d40 macro

Coldow91 · Sep 23, 2007

I was wondering what would be the best macro lens that you can get for a Nikon D40, and what the best budget/best value macro lens for the Nikon D40.

I have little to no knowledge of lenses so If you could help me out that would be great!! (links are a plus)

petey · Oct 15, 2007

I don't know anything about lenses, but I am tempted to get a macro lens. I see them on ebay, but they are only the type that screw on the end. I wonder if they come as a whole piece, too?

Here is one I was looking at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisheye-Lens-Ma...yZ106861QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

el_shorty · Oct 15, 2007

Coldow91 said:
I was wondering what would be the best macro lens that you can get for a Nikon D40, and what the best budget/best value macro lens for the Nikon D40.

I have little to no knowledge of lenses so If you could help me out that would be great!! (links are a plus)

Any macro lens with a Nikon F mount will work with the D40, but most will not auto focus, except for the AF-S VR Nikkor 105 f2.8, Sigma 150 f2.8 HSM and Sigma 180 f2.8 HSM. But those three lenses are expensive, and if you're looking for the best value, the Sigma 50 f2.8 is your best option at $270, but not the best lens for photographing bugs, and if that is what you're planning on using it for I recommend the Sigma 105 f2.8.

jedithebomber · Oct 15, 2007

I too have been looking for a macro lens for my D40, unfortunately the only way you can get auto-focus is if you are looking to put down $700+ on the lens. I have heard that auto-focus on macro lenses can be spotty anyway, so I am going the manual-focus route.

Coldow91 · Oct 16, 2007

Yeah I may spend money on a real macro in the future, but my friend and I have been experimenting with reverse mounting old Nikon lenses for marco (got the idea here http://www.mplonsky.com/photo/article.htm#rev). We have not completely figured it out but if we do I will post it here to show how we did it.

miky360 · Oct 18, 2007

just curious, can the D40 and D40x be compatible for the same lens?

also, i really dispise auto-focus lenses, can anyone recomend a manual focus lens for around $300?

thanks in advance

JerryPH · Oct 18, 2007

Coldow91: What is your budget?

I have a Sigma 105mm HSM f/2.8 macro coming in a few days. With the 1.5 crop factor, that comes out to a nice 160mm, perfect for portrait shots and it has a 1:1 macro as part of it's repertiore. I paid $330US shipped from Amazon.com.

I cannot tell you how good it is, but I heard a lot of good about this lens, and if it is as good as my other Sigmas, I am guaranteed to be happy.

The only thing you have to watch for is that whatever lens you take, make sure it will autofocus with your D40. For Sigmas, you have to take a lens that has the HSM option.

Miky360: I do not understand your dislike of auto focusing lenses... but if you are set against it, turn it off... and for $30 dollars, you have it when you need it... like any time you are NOT using the MACRO function.

miky360 · Oct 18, 2007

JerryPH said:
What is your budget?

I have a Sigma 105mm HSM f/2.8 macro coming in a few days. With the 1.5 crop factor, that comes out to a nice 160mm, nice for portrait and it has a 1:1 macro as part of it's repertiore. I paid $330 shipped from Amazon.com.

I cannot tell you how good it is, but I heard a lot of good about this lens, and if it is as good as my other Sigmas, I am guaranteed to be happy.

The only thing you have to watch for is that whatever lens you take, make sure it will autofocus with your D40. For Sigmas, you have to take a lens that has the HSM option.

is your lens a manual focus? or auto?

Jestev · Oct 18, 2007

He said its the HSM version so it has the hypersonic autofocus motor, so it would work on the D40/x.

If you want non-AF lenses you can get AI or AI-S lenses. I use several AI and AI-S lenses on my D50. My macro is a Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 AI--works great. My Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI-S has great macro capabilities, too. Both lenses aren't too good for bugs, however. You'd have to get too close.

Coldow91 · Oct 18, 2007

JerryPH said:
Coldow91: What is your budget?

I have a Sigma 105mm HSM f/2.8 macro coming in a few days. With the 1.5 crop factor, that comes out to a nice 160mm, perfect for portrait shots and it has a 1:1 macro as part of it's repertiore. I paid $330US shipped from Amazon.com.

I cannot tell you how good it is, but I heard a lot of good about this lens, and if it is as good as my other Sigmas, I am guaranteed to be happy.

The only thing you have to watch for is that whatever lens you take, make sure it will autofocus with your D40. For Sigmas, you have to take a lens that has the HSM option.

Miky360: I do not understand your dislike of auto focusing lenses... but if you are set against it, turn it off... and for $30 dollars, you have it when you need it... like any time you are NOT using the MACRO function.

Let me know how it goes. I look forward to seeing some shots posted.

JerryPH · Oct 18, 2007

miky360 said:
is your lens a manual focus? or auto?

Jestev had it right... but there is nothing stopping me from turning off the auto-focus and doing it manually.

miky360 · Oct 18, 2007

Jestev said:
He said its the HSM version so it has the hypersonic autofocus motor, so it would work on the D40/x.

If you want non-AF lenses you can get AI or AI-S lenses. I use several AI and AI-S lenses on my D50. My macro is a Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 AI--works great. My Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI-S has great macro capabilities, too. Both lenses aren't too good for bugs, however. You'd have to get too close.

thanks

, now i gotta go do some research and a lens i like

JerryPH · Oct 18, 2007

Coldow91 said:
Let me know how it goes. I look forward to seeing some shots posted.

With pleasure.

BTW, you wanted links:
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3253&navigator=5

Another advantage is that if later on you wanted to move to a full frame camera, this lens will work wonderfully on it. Its not exclusively a DX only lens, it just works well on cameras like yours and mine with the smaller sensors.