$300 or less Product Shot / Macro lens (Nikon)

epatsellis · Apr 21, 2014

IMO, AF and macro are mutually exclusive. With that in mind, an Ai-s 55 3.5 Micro-Nikkor can be had for around $70 from KEH in BGN grade. A 105 Micro averages around $140, and a 200 Micro is right around the $300 mark, your pick.

Shooting any of these either tethered and/or using live view, will produce stunningly sharp images.

yioties · Apr 22, 2014

Just get a 60mm 2.8D for around $300 used which is stupidly sharp and shoot away!

bmilcs · Apr 22, 2014

Will the 60mm AF-D will optically superior to the 40mm AF-S? Will I still be able to get REALLY close to a subject and focus?

Braineack · Apr 22, 2014

Both can focus around 6.5-7" from the subject.

The 60mm is optically superior in every regard: sharpness, transmission, distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberration.

bmilcs · Apr 22, 2014

It's almost double the weight of the 40mm. It should still be fine for carrying around as my primary lens right?

yioties · Apr 22, 2014

It's double the weight of a 50mm 1.8g prime meaning it's a light lens in my opinion. Its 1 1/2 times the weight of a kit lens if that helps.

bmilcs · Apr 22, 2014

yioties said:
It's double the weight of a 50mm 1.8g prime meaning it's a light lens in my opinion. Its 1 1/2 times the weight of a kit lens if that helps.

LOL. It doesn't. Quite sad how little I know about photography.

Braineack · Apr 22, 2014

I picked up a D5100 with the 18-55 on it on Sunday and I started laughing.

I let the owner hold my D600 and 70-200, she gasped.

bmilcs · Apr 22, 2014

Well, I am heading to a local camera shop that has the 60mm AF-D available for $379. I'm going to try it out and may pay the extra $20 ($350 from adoroma EX+ + shipping) and support a local business.

Braineack · Apr 22, 2014

there's 8 sellers on amazon with it less than $300.

yioties · Apr 22, 2014

If you look on the used market you should be able to get it from 250-300

My buddy let me use his d4 with a 70-200 nikon and that thing was heavy man! Thank god i had eaten breakfast before he put it in my hands! hahahaha

bmilcs · Apr 22, 2014

Oh wow. That is very cheap. I really wanted to pick it up today and support a business but that is a substantial difference. Maybe they'd be willing to work on the price for me.

Where else do you shop for used lenses? I've only used Adoroma and KEH. KEH is priced much more competitively.