Nikon 105mm Macro vs Tokina 100mm Macro

[HeldInTheMoment]

Title Says It All!

Nikon: Sharper, Better Focus System, VR
Tokina: Well Reviewed, No Weather Sealing, No VR, Great Price!

Tamron or Sigma...thoughts?

HELP!?


NEVERMIND...FOUND THE NEW TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 MACRO

 

[astroNikon]

I've been wondering the same thing, except with the Nikon 105/2.8 AF-D lens added to the mix.
Since you have a d7100 it would work fine with that camera, though have no AF with your D3200.

You do have a 90mm macro though, I'm curious why you want another 10/15mm of reach?

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Yes, but I will be getting a Full-Frame camera VERY SOON. Just waiting until after Photokina to see what is released and how prices change on cameras.

There are rumors of a Nikon FX Mirrorless...

 

[astroNikon]

Yes, but I will be getting a Full-Frame camera VERY SOON. Just waiting until after Photokina to see what is released and how prices change on cameras.

There are rumors of a Nikon FX Mirrorless...

FX mirrorless .. interesting if they finally come out with one.

I shoot a D750 and D600. I've been wanting a Nikon 105 for it's sharpness to do baby shots and other up close shots (bugs, macro stuff, etc). Though I rarely shoot people.

 

[jcdeboever]

The Sigma 105 can be had for $615, new, until end of month. Amazing lens for the money. My copy is sharper than a friend's Nikon 105 or so he tells me on his D7200. He likes the color rendering equally, however slightly different.

 

[cgw]

AF in a macro lens is pricey and really not necessary.

 

[jl1975]

I have the D7100 and the Nikon 105. It is a great combination. So far, I have only used it for macro and have not tried portraits with it. The autofocus is quite good and it is sharp. Really sharp.

 

[nerwin]

I had the Nikon 105 VR and I loved it. I was an idiot to sell for an RX100 M3 that I didn't use. But it's only a lens and I can always buy another one.

It's an awesome macro lens, focuses extremely fast and it's tack sharp. But I didn't like it for portraits because it had a strange bokeh swirl. Just wasn't my cup of tea. Though some don't mind it. I just found it to be distracting.

A lot of people really swear by the Tokina 100 2.8 and it really is a fantastic macro lens. Also the new Tamron 90mm is worth noting.

They are all pretty good lenses honestly.

 

[Solarflare]

Really all macro lenses are sharp. And all macro lenses often lose all sharpness to diffraction because one has to stop them down brutally in order to get any depth of field at high magnifications.

AF and IS arent that useful at macro distances. With macro its best/by far fastest to focus by moving the camera, and IS has no effect if you work at high magnifications.

Thats why my pick would be the Tokina. Or the lens I'm actually using, the Zeiss Makro-Planar 100mm. Both have excellent optical properties over the board, such as microcontrast and bokeh, not just sharpness. And Bokeh quality is actually really important with macro lenses, because so often something is out of focus.

My Makro-Planar 100mm only has 1:2 macro. If I really was into macro as such, I would get a lot of extra gear though. So for my purposes, 1:2 was perfectly enough, and besides, I have the PN-11 extension for 1:1 if I really need to.

 

[fmw]

If it is an AF-s lens, the Nikkor would be the way to go. I fight focus hunting constantly with my old AF 60 D lens. As often as not I just focus it manually. Personally I would bet both lenses can tax your sensor's ability to record what the lens can resolve. Both probably have similarly flat fields. Either would probably be satisfactory.

 

[greybeard]

I have the Nikon 105 I use with my D7000 and Nikon macro flash. Wasn't cheap but I have no complaints what so ever.

 

[Causapscal]

Tamron 90mm f2.8

 

[Causapscal]

Just for fun, I'm waiting for the Konica Hexanon-Macro 55mm f3.5 that I bought on eBay last week for 80$, in excellent condition. I already have the Hexanon 50mm f1.7 with adapter for Sony A7 series. I am eager to try it. I take a little macro and I did not want an expansive lense. I like old prime lenses

 

[Drive-By-Shooter]

n-photo mag rated the sigma 105 2.8 to be superior. I find it to be amazing. It is vastly better than my Nikon 60 macro from the '90's.
(click on pic to zoom) popup flash in command mode -.7, Nikon 910 hand held -.3

 

[greybeard]

I have the Nikon 105. What a tank. It is tac sharp and the VR helps if you are doing hand held closeups. Just don't drop it on your foot.