazing! Are you a diver?
Click to expand...
Yes.

D810 with 105vr:



151214-040948-73-41-d810.jpg




--
Craig
www.cjcphoto.net
 
PHXAZCRAIG said:
Mezza1 said:
Underwater would be awesome - and the colour sprectum would be amazing! Are you a diver?
Click to expand...
Yes.

D810 with 105vr:

151214-040948-73-41-d810.jpg


--
Craig
www.cjcphoto.net
Click to expand...
Oh WOW! That is gorgeous! You are giving me so much inspiration! Thank you for sharing.

I pick up the lens this morning- I went the Tamron 90 with stabiliser 😊 I will play with it on the weekend and show you some results (if they work). Can't wait!!
 
I started DSLR shooting with a bag of pre-owned Canon kit that included a Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X macro lens. Because hand-held close-range shooting soon became quite important to me, I added a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS, the "IS" referring to Image Stabilization, Canon's term for vibration reduction/control. Many will say that VC/VR/IS is useless for close-range and macro shooting, but I find it very useful. I shoot evidentiary/forensic/crime scene images while on duty; sometimes, a tripod simply cannot be erected where I must shoot.*

My wife was one of the most-experienced forensic/crime scene photographers in the USA, before her retirement in 2015. She mentored me as I started SLR shooting, and some of the lessons, after I understood the basics of photography, were photographing fingerprints on glass surfaces, hand-held, with a Tamron zoom lens that was not truly a "macro" lens, but was the lens issued to her by her employer, and is quite decent for close-range shooting, if not true macro.

The Tokina 100mm macro lens made such close-range shooting easier, but it was the Canon 100mm Macro, with Image Stabilization, that truly helped my hand-held macro and close-range shooting. If you buy a Tamron macro, I believe that you will find the version with Vibration Reduction to be useful. Even if you mostly use a tripod for macro shooting, which makes VC unnecessary at such times, a macro lens doubles as a quite good telephoto lens for other subjects, for which VC will be an asset.

To be clear, the manufacturer is not an issue on this regard; most likely, every current/recent micro/macro lens in the 90mm to 105mm range is going to be very, very good. My micro/macro lenses were made by Tokina, Canon, Nikon, and Voigtlander. One of my local instructors, Christopher Duncan, who has authored successful books on crime scene photography, compared Canon and Sigma, and bought the Sigma, with his own money, no sponsorship involved.

One tip: When shooting macro hand-held, do not be afraid to set the AF lever to the "C" position, even though you are shooting a subject that is not moving. Your own involuntary movements can cause apparent subject motion, as your sensor sees it. AF-C allows the AF to continue to track this apparent motion during the process of capturing the image.

*I am not claiming to be any kind of expert. :-) Having started serious photography in my middle years, after my eyesight started deteriorating, my achievements will, likely, remain modest, but I still like to share what I have learned. :-)

--
I wear a badge and pistol, and make evidentiary images at night, which incorporates elements of portrait, macro, still life, landscape, architecture, and PJ. I enjoy using both Canons and Nikons.
 
Last edited:
Rexgig0 said:
I started DSLR shooting with a bag of pre-owned Canon kit that included a Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X macro lens. Because hand-held close-range shooting soon became quite important to me, I added a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS, the "IS" referring to Image Stabilization, Canon's term for vibration reduction/control. Many will say that VC/VR/IS is useless for close-range and macro shooting, but I find it very useful. I shoot evidentiary/forensic/crime scene images while on duty; sometimes, a tripod simply cannot be erected where I must shoot.*

My wife was one of the most-experienced forensic/crime scene photographers in the USA, before her retirement in 2015. She mentored me as I started SLR shooting, and some of the lessons, after I understood the basics of photography, were photographing fingerprints on glass surfaces, hand-held, with a Tamron zoom lens that was not truly a "macro" lens, but was the lens issued to her by her employer, and is quite decent for close-range shooting, if not true macro.

The Tokina 100mm macro lens made such close-range shooting easier, but it was the Canon 100mm Macro, with Image Stabilization, that truly helped my hand-held macro and close-range shooting. If you buy a Tamron macro, I believe that you will find the version with Vibration Reduction to be useful. Even if you mostly use a tripod for macro shooting, which makes VC unnecessary at such times, a macro lens doubles as a quite good telephoto lens for other subjects, for which VC will be an asset.

To be clear, the manufacturer is not an issue on this regard; most likely, every current/recent micro/macro lens in the 90mm to 105mm range is going to be very, very good. My micro/macro lenses were made by Tokina, Canon, Nikon, and Voigtlander. One of my local instructors, Christopher Duncan, who has authored successful books on crime scene photography, compared Canon and Sigma, and bought the Sigma, with his own money, no sponsorship involved.

One tip: When shooting macro hand-held, do not be afraid to set the AF lever to the "C" position, even though you are shooting a subject that is not moving. Your own involuntary movements can cause apparent subject motion, as your sensor sees it. AF-C allows the AF to continue to track this apparent motion during the process of capturing the image.

*I am not claiming to be any kind of expert. :-) Having started serious photography in my middle years, after my eyesight started deteriorating, my achievements will, likely, remain modest, but I still like to share what I have learned. :-)
Click to expand...
 
Mezza1 said:
Thank you so much for your input. I am a mid age starter and finding it very addictive. I picked up my lenses with VC ( for an extra $150 I though it was worth it). I really wish I had got into it earlier but it's never too late.
Click to expand...
There are 2 different stabilized Tamron 90mm macro lenses. The newer one (F017) has X-Y stabilization in addition to angular stabilization. This is a big help for macro; the Canon also has this feature. If a lens doesn't have X-Y stabilization it loses effectiveness at short distances.
 
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