beenthere
Member
About to do some product photography and looked for Nikkor (Micro) zooms and there don't seem to be any out there. There was once the venerable 70-180 but it's long gone. What do folks use these days?
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Macro zooms?
- Thread starter beenthere
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beenthere
Member
The products range from less than a centimeter in size to about the size of a tennis ball. Looking for flexibility in composition and not wanting to reset everything between shots or do a constant lens change dance.
beenthere
Member
Photography is not my day job but I've volunteered to do this. Many of the shots are inside larger equipment (racks) and flexibility of shot angle and being handheld at times is also a requirement due to space limitations. Just wondering what other folks use for macro zooms in these kinds of situations.
Why not do it properly? Those snapshots can be made with an iPhone...
But why not take a piece of paper (black?), a table, a lamp and a tripod?
It doesn't really require anything else....
/edit:
Just had a look at your gear list. You're good to go! :-D
But why not take a piece of paper (black?), a table, a lamp and a tripod?
It doesn't really require anything else....
/edit:
Just had a look at your gear list. You're good to go! :-D
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Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
Hi,
The Micro Nikor you refer to is not produced any more. KEH or other used dealers may have it from time to time.
I suggest you try the following combination: Nikkor 70-200 f4G ED + 1.4x TC III or 1.7X TC II.
I use this setup as a browsing in mother nature close-up lens when I need zoom capability. The lens has a native 0.274 magnification which is almost 1/3 life size. Quite good on its own. However by adding a 1.4x TC to it the magnification increases to 0.3836 of life size. This is my favourite setup with this lens. Adding a 1.7X TC increases magnification to 0.4658, bloody close to 1/2 life size.
The VR of the 70-200 f4G ED is quite good. However, as with any macro lens its effectiveness is decreasing as you enter into close-up territory. Keep this in mind for close-up images.
I enclose two images here shot a few minutes ago to illustrate the magnification you can expect od this lens at 70mm and 200mm when you use the 1.4x TC. Handheld shots with a D7200 at ISO 3200.
I suggest you use a tripod for all images you can use one. Then you can keep ISO at low levels for the best IQ.
The images show 100% of the frame of the D7200. I just downsized the files to 12" width and 160 dpi for the web.
The size of the lens cap is ø 2 3/4", the Apple logo is about ø 1". The second image is slightly out of focus since I used AF-S and might have slightly moved my body after focusing. Still, it gives a good idea for what it is.
Best, AIK
70mm at closest distance with 1.4XTC
200mm at closest distance with 1.4X TC
Mach Schnell
Senior Member
You could also try adding a Canon 500D close-up diopter on the front of a quality zoom. I do this with my 70-200 f/2.8. It becomes effectively a macro zoom lens. If you need more magnification try adding an extension tube or teleconverter.
Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
beenthere
Member
Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
I forgot to attach the image, here it is.
Best, AIK :-|
Best, AIK :-|
I have the Nikon 16-80. Just curious if it would work similar to the 70-200 F4? It is sharp and has a MFD of 1.15' compared to a MFD of 3.28' for the 70-200. I don't know what magnification this works out to or how well it plays with TC's.
Rexgig0
Veteran Member
...seem to be available on evil-bay at any given time, from highly-reputable sellers. Keep in mind, however, it requires 6T/5T add-on glass, or other accessories, to reach 1:1. These Micro-Nikkors are sufficiently collectible, however, to result in relatively high asking prices.
The Nikkor 70-200/4 has my attention, as it is, already, quite nice for close range, as-is, and, as AIK's posts have indicated, can be made more-capable with tele-converters and add-on optical elements. With Nikon USA's present point-of-sale rebate pricing, a new 70-200/4 costs about the same as a collectible-grade 70-180D.
The Nikkor 70-200/4 has my attention, as it is, already, quite nice for close range, as-is, and, as AIK's posts have indicated, can be made more-capable with tele-converters and add-on optical elements. With Nikon USA's present point-of-sale rebate pricing, a new 70-200/4 costs about the same as a collectible-grade 70-180D.
GlennW
Senior Member
Depending on the size of the object you may want a close focusing zoom. The 18-55 is a good example. A 18-105 is next up, followed by a 16-85 or a 18-140. To be macro means a 1:1 from the object to the picture.
If you want something in the 70-180 range a DX 85 3.5G or a FX 105 2.8G will work. For non moving subjects a DX 40 2.8G or a FX 60 2.8G prime.
GlennW
Senior Member
THe 16-80 close focus at 13.78" but has magnification of .22 not the 1:1 to make it a macro. You could add a 72mm Canon 500D ( about $175) and try it.
What sometimes happens is you can get a shorter working distance compared to a 70-200 but hopefully at less cost for the lens & the closeup filter. At F4 you would need plenty of light.
Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
Hi,
As other pointed it out the lens has 0.22 of life size magnification. With other words about 1/5 life size. This is not bad for close-up work for flowers and butterflies as of image size, image coverage.
The 80mm end of the zoom on DX is the same as a 127.5mm lens on a FF 35mm camera. So, let's say I use a 105mm Micro Nikkor. If I photograph a large butterfly with I definitely will not need the 1:1 magnification capability of the lens. I usually include some surrounding for compositional considerations and aesthetics. So I probably will end up using 1/4 or 1/5 life size magnification for the shot. Your lens would be just as good to photograph the same subject. Furthermore, your lens will act as a 127.5mm lens, therefore, you'll have greater working distance. That is a bonus when we are photographing butterflies and other skittish creatures.
However, if you need bigger magnification then you need to use some auxiliary equipment in combination with your lens. If you use a Canon 500D close-up lens you will get about 0.35 magnification. A bit over 1/3 life size, however, you will have a closer working distance. Still not bad at all. You also can use a small extension tube to gain magnification. That is the least expensive solution and it will not add another optic to your lens, therefore, your lens will not be losing any of its own optical qualities. That said, there is no worry with the Canon D500, it is an excellent and highly corrected piece of optics.
What a longer lens like the 70-200 gives you is a much longer working distance at every given magnification ratio. Its own magnification ratio is also higher than that of the 16-80mm. It is 0.274 as opposed to 0.22 of your lens. Therefore, adding a D500 close up lens to it will result in higher magnification and longer working distance with the longer zoom. You can also use a 1.4x TC II or TC III with the 70-200mm lens. Nikon does not list the 16-80mm lens as compatible with the TC. Although it may work, I have no info on that.
So, if your close-up needs are mostly for flowers, butterflies and similar sized objects then you are OK with your lens as is. If you want higher magnification then tubes or a close-up lens is fine. Do not buy any cheap single element close-up lens though, spend the money on the 500D.
Then of course there are less expensive and excellent macro lenses available from third party lens manufacturers. My money would go for the Tamron 90mm f2.8 VC lens. They just have come out with the latest version of it, it is $649.00. I bought the previous version of it for my grandson a few weeks back. I got wind of the new one coming and took advantage of a sale price from one of the Canadian authorized dealers. Its optical formula is the same as the new one's. The new one is different in looks and build, it looks like their new 35mm and 45mm lenses. However, I know how good the 'old one" is so I rather had it for a good sale price, plus it comes with 6 years warranty in Canada. It is as sharp as my 105mm VR Micro Nikkor and its focus speed and vibration control is excellent.
Anyway, I kind of wondered off the topic but hope that you can benefit of my thoughts.
Best, AIK
Antal I Kozma
Senior Member
Here are some examples of general close-up use that you can achieve with your 16-80mm lens. If you are into some butterfly, bug and flower images then you have a good lens for it. If I were you then I would augment my setup with a longer zoom like the 70-200mm f4E and call it good. Of course the magnetic nature of 1:1 macro lenses are so strong that it is hard to resist...... ;-)
All images were taken hand-held with the 70-200mm zoom and 1.4x TC at various zoom settings.
Best, AIK
Cabbage butterfly collecting nectar
Monarch on milkweed
Bug on milkweed ( I need to find the name of this creature, I lost my ID note )
Michael Benveniste
Veteran Member
This may be one of those times where you may have to manage expectations. In product photography you try to present the best possible angle on a product and put it literally and figuratively in the best possible light. It doesn't sound like you're going to be able to do that.
Using a dSLR to shoot something that's less than a centimeter in size is challenging under controlled conditions. To fill the frame on a DX camera, you need almost 2:1 magnification. While the Venus Optics Laowa 60mm f/2.8 can get you there without accessories, with most other macro lenses you'd need to use accessories such as teleconverters, close-up lenses, extension tubes, or bellows.
The 70-180mm was an interesting exercise in technology, and I know some people really like it, but it's not ideal for the really small stuff. In order to maintain a constant effective aperture with focus distance, there is substantial "focus breathing" with this lens. So much so that the working distance at the maximum magnification of 0.75x is shorter than the working distance of a 105mm Micro at 1x. Adding the 6T to reach 1:1 further reduces the working distance down to around 90mm.
Under the circumstances you describe, I'd probably try to rent a Sigma 150 f/2.8 OS and possibly a Nikon R1C1 system. Then get as close as you can to each individual piece, stop down, and crop and hope for the best.
Adding a 500D to a 70-200mm f/2.8 VR-II only gets you to around 0.4x magnification. As a tourist, I've done some "quick and dirty" macro stuff with a 70-300mm VR and a Marumi 330 close-up lens, but the quality clearly isn't up to a true macro lens. I haven't tried the 70-200mm f/4 with the Marumi, but I'd expect around 0.9x magnification and a step up in quality over the 70-300mm.
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