Macro lens?
 

Hi, I am looking for a quite cheap macro lens, knowing that I have a Nikon D60 body. is the "Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro" a good choice, or do you have other recommendations?
thanks a lot.
Simon

All the macro lenses produce good quality images, the main downside of the 50mm focal length is that the subject to camera distance is very small for real macro shots of things like insects so it is very easy to frighten that sort of subject away. Most people buy something in the region of a 100mm lens for an all round macro lens to get a reasonable working distance so in addition to Nikon's own lenses look at the Sigma 105mm and the 90mm Tamron. I had the Sigma and it is a very sharp lens with an excellent reputation.

I agree that both 105 sigma and the 90 tamron look nice, but which would be the best buy?
I can get them at the same price, so which do you think I should go for?

Once you've got to this sort of point, it's entirely down to your personal preference. I use the Sigma 105, but that's only because I got it at a good price, and I prefer the colours that Sigma lenses give over Tamron lenses. You may prefer to Tamron, they are both excellent choices.

Sigma lenses tend to give quite warm orange-ish tones, Tamron give quite a cool blue look. Which do you prefer?

Personal choice here. I prefer the Sigma because it has a fractionally longer focal length but either would make an excellent choice.

I've got a APS-C censor, so the focal length is less of a problem I think.
But I read a couple of reviews and I read the tamron does not have a built in AF motor.
I could find that for the Sigma, do you know if AF would work with the D60?

As far as I know both the Tamron and Sigma have built in AF motors in Nikon fit so should work with the D60. Not being a Nikon man I am not absolutely sure. Perhaps Don Hoey on this forum could help you as he is very knowledgeable about Nikons so contact him.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...otor-/p1030805

Read the first line of the description. Also confirmed by checking the details on The Tamron UK importers web pages.

i personally have used both the 60mm and 120mm Nikkor F2.8 lens and find them very good for macro work and produce good quality pictures

but both lens are not AF-S so and manual focus is alittle annoying sometimes as you cant quiet get that crisp detail you need

its the problem i have in general with my D3000 it has no built in moter so AF lens are all manual focus so if your a photography enfusiast then maybe upgrading to some of the better models like the D90/ D300 with the built in moter that in the long run will get you better in focus pictures without having to invest in expensive lens with AF-S abliltys

A/F would be nice but I'm short the dosh to fund the move, so I treat it all as a bit of a challenge. :D :D
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=6008

Don

A lot of macro enthusiasts actually prefer to use manual focus at genuine macro and greater magnification as it allows you to focus on the precise point you want in focus rather than where a focusing point happens to be. Sometimes done with the focusing ring often done by moving the whole camera lens combo backwards or forwards slightly. For careful work (unusual for me) I often turn the autofocus off.

Me too, use manual focus quite common for my macro work.

The lens was answered by PM response, and that was quite easy as the Tamron will a/f on the D60 but the Sigma will not. I added the link to that thread as I have no idea what subjects, or at what magnifications bob is looking at, and thought the pics might give an idea as they are between 1:15 and 1:1.

Subject magnification is important in as much as the move from 1:2 to 1:1 increases the lens extension loosing one stop of light. Depending on the sensitivity of the a/f sensor this can affect focussing speed if this is important. I have had a quick play with Stevies 60mm AFD on the D2X and the D100 and the difference is there if a/f speed is an important factor. A/F sensor specs : D2X - Multicam 2000, D100 - Multicam 900, D60 - Multicam - 530.

Any increase in magnification beyond 1:1 will require either a teleconverter or extension tubes and either way will result in even greater loss of light. Even the D100's multicam 900 a/f now struggles in less than bright conditions, so its not going to be any better with the D60 even though its a newer camera.

As to extension tubes, the only tubes that will retain communication between camera body and AFS lenses are Kenko.
Nikon tubes have no electical contacts, so apart from not being able to autofocus AFS lenses, there is no control of the diaphragm. This is all in the thread ' The Ins and Outs of the Nikon Lens Mount '.

Don

As those here know I use a Raynox DCR250 on the FZ30 and hand hold. I have autofocus on so that it gets me somewhere close, then with the shutter button halfway pressed move the camera back and forward looking for the sharpest point in the LCD, then fully depress the shutter.