I haven't received my Zf yet, but wanted to see what kind of lens do you guys use for macro on your Z bodies?
What is good and cheap lens to use? Which is is best in your opinion?
Lots of options. The cheapest option is a simple bellows with just about any older 50mm manual lens -- this will do surprisingly well and allow you pretty significant magnifications even over 2:1 -- probably find both used in F mount for under $100, then add $30 for a dumb FTZ adapter. A better option will be a dedicated all manual macro lens either in Z mount or F mount + a dumb FTZ adapter for added convenience, most will get you to 1:1 magnification -- there are a handful of these in Z mount at under $300. The next better option is going to be an F-mount AFS 60 or 105 macro with a real FTZ adapter, now you have AF and AE, mot of these will get you to 1:1 and cost will be in the $200 - $400 range depending on which F lens you get. FTZ1 used can be found at $150-ish. The best options will be the Z 50 and/or 105 macro.
Nobody really makes a bad macro lens, so you've got lots of options if you're willing to adapt and even more options if you are willing to use manual focus. With regards to all the cheap(er) third party lenses it's splitting hairs with regards to performance. Popular ones are the Sigma 105, Sigma 150mm, Tokina 100mm, Tamron 90mm. You could probably get a used F-mount 105/2.8VR or 60/2.8 macro for a good price as well. You can even reverse some lenses to get macro ability with an adapter, or use extension tubes with an existing lens.
I don't know what you usually like to shoot, but I would go with something in the 90mm-105mm range so you have a somewhat reasonable working distance at 1:1. An extra bonus is that is a good focal length for portraits as well should that interest you. If you shoot bugs or anything else that might be skittish, you might want a longer focal length but the options start to thin out pretty quick.
If you want a native Z Macro, the cheapest one is the Z50/2.8 at $600 USD. Only other option is the Z105/2.8 Macro which is one of the best Macro lenses available but quite a bit more expensive at ~$950 USD. Not sure what pricing is like in the UK but maybe there is something that stands out as a particularly good deal.
phinix wrote:
I haven't received my Zf yet, but wanted to see what kind of lens do you guys use for macro on your Z bodies?
What is good and cheap lens to use? Which is is best in your opinion?
I did macro for years. Was crazy for all of it: mirrors for lighting, auto extension tubes (Nikon's and Kenyon's or whatever the brand is today), close-up filters, flash, a couple of micro Nikkors (105 2.8's). Very tedious work and the closer one gets to the subject, the thinner the DOF. As you know, when you are "macro close" the DOF is paper-thin.
In recent years I have lost interest in macro lenses, extension tubes and all the rest.
Nonetheless, I am very excited by the macro images taken by nature photographers who *specialize* in super macro close-ups of insects etc. Wow!
Today, I just combine the 45mpx files (at low ISOs) with super-sharp supertele images (as close to MFD as is practical)..... and just crop. I guess technically one must reach 1:1 to get to macro. So maybe I am shooting close-ups and not macro anymore.
I am guessing that the DOF is considerably greater with the super telephoto distance from the subject.
Now I am interested in settling into learning/doing some stacked images with this Z8
phinix wrote:
I haven't received my Zf yet, but wanted to see what kind of lens do you guys use for macro on your Z bodies?
I have owned several macro lenses in the past decades (Micro-Nikkor AI-S 105/4, Micro-Nikkor AI-S 105/2.8, Micro-Nikkor AI 200/4 IF, AF Micro-Nikkor 105/2.8D, Micro-Nikkor AI-S 55/2.8, Micro-Nikkor AF 60/2.8D, AF Tamron SP 90/2.8 Macro, AF Sigma Macro 105/2.8).
I currently use the Micro-Nikkor AF ED 200/4D, the Micro-Nikkor AF-S ED 105/2.8G VR and the Zeiss ZF 100/2 Makro-Planar.
phinix wrote:
What is good and cheap lens to use?
"Good and cheap" doesn't imply "best". Good and cheap means, IMHO, the Micro-Nikkor AF-S ED 105/2.8G VR: it's relatively cheap in the 2nd hand market and rather good/sharp, although not the sharpest. Its out-of-focus rendition is one of the best you can have with macro lenses for Nikon cameras (DSLR cameras and MILCs). A used Micro-Nikkor AF-S ED 105/2.8G VR does represent a quite good value for money. I attach few pictures.
phinix wrote:
Which is is best in your opinion?
The Voigtlander 110/2.5 Macro Apo Lanthar (available with Sony E-mount only, but you can adapt it to your Zf via Megadap ETZ21 Pro). It's a MF lens though.
CanadaMark wrote:
If you want a native Z Macro, the cheapest one is the Z50/2.8 at $600 USD. Only other option is the Z105/2.8 Macro which is one of the best Macro lenses available but quite a bit more expensive at ~$950 USD. Not sure what pricing is like in the UK but maybe there is something that stands out as a particularly good deal.
At least here in the EU, the Z MC 105/2.8 VR S is currently very affordable.
Today it is listed for €875, which corresponds to $961.97 at today's exchange rate, although this still includes 19% VAT, which is tax-deductible, at least for professional photographers with a business license.
The net price in the EU is therefore currently extremely favorable for the Z MC 105/2.8 at €735 = $808.06.
At this price it's a no-brainer, at least in the EU.
In my opinion one of the best Z Nikkor lenses with S-badge, if you include the price/performance ratio.
Optically, the lens is beyond any doubt.
The question is whether you want to use AF at all in the macro range.
If it's all about macro work and the precision of manual focusing and you might be working with a macro rail either way, then the Voigtländer 110 /2.5 Apo Lanthar would probably be my first choice.
The UK price is, also including VAT, best I could find was £869 ($1103,89), for whatever reason, not nearly as good.
What subject are you shooting OP? I don’t do insects but I do macro beauty and the 24-120 f/4 works great. Not a “true macro”, but close focuses nicely.
The Nikon lens works beautifully and offers all the bells & whistles you expect from a modern lens. The 100mm Laowa is razor sharp but is a full manual lens (setting aperture, focus, ...) but for sure a strong contender when budget conscious. It also is a 2:1 macro bringing something extra into the game.
The Milvus is a gem of a lens that hold its ground for portret as well. It is a manual focus lens but focusing goes smooth and is seriously well build. It is however "only" a 1:2 lens hence I call it a close-up lens.
Other people might suggest other lenses but I never considered macro lenses in the 50-60mm range as this brings me too close to the subject but might just work for you on the chosen subjects.
jlafferty wrote:
What subject are you shooting OP? I don’t do insects but I do macro beauty and the 24-120 f/4 works great. Not a “true macro”, but close focuses nicely.
I was thinking all kind of macro, including insects or objects, even in 2:1 macro.
phinix wrote:
To use Nikon Zf focus stacking, I understand I would need AF macro lens?
To use "automatic" focus stacking you need either a AF-S (F-mount) lens + FTZ or a Nikkor Z lens. AF/AF-D Nikkor lenses won't AF on Z bodies.
However, there are excellent macro photographer who can focus stack manually. It's not that difficult
You can start from the first tutorials by Micheal Erlewine:
