Macro lens suggestions

[hamlet]

I am looking into macro photography, the lens i'm currently thinking of buying is the Nikon 40mm f/2.8G. What Macro lens would you recommend for my d3200?

 

[Overread]

I wouldn't get the 40mm macro. I own a 35mm macro (working distances between the two are very similar). Now its a neat little lens, and a nice one to walk around with on a crop sensor; however when you go beyond close up and start to get toward the 1:1 magnification you end up with problems. The lens is very very close to the subject, so close that you'll certainly be shadowing it with your body and lens, plus you'll find it very hard to get good lighting into the shot even with flash.

It's a nice close up lens focal length with added macro features to get close if you need to; but not one I'd pick for doing macro with as a primary macro lens.

I'd suggest 60mm at the shortest and ideally 90mm or longer as an ideal starting point.

Tamrons 90mm f2.8 macro is a good budget starting lens - Nikon also has a 60mm macro; Sigma make a very fine 70mm macro and also a 105mm macro (newer edition of this now has OS which is similar to Nikon's VR).

 

[IronMaskDuval]

That's a bit short. I have 60mm and it does fine, but getting up close and personal with dangerous things isn't my cup of tea. I'd get a longer one if you want to enjoy shooting macro.

 

[acparsons]

I like my Nikon 105mm.

 

[hamlet]

I wouldn't get the 40mm macro. I own a 35mm macro (working distances between the two are very similar). Now its a neat little lens, and a nice one to walk around with on a crop sensor; however when you go beyond close up and start to get toward the 1:1 magnification you end up with problems. The lens is very very close to the subject, so close that you'll certainly be shadowing it with your body and lens, plus you'll find it very hard to get good lighting into the shot even with flash.

It's a nice close up lens focal length with added macro features to get close if you need to; but not one I'd pick for doing macro with as a primary macro lens.

I'd suggest 60mm at the shortest and ideally 90mm or longer as an ideal starting point.

Tamrons 90mm f2.8 macro is a good budget starting lens - Nikon also has a 60mm macro; Sigma make a very fine 70mm macro and also a 105mm macro (newer edition of this now has OS which is similar to Nikon's VR).

That is some great advice, seeing as i've never done macro photography, that never occurred to me and boy would my face look red if my shadow ruined my shots.

 

[SnappingShark]

Definitely the 105! I had the 60 and I found I had to get so close.
105 also works nicely as a portrait lens too when not macro-ing. IMHO

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Definitely the 105! I had the 60 and I found I had to get so close. 105 also works nicely as a portrait lens too when not macro-ing. IMHO

On a crop? I have a tough time with the 60 for portraits as it is.

 

[Braineack]

What happened to the D800e?

 

[hamlet]

What happened to the D800e?

I gave it away to my friend as a wedding present.

 

[VABuckeye]

I like my Nikon 105mm.

^^^^^^^^^^

 

[IronMaskDuval]

I gave it away to my friend as a wedding present.

hey, buddy.

 

[SnappingShark]

Well, I say portraits - but I guess *my* only portrait work is my wife, and I can send her down the hallway!

 

[astroNikon]

I gave it away to my friend as a wedding present.

hey, buddy.

Yeah, how do we get on his "friends list" lol

 

[Braineack]

Why are you considering an optically inferior DX lens?

 

[Overread]

Why are you considering an optically inferior DX lens?

Smaller image circle does not equal optically inferior - just because the lens is for crop sensor not fullframe doesn't automatically make the lens inferior. Asides most modern true macro lenses are some of the sharpest out there with very high grade optics.