Options for macro photography

Yetibuddha

Just to let you know, I have the Sigma 105 f2.8. I use it just fine on my D700 and D800. No compatibility issues at all. And it is an excellent lens.

ThijsvandenBurg

I'm using the 150mm from Sigma, great lens!

http://www.pbase.com/thijsvandenburg

paulr

I use a 60mm D , a 200mm F4, a Schneider 90mm TS/PC and Nikons bellows with extension plus the Nikon 105 bellow Lens, However I sometimes get excellent results with the 50 1.4 reversed. Simple extension tubes also produce good macro images with normal lenses.

NSXTypeR

I think the best budget setup for post card sized subjects is a reasonably good set of extension tubes and a 50mm 1.8. The inexpensive 50 is small enough so that even the built in pop-up flash can shoot over the lens without a shadow.

It's also a great lens to have on an inexpensive camera for snapshots.

For a light budget camera just about any recent DX model that has a built in focus motor would be great. You can find some deals on clean used D90's for instance. An in camera focus will let you use some of the older used lenses without breaking the bank.

You know, I'm surprised too, I used my D40 with the Nikkor 105mm macro AF-S and the pop up flash cleared the huge lens at close magnification.

Same thing with the D7000. I guess I can use it for some fill flash, which is useful and avoid getting a SB700.

Ade

@ThijsvandenBurg

Nice pic!

NSXTypeR

Just to let you know, I have the Sigma 105 f2.8. I use it just fine on my D700 and D800. No compatibility issues at all. And it is an excellent lens.

I'm curious about that lens- can you post some samples and tell us what you think about that lens?

At one point that lens was more expensive than the Nikkor 105mm macro.

I'm using the 150mm from Sigma, great lens!

Welcome to NRF!

And indeed, great shot!

Msmoto

ptrmcky, new member asked:
I would like to do some nice macro shots of the rings at weddings. I was looking at the 105mm macro, and it looks very nice. The thing is the ring shot will probably be the only macro shot I take, so I'm not sure I want to spend £600 on a lens that I will only use for one shot. I'm also looking to buy the 70-200 2.8 in the next couple of weeks, so it would be painful to spend that much on the 105, which has the same aperture but just focuses a bit closer.

Are there any other practical options? Or maybe someone could suggest a bunch of great macro shots I could take at weddings to make the lens a bit more worth while.

PB_PM

Extension tubes are an option.

Ade

@ptrmcky

It honestly depends on your shooting style and also the type of weddings you shoot.

Higher-end weddings will tend to have more customized design and therefore more unique details to shoot. Not just the wedding rings, but there might be custom embroidery on the bride's dress, custom decor on the wedding tables, custom details on the floral arrangements, the bride's shoes, the grooms cufflinks, special calligraphy on the name cards, fine features on the wedding cake, etc., etc.

Often these are customizations / designs that the bride had selected & agonized for months (and someone paid lots of money for them) -- so it's a good idea to notice them and put that macro lens to work.

Less high-end weddings, on the other hand, might be more generic. Even the wedding rings might be generic. In that case, if you have a high MP camera perhaps a macro lens isn't as necessary. Just get as close as you can (outside the lens's minimum range) and crop the resulting picture.

roombarobot

ptrmcky, as Ade said, if you just want ring shots, you probably don't need a macro.

However, if you wanted to do some macro, and you didn't want to shell out for the Nikon 105mm, you might want to consider the Nikon 60mm micro. I got that myself, as I too won't use it much, but wanted to experiment with macro photography. You can get it for about half the cost of the 105mm or less, so it might be an option worth considering.

Best of luck to you!

sevencrossing

I would like to do some nice macro shots of the rings at weddings. ....the ring shot will probably be the only macro shot I take,


I would look at a close up lens
eg the
Canon CU77500D 77mm Type 500D
they often appear on e bay

Vipmediastar_JZ

I used to have the Sigma 150mm 2.8 Macro and I loved it minus the weight and use on DX. For the tight places it was hard to use for the reach it was great.

I'm now looking into the Nikon 55 2.8 ais before resorting to the extension tubes and before looking into the 105. I don't do much macro but it is something missing in the bag.

I am also looking into the sigma 50 1.4 Art so that is why i'm considering a used one to be used with the DF.

HipShot

Her primary hobby is to create postcards and she would like to take pictures of them before she gives them away.

Scanner?

macsavageg4

So just to chime in with some more of the macro stuff I have picked up. Picked up a couple Nikon Medical-Nikkor 120mm f/4s those things are awesome. Also picked up a Tamron 90mm f/2.5 macro which is a nice lens as well. In the last few weeks I also picked up some 105mm f/4s both AI and AIS both of which I need some fixing. The AIS copy needs the aperture coupling mechanics and the AI version needs to have its forward most element group re-cemented together because of separation. The Medical-Nikkor is just a heck of a piece of glass. It is nice that it has the ability to print onto the image the level of magnification that the lens is operating at. It is excellent for documenting accidental damage on the equipment that I service at work. If I can source or manufacture a mount adapter for my SB21s I'll use the 90mm f/2.5 Tamron more. Would still love to get a the most awesome Nikon Micro 200mm f/4.

WestEndBoy

I would like to get some opinions on what options there are for doing some macro work. My wife would like to get a camera that she can use for some macro photography. The size of the objects would be half the size of a regular post card and static. We did not yet think about the lighting but most likely we will use some constant light source, so macro flashes are not required.

I have got a D700 but this camera is too heavy for her. As macro lenses I have got the 55 mm f/2.8 AI-S and the AF-D 28-105 mm f/3.5-4.5 which has got a Macro mode and takes good images.

The next things I was looking at are the entry DSLRs. I borrowed a D5100 and from the size and weight it is fine. But I could not find any zoom lenses with a Macro option. I know that there are the 40 mm and 85 mm Macros but we would prefer an zoom lens. Another option would be the D90 as we could use the AF-D zoom lens but I don't know if getting the D90 now is a good idea as it is kind of dated - or am I wrong?

The Nikon 1 system would be another option but I have no idea if the lenses do have a macro mode. I could not find any information on that. Using the adaptor to attach a F-mount macro lens is not an option for me. I think for the price of the Nikon 1 plus adaptor I could also get a D3200 or D5200.

The last option I thought about is a good P&S like the Coolpix P330.

Any other ideas? How would you spend my money (currently we don't have a fixed budget but we want to keep it reasonable).

You are scanning flat pieces of paper!?!?!

Don't waste your money on camera gear for this. Buy a scanner for $150 and you will get better results to boot.

Ade

@WestEndBoy

That question was from more than a year ago (March 2013)... and he said "objects" not flat pieces of paper.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Haha thats my fault. It was either starting a new thread or posting on an open one. For the little macro that I do I decided to give the 55 2.8 ais a try.

WestEndBoy

Can this be true?

http://nikonrumors.com/2014/08/12/nikon-af-micro-nikkor-200mm-f4d-if-ed-lens-listed-as-discontinued-by-manufacturer.aspx/#more-79108

If so, I am sure glad that I pulled the trigger on mine about 3 months ago. I might have got the last one.

And if it is true, I wonder what the replacement will look like?

Elvishefer

I can't imagine it will be of the same bullet proof metal design with the insane focus ring... The replacement has big aesthetic shoes to fill!

(That's me giving Nikon the benefit of the doubt in terms of the replacement being technically superior.)

WestEndBoy

Yes, the focus ring rocks! I can use two hands. I only use af when I am using it as a tele.

Optically, it is a hard act to follow. The only improvement that I can think of is better bokeh.

paulr

More Light for Macro workers
The Fotodiox 411 Ring Light helps with DOP in Macro work using the PB-6 bellows

ExpensiveHobby

I recently purchased a used 105mm f2.8 D Nikkor (non-VR). The lens exceeds my expectations and now I just need to practice with it / learn how to use it properly .

Vipmediastar_JZ

For focus stacking.
I see that most use rails and while I read as much as I can I couldn't find the answer to my question.

If I want to take a photo not necessarly a macro shot of a flower but maybe a camera with a lens, Can't I move the focus point to several spots on the camera and lens to ensure that the all is in focus once merged in post? or is a rail still preffered?

NSXTypeR

I've never done focus stacking but if you can guarantee that you won't be moving the camera at all, I think it might work.

Maybe leave it and lock it on a tripod.

Elvishefer

The advantage of a rail is that it has marked increments so it is easier to cover an object in full focus, without missing a plane of focus (which can be very narrow in macro, as you know).

That said, if you're careful, you should be able to get full coverage without one.