Low-bud Z macro lens?

DVF Photography · Feb 8, 2025

Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper. Focal distance would not be much of an issue, so it doesn't matter that much if it's a 50mm or a 150mm - main importance is being able to get close and get a 1:1 ratio. AF is preferred, but not essential.

I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails. Does anyone know if some 3rd party budget brand already has Z mount macros in their lineup?

jtr27 · Feb 8, 2025

I do not own one but I see TTArtisan has a 100mm F2.8 Macro 2X - manual focus - $319.

Review: TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Macro 2X - phillipreeve.net

ContentsIntroductionSample ImagesSpecificationsDisclosureVariationsHandlingOptical FeaturesSharpness (Infinity)Sharpness (Portrait)Sharpness (Close-up)Lens DistortionVignettingFocus Shift & AberrationsFlare ResistanceComaSunstarsFocus BreathingBokehConclusionAlternativesGear usedFurther...

phillipreeve.net

MasterOfGoingFaster · Feb 8, 2025

DVF Photography said:
Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper.

Consider a set of Z-mount extension tubes. Inexpensive, and you'll have AF if you get ones with electrical contacts.

DVF Photography said:
I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails.

There are lots of used 90 to 105mm F-mount macro lenses out there. I like the 105/2.8 Ais manual focus. A 200/4 Ais is a great lens I really enjoy. But for some reason everyone seems to be able to make a good 90 to 105mm f/2.8 macro lens. So Sigma, Tamron, etc. should all work well.

I have not had good experience with any of the small brands from China, but I've only tried one, so my experience is very limited.

1000DTL · Feb 8, 2025

The Nikon 40mm DX macro is under $300. Good rating at B&H

DVF Photography · Feb 8, 2025

1000DTL said:
The Nikon 40mm DX macro is under $300. Good rating at B&H

That's an APS-C lens. My Z6III is a full-frame

1000DTL · Feb 8, 2025

Sorry my mistake.

Plankowner110 · Feb 8, 2025

I just sent my Nikkor Z MC 50mm f2.8 to KEH because I didn't need it anymore. It is in brand new condition and I only used it to copy wedding slides from 50 years ago using a Nikon ES-2 film digitizing adapter. It was never taken out of the house.

The lens serial number is 20031807. They just received it on February 3 and the transaction Quote # is 2200450778. Maybe they can track it down in their inventory using one of those numbers.

I don't know if KEH will honor your request for a particular lens, but if you can buy that lens from KEH you are going to get a perfect Nikkor Z macro lens (includes the hood.)

--
William Turner
Nikon since 1969

DVF Photography · Feb 8, 2025

Plankowner110 said:
I just sent my Nikkor Z MC 50mm f2.8 to KEH because I didn't need it anymore. It is in brand new condition and I only used it to copy wedding slides from 50 years ago using a Nikon ES-2 film digitizing adapter. It was never taken out of the house.

The lens serial number is 20031807. They just received it on February 3 and the transaction Quote # is 2200450778. Maybe they can track it down in their inventory using one of those numbers.

I don't know if KEH will honor your request for a particular lens, but if you can buy that lens from KEH you are going to get a perfect Nikkor Z macro lens (includes the hood.)

Terrible Photographer · Feb 8, 2025

DVF Photography said:
Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper. Focal distance would not be much of an issue, so it doesn't matter that much if it's a 50mm or a 150mm - main importance is being able to get close and get a 1:1 ratio. AF is preferred, but not essential.

I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails. Does anyone know if some 3rd party budget brand already has Z mount macros in their lineup?

Just get a used 60mm AF-S and adapt it.

DVF Photography · Feb 8, 2025

MasterOfGoingFaster said:
DVF Photography said:

Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper.

Click to expand...

Consider a set of Z-mount extension tubes. Inexpensive, and you'll have AF if you get ones with electrical contacts.

That's something I didn't consider yet. I might give that a try!

MasterOfGoingFaster said:
MasterOfGoingFaster said:

I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails.

Click to expand...

There are lots of used 90 to 105mm F-mount macro lenses out there. I like the 105/2.8 Ais manual focus. A 200/4 Ais is a great lens I really enjoy. But for some reason everyone seems to be able to make a good 90 to 105mm f/2.8 macro lens. So Sigma, Tamron, etc. should all work well.

I have not had good experience with any of the small brands from China, but I've only tried one, so my experience is very limited.

George 68 · Feb 9, 2025

50/60mm macro lenses demand very little space between the lens and the subject. The Nikon AF-S Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR is available at MPB for £300 so should be within your budget and as you only use it occasionally, using the FTZ shouldn’t be too onerous.

VidJa · Feb 9, 2025

Try the micro nikkor 105mm on MPB. €150 max

I have one from the ‘90s I still use on my d700.
disadvantage: manual due to screw drive

7blade diafragm, maybe a tamron has better bokeh

MPB ships to NL, just ordered a d5200 for playing around

DVF Photography · Feb 9, 2025

VidJa said:
Try the micro nikkor 105mm on MPB. €150 max

Will look at it, thanx!

VidJa said:
I have one from the ‘90s I still use on my d700.
disadvantage: manual due to screw drive

7blade diafragm, maybe a tamron has better bokeh

MPB ships to NL, just ordered a d5200 for playing around

Yeah I know. At least half of the contents of my camera bag comes from MPB ;-)

George 68 · Feb 9, 2025

DVF Photography said:
VidJa said:

Try the micro nikkor 105mm on MPB. €150 max

Click to expand...

Will look at it, thanx!

I had one of these for 20 years and made some great images with it. The only reason I suggested the newer AF-S is that you can’t use focus shift on a screw-driven lens (not even on a D850 which has the focus motor).

I can’t say I use focus shift/focus stacking much, but when I do it is always for macro where achieving depth of field is tricky.

If you haven’t used focus shift, it just increments your focus from front to back to make focus stacking easy.

DVF Photography said:
DVF Photography said:

I have one from the ‘90s I still use on my d700.
disadvantage: manual due to screw drive

7blade diafragm, maybe a tamron has better bokeh

MPB ships to NL, just ordered a d5200 for playing around

Click to expand...

Yeah I know. At least half of the contents of my camera bag comes from MPB ;-)

DVF Photography · Feb 9, 2025

Just ordered me a set of Viltrox AF DG-Z extension tubes at Amazon for €59.
There are just a few reviews of them, but the ones I read and viewed were pretty jubilant.

I should have them by Tuesday. Next couple of days I'm gonna toy with them, see if they work for me. If they don't I'll probably go for either the 60mm or an old 105.

I'll keep y'all posted!

--
Tempestas Furit Cum Omni Vi
Tempestas In Capite Meo

phinix · Feb 9, 2025

DVF Photography said:
Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper. Focal distance would not be much of an issue, so it doesn't matter that much if it's a 50mm or a 150mm - main importance is being able to get close and get a 1:1 ratio. AF is preferred, but not essential.

I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails. Does anyone know if some 3rd party budget brand already has Z mount macros in their lineup?

I just bought Simga F mount 105mm f2.8 Macro - paid £150 for excellent condition.

SIgma is second to Nikon'z Zmount 105mm macro lens in terms of IQ.

AF, focus stacking.

Highly recommended.

Ricosuavefoto · Feb 9, 2025

I bought a 60mm AF-D Macro for somewhere around $100 on one of the big used sites. I wanted something for digitizing negatives, and it works beautifully. (One caveat: if I didn't mask the light around the negative from the light board I got bad flare, but that is a pretty extreme situation.) And the fact that I can use it with my crop sensor D7500 for digitizing half-frame negatives without having to crop was a bonus. I have even thrown it on my Nikon FM a few times, but I don't have much cause to shoot macro on film so it's a rare combo.

A newer Z lens (or even a AF-S) will be sharper, but for the price this lens is great.

Alberto Tanikawa · Feb 9, 2025

MasterOfGoingFaster said:
Consider a set of Z-mount extension tubes. Inexpensive, and you'll have AF if you get ones with electrical contacts.

I second that. Here are a few shots I took of my cats with and without Kenko auto extension tubes (10mm + 16mm):

Z8 & Plena and f/1.8, and my bigger cat.

Z8, Plena and stacked Kenko extension tubes. Different, smaller cat.

Just remember that the longer the lens, the less effective the extension tubes will be. They work as a ratio between focal length and extension amount. 10mm extension on a 50mm lens will give it a greater magnification than if you used the same 10mm extension on a 200mm lens. Also stacking too many extension tubes can yield soft to useless images.

Z8 & Z 50mm f/1.2 S with Kenko extension tubes. Almost a macro lens!

--
Alberto T.
https://www.instagram.com/albertotanikawa

--
Alberto T.
https://www.instagram.com/albertotanikawa

sirhawkeye64 · Feb 10, 2025

DVF Photography said:
Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper. Focal distance would not be much of an issue, so it doesn't matter that much if it's a 50mm or a 150mm - main importance is being able to get close and get a 1:1 ratio. AF is preferred, but not essential.

I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails. Does anyone know if some 3rd party budget brand already has Z mount macros in their lineup?

If you don't mind adapting, I'd recommend the AF-S Nikkor 105mm 2.8G lens (just bought one of these myself for $300 in excellent condition and while it's not as sharp as the Z version, it's also about 1/3 of the sale price of the 105 Z, plus I don't shoot a ton of macro so I didn't want to spend $850 on a macro lens either).

Otherwise I've heard good things about used Sigma 105's (about as sharp as the Nikon F 105), and you could even look into a Tokina 100mm macro (although I don't know if they work with the Z or not i didn't check but was aware they existed at least and you may be able to get one to work with the Z using manual focus and possible setting it up as non-CPU lens).

Otherwise beyond that you may have to go with manual focus third party options, or if you don't need 105mm, then maybe the 50 MC would be a good option, although a bit more than $300, but I think used you can find them for about $500. But the AF-S 105 macro would be my first choice in that price range (they range in price though from about $300-$450 depending on condition.

--
PLEASE NOTE: I usually unsubscribe from forums and comments after a period of time, so if I do not respond, that is likely the reason. Feel free to PM me if you have a questions or need clarification about a comment I made.

DVF Photography · Feb 10, 2025

sirhawkeye64 said:
DVF Photography said:

Hi y'all!

I'm looking for a decent macro lens for my Z6III, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it since I only rarely shoot really up close & personal. Budget max €300 (~$320), but preferrably cheaper. Focal distance would not be much of an issue, so it doesn't matter that much if it's a 50mm or a 150mm - main importance is being able to get close and get a 1:1 ratio. AF is preferred, but not essential.

I really do prefer the Z mount, but since I do have two FTZs I'm open for F mount suggestions, but only if all else fails. Does anyone know if some 3rd party budget brand already has Z mount macros in their lineup?

Click to expand...

If you don't mind adapting, I'd recommend the AF-S Nikkor 105mm 2.8G lens (just bought one of these myself for $300 in excellent condition and while it's not as sharp as the Z version, it's also about 1/3 of the sale price of the 105 Z, plus I don't shoot a ton of macro so I didn't want to spend $850 on a macro lens either).

Otherwise I've heard good things about used Sigma 105's (about as sharp as the Nikon F 105), and you could even look into a Tokina 100mm macro (although I don't know if they work with the Z or not i didn't check but was aware they existed at least and you may be able to get one to work with the Z using manual focus and possible setting it up as non-CPU lens).

Otherwise beyond that you may have to go with manual focus third party options, or if you don't need 105mm, then maybe the 50 MC would be a good option, although a bit more than $300, but I think used you can find them for about $500. But the AF-S 105 macro would be my first choice in that price range (they range in price though from about $300-$450 depending on condition.

Thanks for the tips!

Right now I'm waiting for a set of extension tubes (due tomorrow), gonna try that first. If they ain't working to my liking, I'll probably end up with an adapted Nikon F-mount 105mm. Might just take a chance and go for the Ai version...

Low-bud Z macro lens?

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