Macro Lens Testing
My Dear Sweet Wife and I like to shoot macro or close-up photography, for our blogs and otherwise. She picked up a Nikkor AF 105/2.8 D Micro lens a while back and it has been our workhorse lens for close up shots taken with our film bodies.
However, our D300 and its small DX format sensor and resulting crop factor has increased the working distance of that lens. Trying to shoot small items on a desk has become an exercise in backing up more than we have room to do in our tiny and crowded house.
We have been considering getting a shorter focal length macro lens with a closer working distance ever since we bought the D300. BorrowLenses.com has a promotion right now (code winter15) which lead me to rent two shorter micro Nikkors for this weekend, just to try them out.
Both are current lenses in Nikon’s lineup, the AF-S 60/2.8 G Micro and AF-S 40/2.8 G Micro. Judging by specifications, the 60mm lens wins in terms of features: nano coating and ED glass, 2 aspherical elements versus 0, internal focusing, and support for FX and 35mm bodies.
But none of that matters if the 60mm lens working distance is still too far out. Stay tuned for a few posts comparing all three lenses after I have put them through their paces!
Meanwhile if you have some spare time this weekend (perhaps two hours) be sure to catch Star Wars Uncut, the full crowd-sourced recreation of Episode IV was just released. Be warned it is only mostly G-rated…
