a new 105mm macro lens?

nek4life

One thing to keep in mind with the 105mm as a telephoto is that depending on how close you get to your subject it may not be a 2.8 lens due to the variable aperture. I love my 105mm lens, but if I was going to do more portraits I might think about picking up one of the f/2 105mm or 135mm f/2 lenses. In fact, if Nikon decides to update the 135mm f/2 I might have to jump on something like that.

tcole1983

I say check out this flickr group if you have any doubts...
https://www.flickr.com/groups/105micro/pool/

I don't post portraits on my flickr so I don't have examples, but there are lots in the flickr group.

WestEndFoto

One thing to keep in mind with the 105mm as a telephoto is that depending on how close you get to your subject it may not be a 2.8 lens due to the variable aperture. I love my 105mm lens, but if I was going to do more portraits I might think about picking up one of the f/2 105mm or 135mm f/2 lenses. In fact, if Nikon decides to update the 135mm f/2 I might have to jump on something like that.

What are you waiting for? They are fabulous as is and a replacement will be another thousand or more.

proudgeek

I hesitate to say this, because I know it's a revered lens on this forum. I've got a 105 macro and I love it. But in a certain sense, it's a total compromise. If you're shooting bugs and stuff, you don't get quite the working distance that you would with the 200, and it's almost too long for some of the focus stacking work I do (here I think a 60 would be better). Also, with a 60 you'd get a bigger boost in magnification ratios when you add extension tubes to a 60 vs. a 105 (I'll let someone smarter than I discuss the math). That said, the lens is incredible in so many ways. IQ is fantastic. If you can only have one macro lens, this would be the one as it does everything macro-related pretty well. If you could have more than one, I would not get this one. Just me. Probably you may want to decide just what kind of macro work you'll be doing.

spraynpray

Working distance varies according to technique I find. Available light? Large working distance makes getting decent shots easier. Flash? Large working distance is not what you want as the light gets hard.

I use flash and a 60.

WestEndFoto

What does working distance have to do with hard lighting?

spraynpray

What does working distance have to do with hard lighting?

Assuming the same magnification, if the light modifier is 3" from the subject the light is soft, if it is 3 feet from it, the light is hard. Another assumption is that the flash for the longer working distance lens isn't on some long floppy arm :-)

WestEndFoto

I thought that was what you would be driving at and with a 60mm lens at 1:1 you will be about 3 inches from your subject. But that is not a problem of a longer lenses, but of small light sources. Just fix your lighting by making it bigger.

Msmoto

Just my poor memory, but I think the 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro will sometimes hunt for focus more than the 85mm f1.8G I have. But, it is not really an issue unless one is shooting extreme action, and then the 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII is much better.

spraynpray

I thought that was what you would be driving at and with a 60mm lens at 1:1 you will be about 3 inches from your subject. But that is not a problem of a longer lenses, but of small light sources. Just fix your lighting by making it bigger.

I look forward to seeing your macro images taken using your suggestion WestEndPhoto. In my experience that may be a little unwieldy. This close-up photo shows soft light from about 5-6" away using a smallish modifier:



As you can see - no shadows but if you go to Flickr and view it large, there is plenty of detail.

WestEndFoto

Nice image Spraynpray.

Potentially unwieldy is a valid comment and is why I have not decided in my macro setup yet and pulled the trigger.

I have been thinking about the RRS modifiers ( www.reallyrightstuff.com/shop/closeup-macro has a picture illustrating off camera lighting ) that will go with the rest of my macro gear. I already have the focus rails. I currently have 5 SB-910s to play with and some modifiers, but they will be unwieldy if I am using more than one.

One thing I have been thinking about is the Nikon R1 system or those flashes with the RRS system for fill light combined with an off camera, but attached to camera, setup with a modifier. I could use an SB-910 or perhaps a smaller flash for that. That should produce some really nice lighting provided I can easily manage the lighting ratios between the ring lights and off camera light.

Whatever system I choose, I will be spending some significant money, so even if I end up adding to or modifying it later, I want to ensure that whatever I buy will find usage in my kit.

spraynpray

I would just say that your throwing RRS money at it is no guarantee of getting the right image quality. Google Thomas Shahan if you want to see that proven in the extreme. For me, very small and highly portable is most important. I have a macro slide rail, but tbh I only use it to focus stack which is *never* in the field. My set-up probably cost me less than any one of those RRS parts most likely as it only cost me about $50 complete (ignore cost of flash as I use one of my SB700's). Set-up time is about one minute from event to macro.

One of the guys I know uses the Nikon R1 system, but his images are lit very flat so the R1 isn't the total answer.

WestEndFoto

The ring flash by itself would produce a flat image. That is why I want an off camera flash. The purpose of the ring flash is to fill in the shadows, not eliminate them. I also don't think that I am likely to use the rails in the field. Even the tripod, I am more likely to use a monopod.

spraynpray

Honestly, unless you are shooting flowers, you probably will lose a lot of shots while you get the monopod's height right. I go HH for 99.9%.

WestEndFoto

My experience suggests that you are right depending on the bug. Bees for sure. With spiders, a monopod will be handy.

But that is the joy of shooting, to learn this stuff by experience. The gear will open up new possibilities of experience and it will be far in the future that I get bored.