Best Macro lense?

[flyingember]

Quick question:
My aunt has informed me she has the EXACT Sigma lense you speak of, only it goes with her Pentax....I shoot with Nikon...Hmmmm. She will give it to me but will it work??? is there some kind of mount I can buy so that I can use her lense on my camera? This could turn out in my favor if I can figure out how to use it on my camera...

you would need a mounting adaptor, if one exists, and you may lose features like automatic metering

 

[mommy22]

Hmmm, then maybe not such a good deal then... I'm thinking of renting one for the weekend so I can actually hold it and play around with it before I take the plunge and drop a wad of benjamins on a lense.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

*lens*

 

[Sw1tchFX]

The Nikon 105VR is good, but believe it or not, it's not great.

The most highly regarded macro lenses i've heard of for small format are (in order)

Zeiss 100mm f/2

Sigma 70mm f/2.8

Sigma 150mm f/2.8

 

[ruaslacker2]

You might try the Canon 500D Close Up Lens. One of the screw on filters. Bryan Peterson recommends these on his Nikon. It would be a cheaper way to try close up photography.

Jerry

 

[dla]

I just ordered a Nikon 105 macro with vr. Can't wait for it to come in.

 

[Ron Evers]

You might try the Canon 500D Close Up Lens. One of the screw on filters. Bryan Peterson recommends these on his Nikon. It would be a cheaper way to try close up photography.

Jerry

Or a Raynox DCR 150 - a sweet little add-on. Here is a shot with one:

Lilly-of-the-valley

 

[DScience]

Next question, can I shoot macro with my 70-300? I would love a lenses I could do portraits and macro with...

Look into the 60mm f/2.8. It has great macro ability and for portraits, it's amazing!

 

[mommy22]

great pic btw.

 

[mommy22]

I like it. Do you need to use it on a certain type of lense?

 

[Josh220]

The Nikon 105VR is good, but believe it or not, it's not great.

The most highly regarded macro lenses i've heard of for small format are (in order)

Zeiss 100mm f/2

Sigma 70mm f/2.8

Sigma 150mm f/2.8

Sorry to dig up an almost month old thread, but why do you say it's not a great lens? I have never used one, but I am looking into picking one up after my 70-200. I try not to buy third party lenses, so the 105mm VR is the one I was going to get for macro. It's got great reviews and is talked about highly by pro photographers such as Moose Peterson and Joe McNally. I actually don't know if I can remember ever hearing anything negative about it.

 

[Overread]

What's wrong with 3rd party lenses?
My Sigma 70mm and 150mm both stand up very well against my MPE65mm and the MPE is a pure macro only lens (read optimised to the extreme)
Triple Macro lens test - a set on Flickr

Besides on optical quality you won't see much variation between the different brands, even canon didn't make much (if any real world) difference when they upgraded their 100mm to an L grade lens.
You will honestly not find a bad review on any of the current crop of macro lenses and what is quickly apparent is that its not a case of choosing the sharpest, but instead a case of choosing the lens with the best overall features, focal range and compatability for your system.

For Nikon the 105mm VR is avery strong option, even though the VR has less effect at macro distances it still is a great boon to have in a lens for helping with regular shots as well as adding a bit more help for the macro work.

 

[Josh220]

What's wrong with 3rd party lenses?
My Sigma 70mm and 150mm both stand up very well against my MPE65mm and the MPE is a pure macro only lens (read optimised to the extreme)
Triple Macro lens test - a set on Flickr

Besides on optical quality you won't see much variation between the different brands, even canon didn't make much (if any real world) difference when they upgraded their 100mm to an L grade lens.
You will honestly not find a bad review on any of the current crop of macro lenses and what is quickly apparent is that its not a case of choosing the sharpest, but instead a case of choosing the lens with the best overall features, focal range and compatability for your system.

For Nikon the 105mm VR is avery strong option, even though the VR has less effect at macro distances it still is a great boon to have in a lens for helping with regular shots as well as adding a bit more help for the macro work.

Nothing is wrong with them at all, I just personally prefer to stick with Nikkor glass. I have a heavily modified 2007 4Runner and if it has taught me anything, it's to buy the best (read: what I would be most happy with) and the investment will pay off. I bought a Nikon to shoot Nikkor glass.

I have heard that the 105mm VR is wicked sharp; that's why the post threw me off. I want to know if he has personal experience with it, and what were it's downfalls.

 

[KmH]

Uh, no. I am not willing to spend a grand on a lense.

Unfortunately, you get what you pay for, particularly when it comes to a lens.