Micro Nikkor Test. 60mm F2.8 AFS vs. 55mm F2.8 AiS

[Richard Murdey]

There can only be one! (I'm not going to keep both...)

To be clear, this test is not about which lens is better. I seek the know if, for the intended purpose of these lenses (macro distances, well stopped down) there is any worthwhile difference. If there is not, then the larger, more expensive 60mm F.8G does not interest me.

This is the 55mm, all lens corrections in CNX-D turned off:



This is the 60mm, all lens corrections, including vignetting and distortion, turned on:



This is the 60mm, all lens corrections in CNX-D turned off:

 

[fotoph]

if you don't like the beef then just keep the 55mm. I don't think you'll find much difference other than the 60 being AF.

 

[Richard Murdey]

if you don't like the beef then just keep the 55mm. I don't think you'll find much difference other than the 60 being AF.

Can you see any difference with the photos I posted at all?

I can't except - since I know where to look - the uncorrected 60mm shot has a smidgen more vignetting and some CA. In this example I don't find the color or contrast is better in the newer lens. (the lighting varies very slightly as I guess I was a reflector.)

The other thing is the perspective is very slightly different. The camera didn't move, but the 55mm has a flatter projection, while the 60mm looks like the same image has been spread over a shallow inverted bowl. Adding distortion correction on the 60mm imagine didn't change this impression.

 

[fotoph]

I don't too much variance in either one to be too disappointed one way or the other.

 

[Bernard Delley]

You might want to compare them on flat objects of different sizes. Both would be preferred lens choices for a) coins, 35mm slides, or b) small paintings etc.

The 60mm has an advantage going to 1:1 (close range corrected) for coin imaging and slide copying.

I would expect corner sharpness slightly better with the AFS 60mm f/2.8 . A chart of newspaper small ads page may be a stand in for small painting repro test.

Both lenses are too short for easily spooked live critters.

 

[Richard Murdey]

I would expect corner sharpness slightly better with the AFS 60mm f/2.8 .

To be honest at working apertures I find comparison of sharpness of either lens to be academic/nearly impossible. Minute errors in focus or vibrations will throw the result. Both lenses are as resolving as you could ever possibly need them to be.

I'll give your suggestion about photographing a sheet of text (or a computer monitor) a shot, as I do sometimes use this kind of lens as kind a photocopier/scanner (generally speaking the results are far better than my flatbed).