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First macro lens question for Nikon users

Started Feb 16, 2014 | Polls
Jasondm New Member • Posts: 8
First macro lens question for Nikon users

Hey guys, I'm about to purchase my first macro lens.  I've been doing a lot of research and I think I've narrowed it down to two lenses.  I am between the Nikon 105mm 2.8 vr or the Tamron 90mm 2.8 vc.  Which do you refer?  I know a lot of people swear by the Nikon 105 but I noticed dxomark and a couple other places rate the tamron slightly better.

POLL
Nikon 105 2.8 VR
33.3% 4  votes
Tamron 90mm 2.8 VC
41.7% 5  votes
Other
25.0% 3  votes
  Show results
kramp
kramp Senior Member • Posts: 2,647
Either would be fine.
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knightmelodic
knightmelodic Senior Member • Posts: 1,647
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

Tokina 100 2.8 gets rave reviews. and is half the price of either. if you want to spend the money, the Nikon.

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Just keep clicking, something will turn out fantastic.

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hypercore360 Senior Member • Posts: 1,951
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

Jasondm wrote:

Hey guys, I'm about to purchase my first macro lens. I've been doing a lot of research and I think I've narrowed it down to two lenses. I am between the Nikon 105mm 2.8 vr or the Tamron 90mm 2.8 vc. Which do you refer? I know a lot of people swear by the Nikon 105 but I noticed dxomark and a couple other places rate the tamron slightly better.

Went through this exercise back in 2012. My conclusion at the time, and I still believe I made the right choice, and it's neither of the two you mention. I went the the Sigma 150 OS. It's in the price range of the Nikon 105 that you've mentioned. Not trying to dissuade you from your choices, but from my personal experience of using the Sigma 150 OS, it's just absolutely fantastic.

Sonyshine
Sonyshine Veteran Member • Posts: 9,057
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

Both those lenses are excellent and that size is a good general purpose macro / portrait lens.

Bigger macro lenses in the 150 to 200 range are stunning but heavy and expensive and probably not best to learn with.

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jgitomer Regular Member • Posts: 201
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

I suggest you look at a (gasp) manual focus macro lens.

You will find that many, if not most, macro photographers prefer to use manual focus because the very narrow depth of field when shooting macro often results in the autofocus mechanism not focusing on the point of interest to the photographer.

To get started buy a used manual focus macro lens from a reputable dealer.  If you find that either macro or manual focus isn't for you will be able to sell it for about as much as you paid.

Jerry

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bluemoonman Contributing Member • Posts: 548
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

jgitomer wrote:

I suggest you look at a (gasp) manual focus macro lens.

You will find that many, if not most, macro photographers prefer to use manual focus because the very narrow depth of field when shooting macro often results in the autofocus mechanism not focusing on the point of interest to the photographer.

To get started buy a used manual focus macro lens from a reputable dealer. If you find that either macro or manual focus isn't for you will be able to sell it for about as much as you paid.

Jerry

Jerry, I am in a similar situation to the original poster but thought about going down the route you suggest, can you advise on any good manual focus lenses which wont break the bank?

axcentphoto
axcentphoto Senior Member • Posts: 1,392
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

I pondered this question for about a year. Finally decided to go with the Nikon 105 f2.8 VR G. Got it for $799. First shots are amazing. Good luck with your decision...Brent

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Photofunster
Photofunster Senior Member • Posts: 1,548
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

I would and will choose the Nikon when the time comes for me...

This, just going by some of the pictures I've seen, that appealed to me.

& thanks for the first chance to vote here @dpreview.

Chas

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Hasa
Hasa Senior Member • Posts: 1,578
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

Hi,

I was in the same situation and bought the Nikon 105 mm F2.8 VR. However it disappointed me price/value wise. Not as crisp as I recall my Minolta XE1 35 years ago with its 135mm rear mounted-on -bellows with flash. Also I had hoped to be able to use it for landscapes - where it was also not quite as good. I was not impressed by having CA in a 105mm macro. I have later found that my 35mm Zeiss F2 performs on another level altogether with an extension tube. However it is of course not very practical for bugs. So I ended up with the 70-200m F4 VR that lets me do all these things + "almost macro" with either the 1,7xTC or just a bunch of extension tubes. Yes it is even more expensive but makes up for that with much better sharpness and much more versatility.

If I was just going to shoot bugs I would get the Sigma 150mm F2.8

Below is a Zeiss 35mmF2 shot of a sleeping fly - it was wet and cold - I managed to crop to a level of detail I simply did not see with the Nikon 105mm F2.8.

And - as somebody else noted - manual focus worked just fine - I simply swayed my body back and forth and shot 5 images with the macro flash and got one just right.

Cropped

Uncropped

340 mm!

The only sharp thing is the pollen sack The narrow DOF is an issue and since I am not a stacking guy I suppose the solution would be to do macro with a much smaller sensor size. 4/3 or even smaller, perhaps the Nikon V1.

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Smile and the world smiles back!

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StillLearning
StillLearning Veteran Member • Posts: 4,417
Re: First macro lens question for Nikon users

Jasondm wrote:

Hey guys, I'm about to purchase my first macro lens. I've been doing a lot of research and I think I've narrowed it down to two lenses. I am between the Nikon 105mm 2.8 vr or the Tamron 90mm 2.8 vc. Which do you refer? I know a lot of people swear by the Nikon 105 but I noticed dxomark and a couple other places rate the tamron slightly better.

Depends on what camera you will use with it and what your subjects will be.  I have the 105vr and use it with a D300 and it sparkles.  With the D7100 it is a little better.  Now I purchased it back in 2006 when it was still made in Japan.  I know the QC isn't suppose to suffer because it is made in China now but I've noticed more complaints with the quality since then. You probably would still get a good copy.  The Tamron is suppose to have some weather sealing and the nikon doesn't.  Also look at what the test results between F11 and F16 since that is where most people reside.  One lens may beat the other lens at F4 or F5.6 but fall below it at F11 to F16.  Right now the Nikon is on sale at about the price of the Tamron.

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